Manihi



Manihi is a ring-shaped coral atoll located within the Tuamotu Islands of French Polynesia.

Understand
Like Rangiroa, Manihi is not an island but rather a coral atoll. Manihi has seen very little commercial development both above and below the water line. This has created an unadulteratedly natural splendor untouched by commercialism. There are no shopping malls, tour buses, or major attractions. With so few local inhabitants, travelers will feel like they are the only one on the atoll. Manihi can be best described for its isolation and laid back lifestyle. The isolation strips away the tourist feel commonly associated with islands like Moorea and Tahiti. And while laid back might lead to less than perfect experience, it is the imperfections that will leave travelers with many positive and lasting memories.

Being located this far from civilization does come with drawbacks. Power and fresh water are both limited resources. Many of the locals have rainwater catchers attached to their roof tops. Power is only available via gas powered generators. And obviously imported food and supplies have limited availability. A concerted effort has been made to minimize litter. There are many "Please keep our island clean" signs posted around the village.

There are no terrain features in Manihi and thus constant wind. Wind also means the very dynamic conditions of sunny, cloudy, and rain typical of tropical climate. All can occur within a single hour.

Manihi's primary commerce is the black pearl farms that operate within the lagoon. There is not much tourism business beyond that of the single resort on the atoll, so there's not much in way of tourism-related activities happening here.

Get in
Domestic flight arrivals only. There are no direct international flights to Manihi. Nor are there any commercial cruise lines that make port-of-call in Manihi either.

An Air Tahiti domestic flight arrives in Manihi once a day. The airport is simply an airstrip that, like Rangiroa, also serves as the taxiway. The boarding/arrival area is a simple straw hut. And the terminal is located at the far end of the runway.

For resort guest: A hotel representative greets guests at the arrival area and shuttles them directly to the resort. Skip the baggage claim, the hotel staff will deliver your baggage directly to your room. This is a $11 per person one-way charge.

For non-resort guest: An airport shuttle transports travelers to the airport terminal at the opposite side of the runway for baggage claim and water taxis.

Get around

 * Bicycles - The atoll has a few roads and even fewer motorized vehicles. Thus travellers can hike or peddle without fear of being run over.  Bicycles are available for free to resort guests.  These bicycles are not exactly top-of-the-line, they are weather beaten, single speed, etc.  But it's worthy enough for local transportation.
 * Water taxi

See




Buy

 * Black pearls - You will not find any bargains on black pearls here. This is explained during the pearl farm tour.  Even though buying at the source is usually considered cheaper, it is not true in this case.   Tahiti has strict guidelines, standards, and grading of all pearls produced in Tahiti.  Thus all black pearls manufactured in Manihi are shipped to Tahiti for grading and authentication.  Only then are the black pearls shipped back for sale in the few local shops in Manihi.

Eat
Dining options are very limited in Manihi.


 * Snack bar at the airport terminal.
 * Poe Rava Restaurant and Miki Miki Bar are both located at the Pearl Resort.

For the more adventurous, if you look hard enough, one can find coconuts along the side of the road. There are no public works to maintain the trees and thus the coconuts fall naturally to the ground. With the proper training, one can crack open a coconut and make use of its many uses as both food and drink.

When exploring for coconuts, be mindful of where you traverse. As there are no fences or property signs, one can easily wander into another's private property and not know it.

Go next

 * The island of Ahe, just to the west of Manihi, is one of French Polynesia's hidden treasures with a gorgeous interior lagoon