Join This 12 Day Liveaboard Trip Seeing Big Pelagics and Gorgeous Atoll Reefs
April 18-29, 2027
April 30 – May 11, 2027
This French Polynesia snorkeling trip offers a small group of eight snorkelers a unique opportunity for swimming with big schools of pelagics (sharks, rays, dolphins) that are rarely seen by snorkelers. From a private catamaran yacht you will have ten days exploring in some of the very remote atolls of the Tuamotu Island chain, deep in the South Pacific, starting in Fakarava.
This is truly an underwater safari. You will be seeing huge schools of different types of sharks, including hammerhead, black and white tip and gray reef, silky, and tiger sharks.
The sharks, along with manta rays and bottlenose dolphins, are drawn here for feeding because of strong ocean currents that flow through channels in the reefs that are filled with massive schools of smaller fish like snappers and fusiliers.
Also commonly seen are other large species, like Napoleon Wrasse, Marbled Groupers, and jackfish.
In addition to drift snorkeling channels, you will also be snorkeling shallow reefs filled with hard corals and smaller tropical fish schools.
The Tuamotu Islands are ringed in fringing hard coral reefs, in perfect depths for snorkeling.
Your base for this journey is the large sailing catamaran Aqua Tiki III. It sports all the amenities you’ll need, and serves as a functional base for your exhilarating snorkeling sessions. There are five cabins which hold a total of 8 guests plus your guide.
This trip is being run by our partner and friend Ben and his team. Based in the U.K., they are experts at running amazing excursions, and have a great appreciation for the underwater world. Your trip includes a tour guide from Ben’s team.
The French Polynesia Snorkeling Trip Itinerary and Map
You will be snorkeling in the Tuamotu Islands, which are a chain of pristine white sandy beach atolls located 220 miles northeast of Tahiti and Moorea, nearly 2500 miles south of Hawaii, in the South Pacific Ocean.
International flights will arrive in Fa’a’ā International Airport in Papeete, Tahiti. Once you arrive you will make your way by taxi to the specified hotel. There you will meet your guide and group for dinner and to spend the night.
The next morning, after breakfast, your group will take a short flight together to Fakarava Atoll. In Fakarava you will be met by the staff from the Aqua Tiki III and transferred to the catamaran yacht.
You will spend 11 nights aboard, cruising the Tuamoto Islands and snorkeling all the best spots. At the end of the snorkel charter, you will be transferred back to the airport where you will fly as a group back to Tahiti, where the tour ends.
What Will This Snorkeling Trip Be Like?
The beauty of traveling on a liveaboard is that the itinerary can change to experience the best weather and water conditions, and the best times for viewing marine life. Three to four times a day you will go out on different snorkel outings, including some night snorkeling sessions.
You will be visiting three different atolls in the Tuamotus on this trip, Fakarava, Kauehi, and Toau.
There will be ample opportunities for snorkeling in protected bays, and over stunning shallow reefs filled with pristine hard corals and tropical fish schools.
There will also be many opportunities to partake in drift snorkels through passes or channels between the atolls, for encounters with the larger pelagics and schools of big fish. These drift snorkels will only be offered when the currents are not extreme, but they do require confident snorkelers with some experience and physical ability. You will always have two guides in the water with you, and a small zodiac boat will always be on hand for safety.
What Will the Aqua Tiki III Liveaboard Be Like?
The Aqua Tiki III is a 65.6 foot (20 meters) sailing catamaran yacht, that is 32.2 feet wide (9.8 meters), so it is very stable, with lots of room on board.
This is not your typical liveaboard with 15-20 guests. This will be a more intimate way to experience these islands with just eight snorkelers. One of Ben’s snorkel guides will also be on board, and there are three or four crew members.
Each cabin on board is air-conditioned (three hours/day) with en-suite bathrooms and hot showers. The rooms and beds are comfortable, but being on a sailing catamaran they are relatively compact.
There are two modular cabins that feature a double bed that can be separated by a solid and curtain barrier to create two twin beds. There are also two VIP cabins that only have a double bed.
The community space is carefully laid out with plenty of indoor and covered and uncovered outdoor places to lounge, including large trampolines between the hulls at the front of the boat.
The onboard chief will be creating a feast of meals, and there will be an assortment of soft drinks and alcohol available (for an extra fee). There will be WiFi available.
Trip Details and How to Sign Up
This is a small group trip and we expect it to fill quickly. Your spot is reserved with your deposit. Contact Ben below for deposit instructions.
Trip Dates and Price:
April 18-29, 2027 – One double occupancy cabin available.
April 30 – May 11, 2027 – Available.
$9450 US per person double occupancy
The initial deposit for this trip is $800 US per person. At 12 months before departure there is a $1000 US per person interim deposit, and at six months there is another $1000 US per person interim deposit. The final balance will be due three months before departure. A few payment options are available including debit and credit cards.
Inclusions:
- 1 night at a Tahiti Hotel with arrival dinner and breakfast
- Domestic flights with 23kg/50lbs luggage (Tahiti – Fakarava -Tahiti)
- 11 nights aboard Aqua Tiki III Liveaboard with full board
- Unlimited snorkeling, typically 3-4 sessions per day
- All land and beach excursions
Exclusions:
- International flight
- Pick up from Tahiti Airport on arrival. $25 US (day rate) / $35 US (night rate) paid in USD to licensed taxi
- Alcohol and soft drinks
- Tips
- Health insurance (compulsory)
- Travel insurance (recommended)
Trip Organizers
Ben and his U.K. based team are the organizers and leaders of this trip (more about them below). Galen and Nicole from TropicalSnorkeling.com are promoting this trip, but all signups, trip organization and payments are made to and managed by Ben’s team. TropicalSnorkeling.com does receive a referral fee in exchange for promoting the trip, at no extra cost to attendees.
How to Sign Up or Learn More?
Use the contact form below to contact Ben and his team to request more information about them and express your interest in signing up. They will get back to you shortly with full details.
More About Ben and Our Partnership
Ben (pictured with Nicole) is our friend and snorkeling trips partner. He and his team are based in the U.K. and have over 20 years of experience guiding in Asia and beyond. He has been running his own business since 2010 and is primarily offering guided snorkeling trips, but he started with diving. He began offering snorkeling specific trips because he was aware that snorkelers often get the short end of the stick when thrown in with divers. He and his team love the freedom and low stress of snorkeling, and are very aware of the different needs of snorkelers versus divers, in terms of the reef depth, and calm surface conditions needed.
From our experience going on some of his snorkeling trips we found them very well organized, the guides were fantastic and very helpful, and the underwater experiences were exceptional. Snorkeling groups really get the benefit of all of Ben and his guides’ years of experience in the water, and with different resorts and liveaboards.
All of his trips are small groups of 12-18 guests, or with a similar ratio of snorkelers to guides. These are premium trips including nearly everything you will need, accommodation, meals, transportation, and more.
His company is licensed and insured. Barring extreme circumstances they do not cancel trips.
Learn More About the Liveaboard Boat
Aqua Tiki III Catamaran website
Completed Trip Dates
Aboard Aqua Tiki II
- May 2-11 and May 11-20, 2022
- March 4-13 and March 14-24, 2023
- March 5-15 and March 16-25, 2024