The best way to dive Fakarava & the Marquesas is by liveaboard and the beautiful Aquatiki II, an 18-meter (59-foot) catamaran accommodating 9 guests, is an ideal choice.
A word from Dom : “Aquatiki is ideal for divers who wish to experience French Polynesia without a crowd. Small, intimate groups sail in luxury on this lovely catamaran to some of the finest diving in the Polynesian atolls. She’ll take you to the Tuamotus, undeniably some of the the most brilliant pass-diving on the planet, and serve you French cuisine to top it off ! I’m a big fan of both Aquatiki II & Aquatiki III.” Dominick Macan
3 lower deck DOUBLES (1 VIP cabin with TV & DVD)
double bed & small window
1 lower deck TWIN cabin
2 twin beds (adjacent) & small windows
All cabins have ensuite bathroom & air conditioning plus a sound system
2-3 dives per day are the norm
no night diving
12L & 15L aluminum tanks
(DIN & INT valves)
water temperature: 78 – 82F, 25 – 28C … 3mm wetsuit recommended
accommodation & diving
meals, snacks & water
compressed air, tanks, weights & weight belts
airport transfers
government taxes
kayaking, fishing, snorkelling
international & domestic airfare
alcoholic beverages
rental equipment
dive courses
dive insurance
This charming catamaran, long one of our favorites, is roomy and comfortable, offering plenty of outdoor living space including two trampolines at the bow (an ideal area to lounge in the sun or just stare into the turquoise water.). A spacious cockpit at the stern, sheltered from the sun by a canopy, sports a table seating 9 guests. Meals, including barbecues and plancha grilled fish, are often served here alfresco.
For your leisure time inside the boat you’ll find a large contemporary salon and dining area which can accommodate nine guests.
You can settle into deep sofas for either watching films on the HD television, reading a book or relaxing near the cocktail bar and open-plan kitchen. This lovely lounge has a hi-fi system (with independent sound system in each cabin and CD-library, video recorder & DVD with video library. A library of books about marine animals & about Polynesia … and plenty of games … are at your disposal. The cabins are all located in the pontoons at main deck level.
The diving is done in the passes between the ocean and the lagoon where the currents can be strong, so these trips are only for experienced divers.
Take your international flight into and out of Fa’a’ International Airport in Papeete, Tahiti. Aquatiki II embarks and disembarks at Rotoava Dock in Fakarava. Air Tahiti offers 5 weekly flights from Papeete (flight time 65 minutes) to Fakarava. The crew of the Aquatiki II will meet & greet you at Fakarava airport and escort you to the boat, where you’ll settle in and enjoy a welcome party the first evening. You’ll leave port early the next morning and your first dive is usually scheduled in the morning before lunch. At the end of your trip you will be taken back to Fakarava airport.
We can help you with arrangements for domestic French Polynesia flights, so don’t hesitate to ask.
Length: 18 meters (59 feet)
Beam: 8.5 meters (28 feet)
140 m2 of sail
PROFESSIONAL CREWS
captain
dive instructor
chef/hostess
MACHINERY
2 x 38HP engines
diesel: 500L
generator: 220V output
desalinator: 190 liters / hour
fresh water: 800 liters
NAVIGATION
autopilot
GPS BLU
computer navigation center
radar
standard C weather
Sarsat distress beacon
COMMUNICATIONS
VHF
satellite telephone & fax
SAFETY EQUIPMENT
full complement of safety equipment
Aquatiki II sails the most idyllic areas of French Polynesia. Her 8, 10 and 14-night itineraries will show you the best of Fakarava & the Tuamotus. It’s also possible to arrange private charters to the Marquesas.
Itinerary highlights
FAKARAVA / THE TUAMOTUS: The underwater life found in the channels is abundant and varied … and in the lagoons, in particular, you’ll find some glorious corals. You will encounter huge schools of sharks (large concentrations of gray sharks, but also white tips, black tips, sleepers, great hammerhead sharks and tigers. You will also see barracudas, eagle rays and manta rays, napoleon wrasse, as well as dolphins and a multitude of different schools of fish: big-eye snapper, goatfish, groupers, parrotfish, butterflyfish … and lots of moray eels & turtles … At certain times of the year, you can view passing humpback whales, melon-headed whales, whale sharks, giant groupers, schools of manta mobilae …
MARQUESAS: (private charter only) As there are a handful of dive cruises per year in this region, so you’ll find yourselves virtually alone with magnificent mantas, some measuring up to 16 feet across. You’ll also see eagle rays, scalloped hammerheads, silky sharks, grey reef sharks, white tip & black tip reef sharks …. even the occasional tiger shark. In addition to the sharks, you find kingfish, tuna, napoleons, dolphins and swordfish. To top it off, not far from Nuku Hiva resides a colony of several hundred Pygmy killer whales and the rarely seen melonheaded whales.
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