Tikehau Adventures. Our friends on Alrisha gave us the low down on the motu. It did not take long as it is a super small village. There are only two streets that run parallel to each other where everything can be located. We left the boat the next morning to go exploring.
Not many decisions to make when it comes to directions. We left Sweetie at the little marina, walked out to the first street and decided to go to the 2nd street. Right on the corner is the bakery. You can order your bread in the morning and pick it up at 1600h. They also sell propane and fuel because why not get those while you are picking up your croissants and baguettes? To the left of the bakery and about 100 meters down is the one and only magasin (market). We walked in, picked up some coldish beverages and continued on.
Nothing left in that direction on the 2nd road so we turned around and walked the opposite direction. At the first opportunity, we turned left onto a dirt road hoping to come to the end of the island. Even their dirt roads are pretty.
Dirt road on Tikehau
We walked all the way around the island along the shore of some very pretty beaches.
Tikehau Beaches
The black tip sharks like to swim up to shore to check you out. We saw a half dozen just hanging out and watching us.
Sharks in 6″ of water
Sea Treasures
As we walked along shore, we collected lots of sea treasures. The beach was full of shells and bits of corals and sea urchins. I am hoping I can figure out how to make some jewelry out of the purple urchin shells.
Sea Treasures
We stopped and at a snack shack for lunch. Matt had a fish burger and I had chicken. We enjoyed the cover as a squall rolled in while we ate.
Snack shack on the wharf at Tikehau
On the way back we went back to the beach to finish our circumference of the island. Got this great shot of Sugar Shack at anchor.
Tikehau Beach
Another pretty beach
Tikehau beach
Anchorage
Sugar Shack was anchored off of Tuherahera motu where the main village is located. Originally, we had wanted to visit Ilse de Eden where the Garden of Eden is located, bird island, and a few other motus.
However, we were here for several days, but did not have much of an opportunity to explore the other motus due to bad weather. During a maramu, we hunkered down and then decided to leave at a weather window.
We did motor over to Motu Mauu which is a known manta ray cleaning station. A quick dip in the water allowed us to admire the fish. However, we never came across any manta rays. Maybe next time.
Motu Mauu Manta Ray Cleaning Station
Tikehau History
Tikehau is part of the Tuamotu Archipelago. The lagoon is rather large and spams 17 nmm. There is only one passe that can be used by boats and it has to be used during slack tide to avoid damage. This motu has an almost continuous barrier reef with numerous islets covered in vegetation and coconut trees. One the south-west part, between the village (airport) and the pass, has a reef awash with no islets.
Tikehau map
Jaques Coustea made a study on Tikehau’s lagoon during a visit in 1987. He discovered that it contains a greater variety of fish species than any other place in French Polynesia.
Today, Tikehau is a tourist destination, popular for its pink sand beaches and its exceptional underwater fauna.
Only 500 Tahitians call this motu home where they mostly live on copra, fishing, tourism and a little pearl farming. In 2001, Tikehau opened its first resort called Tikehau Pearl Beach Resort.