Vahaui Paradis — Local services in Rangiroa

We almost missed Vahaui Paradis as it is listed under specialty lodging, at the bottom, not with the other B&B's but we are very glad we found it, as it was a great stay. We stayed for 4 nights in Fare Tinihau and it was really perfect for us. The room was very comfortable and extremely well equipped compared to other similarly offered rooms we stayed in on this trip. We used the cooking facilities one night to prepare an entire hot meal so are more than adequate. Claudine and Daniel are very accommodating and kind hosts, all you can ask for in this kind of accommodation and the attention to detail is amazing. So many small little things, all in good working order and just when you think of something you need, there it is. Here are a few tips that might be helpful when coming to Rangiroa. 1. The Vahaui and the Miki Miki are right beside each other on the windward side of the island. There is a spectacular view but the sea is rough so not really for swimming. That being said, it is about a 2 minute walk to the other side of the Atoll to a beautiful beach and snorkeling on the lagoon side so you kind of get the best of both worlds here. 2. There isn't much to do on Rangiroa except dive, snorkel and lay on the beach which was great for us. Claudine dropped us off if we needed to get somewhere that was too far to walk or bike (provided) and the restaurants, excursions and dive shops all pick you up and drop you off if needed. 3. Most things are closed on Sundays so if you need to hit the market or food on Sunday after you arrive, you may have very limited options. 4. I can't stress enough that we enjoyed our time in the Tuomotu's the most out of the whole trip to FP. The entire trip was great however if we had to do it again, we would spend more time in the this area and less in the Society's.Overall, we highly recommend the...

We almost missed Vahaui Paradis as it is listed under specialty lodging, at the bottom, not with the other B&B's but we are very glad we found it, as it was a great stay. We stayed for 4 nights in Fare Tinihau and it was really perfect for us. The room was very comfortable and extremely well equipped compared to other similarly offered rooms we stayed in on this trip. We used the cooking facilities one night to prepare an entire hot meal so are more than adequate. Claudine and Daniel are very accommodating and kind hosts, all you can ask for in this kind of accommodation and the attention to detail is amazing. So many small little things, all in good working order and just when you think of something you need, there it is. Here are a few tips that might be helpful when coming to Rangiroa. 1. The Vahaui and the Miki Miki are right beside each other on the windward side of the island. There is a spectacular view but the sea is rough so not really for swimming. That being said, it is about a 2 minute walk to the other side of the Atoll to a beautiful beach and snorkeling on the lagoon side so you kind of get the best of both worlds here. 2. There isn't much to do on Rangiroa except dive, snorkel and lay on the beach which was great for us. Claudine dropped us off if we needed to get somewhere that was too far to walk or bike (provided) and the restaurants, excursions and dive shops all pick you up and drop you off if needed. 3. Most things are closed on Sundays so if you need to hit the market or food on Sunday after you arrive, you may have very limited options. 4. I can't stress enough that we enjoyed our time in the Tuomotu's the most out of the whole trip to FP. The entire trip was great however if we had to do it again, we would spend more time in the this area and less in the Society's.Overall, we highly recommend the...

Very comfortable and enjoyable stay in a nice bungalow. Hosts Pierre (a Frenchman) and Moetira (a local) are welcoming, eager to please, and provide extra services like breakfast supplies, or booking of tourist activites, on request. (This is very nice convenience, as doing a lot of calling around on your own can eat up a lot of a vacation day.) Some extra services like laundry, home-cooked dinners, or taxi service can be had for an extra fee (dinner $30, but home-baked bread was free). You can't cook in the bungalow but we made good use of the refrigerator. There's air conditioning in the bungalows for a $10/day fee if you really can't stand the heat, but you'll probably do fine with just the electric fan. Temperatures in December topped out at about 85 degrees, with lots of breezes. For Americans, English isn't the preferred language at Vahaui Paradis but Moetira does speak it, and Pierre can get by.||Paradis Vauhui is the only tourist resort on the seaward side of Rangiroa, I think. You're right on the beach and it's very picturesque but between sharp coral and surf, the beach isn't swimmable. (Not to worry; the lagoon side isn't much for swimming either.) It's not in a village or town, but it's about a 300-yard walk to the nearest hotel restaurant and 150 yards to the nearest sandwich stand. It's barely walkable, about 1 mile, to the end of the road where there are a couple of mini markets, cafes, and the dock where many boat tours depart. The real town, Avatoru, is at the other end of the island 4 1/2 miles away. Pro tip: you can get around on rental bikes but it's tougher than it looks: it gets hot in spots where trees block the sea breezes, and it's very slow going when you have to pedal...