Tikehau is situated around 340 kilometers northeast of Tahiti in the islands of Tuamoto and is an atoll in French Polynesia. The word Tikehau means ‘Peaceful Landing’ in the Tuamotuan local language. Rangiroa is the nearest atoll and lies just 12 kilometers to the east. The western most atolls, Mataiva is of the same group and is situated around 35 kilometers to the west. Tikehau atoll’s oval shaped lagoon is around 19 kilometer wide and 27 kilometer long and has a lagoon area of around 461 km square.
The atoll comprises of numerous islets and two important islands. The entire atoll is enclosed by a continuous coral reef. However, one can encounter a lonely pass wide and deep enough for navigating ships in and out of this lagoon. On the map Tuheiava Pass can be found on the atoll’s western shore. Islets and the islands are surrounded by coconut palms and are considered to be a tourist haven. Tuherahera is an important village of this atoll and draws plenty of crowd from across the globe during all seasons.
The first European recorded visit to this atoll was by a Russian mariner named ‘Otto Von Kotzebue’. He named this atoll as Krusenstern Island, named after ‘Adam Johann Von-Krusenstern’ a very well-known Russian explorer and this specific name was given later to the other islands. The ‘Wilkes Expedition’ was said to have crossed this beautiful atoll on the 9th of September, 1839. In 1987, the research group of Jacques Cousteau conducted an analysis of Tikehau’s lagoon and found that it contained a huge variety of different types of fish compared to other locations in entire Polynesia. This is one of the main reasons, why people come flocking to this place, round the year.
Tikehau is considered to be a tourist destination and has very popular pink sandy beaches, including the underwater fauna. Visiting this place has never been a problem as this place is well connected by air and water. The Tikehau airport, built on the atoll’s southern tip sees in and out thousands of passengers all the year round. This atoll is surrounded by the cozy, blue warm waters of the Pacific Ocean and is a complete attraction in itself. The tourists can simply have the huge coral reefs all to themselves and enjoy scuba diving.
They can also enjoy surfing as there are some breaks in between the corals that tend to peel off the sides of the entrance of the lagoon. Tourists who enjoy fishing can simply have their fill all day long in this atoll as this place is by large home to a huge number of species and can provide a wonderful getaway for those who prize their catches. The middle of the lagoon is actually the home to various boobies and nesting terns. Bird watchers can simply have a gala time watching the beauties of nature. The best part is that though this place is a secluded one, there are some resorts out here that provide comfort and relaxation to the tourists without pinching their pockets. The excitement never ends!!!