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In November I stayed at Raimiti pension at the south end of Fakarava for 8 days. It was my second stay. My last visit was 9 years ago. Then as now it is a portal allowing you to view and step into nature as it is. It is a beautiful elegant environment. Bungalows face both the ocean side of the motu and the lagoon side. Activities like snorkeling are usually best done on the lagoon side and the staff routinely take 1/2 day trips to various motus on the lagoon for snorkeling and bird watching. I have seen snorkelers on the ocean side but it is not a common sight. ||One of the most exciting activities in the south is scuba diving. There is a dive shop on the premises run by Enata Fakarava Diving. We dove with them for 7 days and can only say it was the best. They provide gear if needed along with tanks and weights. Almost all the diving is in the south pass. The south pass is home to hundreds of sharks, hectares of coral and large schools of fish. The ecosystem is very much alive. There are Crown of Thorns starfish which are a menace but the locals are working hard to remove them and use them as fertilizer. ||Despite being at sea level the night sky is magnificent, very very mesmerizing. Almost every night I was able to enjoy star gazing and also photograph the sky. It’s easy to see local galaxies nearby our own easily seen galaxy. ||During our stay in the north some one told us there is nothing to do in the south. I beg to differ! If you are focused on going to restaurants stay in the north as there are a number of them. Or if you feel the need to go shopping in the only store then, yes, Raimiti might not be your cup of tea.|If you want to embrace nature then travel south to Raimiti, its the place for you. There is no caveat here, you must know yourself. ||The bungalows are more than adequate with a bathroom and shower in each. The bungalows have electricity and lighting but a flash light is useful for walking in the evening from dinner to your bungalow. The proprietor and staff work hard to make your stay comfortable and interesting. Beds are made every day, towels and soap are provided. Bring your own shampoo.|The staff provide excellent cuisine, breakfast lunch and dinner. Raimiti is in a very remote part of the island so each day is the chiefs choice, often fish and a variety of vegetables. There is a bar which opens at 5 pm serving alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks/soda. But the drink of the day, all day, is water which is provided in abundance. ||There is a magic about Raimiti. One simply melts into the exquisite world of the motu. There is a certain elegance about the place leaving me with lasting impressions like a Monet.
