Blue lagoon private tour

We (a couple) took the private excursion to the blue lagoon. Our guide was Po'e (hopefully the spelling is right) and our captain was Dan. Both of them were fantastic. Po'e spoke good english, but I speak a little french so we met in the middle. About us: 30 y/o couple. Interested in nature, birding, and tropical fish. Not very excited about lounging. Conditions on the boat: For starters, I want to start this on a positive note. Our captain, Dan was an EXTREMELY masterful and made the hour run to and from the blue lagoon as comfortable as he could have given the conditions. Meaning he positioned us well in the waves and slowed the vessel when needed to avoid slamming. We were contacted the day before and asked if we would still like to go because the forecast was indicating that the seas would be rough. It's important to remember that the lagoon of Rangiroa is huge and consequently can have rough seas. We figured that if they were still willing to take us, it was safe to go, so we said yes. For your reference, winds were out of the ESE as 25 mph with 30 mph gusts. Seas were around 4-6 feet which is a lot for the boat which was probably ~25 feet. Despite having a lot of experience on small vessels in high seas, I was pleasantly surprised with how well Dan and the boat were able to handle the seas. They provided jackets and the boat we were on had a curtain to prevent too much sea spray which was a nice feature. There was also a small cargo hold in the front of the boat that was sealed and kept our belongings including expensive cameras dry. Experience: 1. Shark snorkeling: Upon arrival at the Blue Lagoon, we jumped off for a short (30 min) snorkel with black tip reef sharks. This was good fun. The visibility wasn't great, probably due to the high seas and strong winds. We were still very easily able to see the sharks and rays as well as some other fish in the reef. 2. Time on the motus (islands) near blue lagoon: We booked the private tour, but there was another boat accompanying us with a group trip. The group went to one motu and we went to another motu. One thing to consider is that getting to the motu requires wading. Bring shoes that can get wet and you can step in rocky areas. Flip flops and crocs were fine for us. We were offered soft drinks, water, pineapple juice to drink with tequila and rum to mix in if we wanted. There was also Hinano beer available. We also got a snack of coconut and pringles. We were given some time to walk around, swim, etc. while Po'e prepared the site for a weaving demonstration. As avid birders, we had a ton of fun watching the nesting noddies, terns, and frigates. We were also fortunate to see two beautiful blue lorikeets which we were very excited about. We got an hour and half or so to explore the motu which could be spent lounging, exploring, birding, and/or swimming. Lunch: The same beverages were provided. The food was an offering of grilled chicken, grilled jack fish, and cru de poisson which is a common raw tuna dish in the French Polynesia. There was also rice and coconut bread. The food was nice, especially the cru de poisson, in my opinion. After lunch, we had some more free time to enjoy the motu. They fed the leftover fish to the reef sharks so we got to enjoy that frenzy and then got to hang out with them in high density (probably over 100 sharks swimming around between 6 inches and 3 feet deep). This was great fun! Avatoru pass snorkel: Due to the weather, we didn't go all the way to the aquarium, but instead we went to the avatoru pass. They both have similar structure in that there's a small island on the lagoon side. We took one drift snorkel past this island and it did not disappoint! There were tons of fish and coral and an incredible diversity of things to see. I could have done this all day and never gotten bored. Green lagoon: Our last stop as the green lagoon where we got coffee and cookies (we could've had the previously mentioned beverages, too). We rested there and enjoyed our refreshments by the water for about half an hour and then returned to the dock for our ride home. Overall: This was an amazing experience and I would recommend it to anyone who is able bodied enough to get in an out of a boat (with a ladder), walk (wade) to the motus in sandy/rocky conditions. It was totally worth the time spent in rough seas which not even everyone has to endure. 5 stars and a huge thank you to Po'e, Dan and the staff of the other boat, Laetitia and Claude. It was a great time and we could love to be back.

The “nursery” for the black tipped reef sharks was fascinating. Had a nice afternoon of lunch and snorkeling.

We had a wonderful time with Laetitia and Claude. She was the perfect captain and guide: capable, caring, knowledgeable and fun. He cooked a delicious meal and helped her manage the whole day. The lagoon is a beautiful destination. Not a lot of snorkeling but we enjoyed the serenity, amazing water and opportunity to wander between the tiny islands (by foot; the water between is thigh high. Make sure to bring water shoes!). She made wonderful hats, crowns and a purse from palm fronds and taught me how to make my crown. We loved having her two little dogs with us and found some pretty shells. Great, relaxing day.

It was a long boat ride to and from, but it was worth it. Our guide Leticia was super sweet. Lunch was amazing!

Extraordinary family day, amazing scenery, hot water and great guides. Meal on the island is a timeless and succulent moment