2026 Recap of Bruno’s swim only snorkeling tour

All Aboard

Most of the snorkeling tours in Raiatea include a stop at the vanilla and pearl farm. Bruno is the only operator to offer a swim only tour which skips the vanilla and pearl farm in exchange for additional snorkeling and a leisurely experience where there is more than enough time at each stop.

First stop - swimming with sharks and sting rays (although this year there weren’t rays here because we were the very first boat of the day)

Second stop- drift snorkel and stingray encounter

The second stop on this swim only tour is the first coral garden drift snorkel where we are visited each year by a very sweet stingray. The coral gardens drift was extremely easy this year due to the calm conditions. Unlike 2024, where the current was much stronger, the first coral garden drift could be safely completed by anyone that can float, I’m not even sure you need to swim. If you are hesitant about completing the drift snorkel, the first one of the day is the easiest.

Lunch on Gilligan’s Island

After a third snorkel stop we are treated to lunch on Gilligan’s Island. It’s not really Gilligans Island but it sure does feel like it. A family who owns this Motu barbecues up a lunch of rice, chicken, and fish along with delicious banana bread and fresh fruit. However, the beauty of the stop is not the food, it is the Motu itself. On the swim only tour there is no rushing at each stop so ample time to walk around an soak it all in.

Extra Stop

This year the seas were exceptionally calm and we got an extra stop to walk along the old lava barrier reef just off the lunch Motu. There is a new reef growing farther out and when the seas are calm you can swim or snorkle between the two. Our group elected to jump off the rocks like a bunch of very happy children.

Final Coral Gardens Drift Snorkel Spot with Bora Bora as a backdrop!

Above is the final coral gardens drift snorkle spot. You have to walk the length of the motu on the right. Along the way our guides collected bananas and coconut to feed the fish. Once at the end of the motu you walk in single file to the middle channel. This is where it can get tricky. In 2024 the current here was brutal. Several people got cut up. In 2025 it was quite calm (still a current) and on 2026 it was somewhere in the middle.

No fins here- just walk and enter with your water shoes. It is super important to float down the channel in Single file following the guide because there is sharp coral on both sides and if you get off course it’s possible to end up in an area with only a few inches of water between you and the coral below (super sharp). There is even fire coral on this drift and that stuff can send you to the hospital. notice how I am in single file behind the guide.

This is the final coral Gardens drift snorkel stop. This was dangerous in 2024 and people got cut up pretty bad. In 2025 it was quite easy. This year it was somewhere in between, but I recommend you skip this coral Gardens drift unless you are a strong swimmer. Rumors are that someone from another tour got cut up pretty bad again this year.

This drift begins with a hike down a moto to the entrance of the channels. Our guides collected bananas and cracked a coconut along the way to feed the fish. There are no fins allowed at this stop. You can have a Wonderul tour without completing this drift. Several people stayed with the boat and snorkeled in that area.

Afternoon Thunderstorm

Like every single year we were treated to a major thunderstorm on the return trip around TaHaa island. It’s part of the tropics. Bring a raincoat. I’m waiting on friends to send me photos of the storm since I sought refuge in the tiny canoe hull.

Note for next years group- be forewarned that communication from Bruno leaves room for improvement. He grossly oversold the day 2 excursion and sent an emergency email out asking people to switch to the Tuesday trip (very little notice and many people did not even having Internet access). Seven people switched to day one which ended up being a single boat with nine occupants and the reports were a fabulous day! Thank heavens 7 switched.

When Bruno sent out the manifest Tuesday night for our Wednesday excursion, I noticed that there were people who were planning to be on the trip that were not listed in the manifest. At that point, both boats were jampacked, but he had people unaccounted for. I whatsapped with him for a hour or so, begged for a third boat.  He said he would try but his friend didn’t come thru (perhaps the late notice??)

As it turned out, a third boat wasn’t needed. Seven  people from our group were no-shows due to weather which looked to be terrible in the morning (it wasn’t, the day turned out great until the typical thunderstorm on the way back.) We went with out with two boats and neither were overpacked with guests. Little snafu on the boat 2 departure time but my group threatened mutiny (I am so proud!).

Bottom line, it’s a great tour and turned out fine, but could have just as easily been a disaster with tour boats crammed with more people then they safely hold, or worse, people left behind due to overcrowding.

I do not take any responsibility if this tour goes bad and next year I’m not going to spend my time onboard trying to sort out issues. I say this often, but I am not a tour guide and I don’t benefit by organizing the tours. Book at your own risk. If you are looking for a similar tour that does stop at the vanilla and pearl farm with a company that seems a bit more organized, I have heard amazing things from everyone who has went out with ARE TOURS.