Raiatea Snorkel Tour: March 4, 2026

We were emailed a whole slew of go-pro photos in 2025 (we did not get pictures sent in 2024)

 Raiatea Snorkle Tour w/Excurstion Le’Bleue (Bruno)

This tour is for the water babies who want to spend the most time possible in the stunning waters of French Polynesia. This tour will skip both the vanilla and Pearl farm, and instead spend more time on the motu and at each snorkeling spot.

Website: https://www.tahaa.net/en/home/

When: Wednesday March 4, 2026 (the second day in Raiatea)

Tour Time: 8:15-4:00 p.m. 

Cost: 14 000 xpf (about $135 USD) and includes lunch on Motu! 

Optional: Meet me in Billboard Onboard @ 8:00 a.m. for a prompt 8:05 departure if you would like to walk as a group to find Bruno’s boat(s).

This tour WILL SELL OUT! 

As of 6/26 the first boat is full. Limited slots remain on second boat.

Our group on the Lunch Moto in 2025 (two boats). 

To sign up, visit the link above and click  the cruise ship section of the website. In the comments be sure to write something along the lines of: “I want to be on the boat that is not going to the vanilla and pearl farm”.  Or  “swim only tour”. You may also mention you want to go on the tour that Cheryl is (Bruno knows me since I’ve done this tour twice). Once signed up, comment below and I'll add you to the list.

Tour List

Attendees	Cruise Critic Name (If Applicable
Cheryl	Bermudabound2014
Marie & Steve	FloranceItaly
Bruce & Elizabeth
Allen & Susan	CruisinSusan
Mike & Pam	Campingcruiser1
Jeanne & Ron
Linda & JAmes	Longleggedtraveler
Gail & George
Phil	REOVA
Lance & Jennifer	Lsegars
CathyG
Diana & John
Kathy & Steve

Remember: This tour is for those who wish to skip the Vanilla and Pearl Farm, and instead spend more time in the amazing waters of French Polynesia!!!  Here is the itinerary:

Itinerary for snorkel/swim only tour (no vanilla or pearl farm)

In the past, the trip started out by swimming and snorkeling with Reef sharks and Rays. I have some amazing gopro footage on in my blog. There are three additional snorkeling sights (two are drift snorkels, see notes below). There is also lunch on Gilligan's Island (it’s not really Gilligan's island but it sure does feel like it). Lunch is BBQ and made right on the Motu by a local family.

Please note that I’m not a tour guide, I’m just trying to help. This tour is absolutely AMAZING and one of my favorite days on this trip (I’ve gone out with Bruno in both 2024 and 2025) but you are responsible to read all terms and conditions of the booking (including the cancellation fee schedule). I don’t collect any money nor am I compensated in any way for helping to organize. As such, I don't take any responsibility :).

 Bruno will require a deposit and this tour will sell out. I can never figure out how to just leave a deposit so I pay the whole trip ahead of time on a credit card that has zero foreign transaction fees (it’s about $135 USD).  For me, this is easier than remembering to send final payment AND trusting that Bruno will remember to send me a final payment notice.

Please be aware that things in FP don’t always run smoothly. There is a language barrier and it shows. Both years there was a mix up on boat participants and Bruno’s boat has never been next to the shell station like it says in the email, but it all works out in the end. Travel with aloha and know that you’ll end up exactly where you are supposed to be 🤙.

Once you have paid your deposit for this tour, feel free to let me know in the comments below. I'll create a list here of everyone who wants to walk over to meet up with Bruno's boat. We will meet at 8:00 a.m in Billboard onboard and walk off the ship as a group promptly at 8:05.

*You do need to be a member of my blog to leave a comment. If you are not comfortable joining the blog as a member, there is an email contact under the “about me’ section and I can gather your info that way. Please remember, I get nothing for this blog (there are no advertisements) or the tour, so please don’t feel like I’m forcing you to join. Heck, I’m not even a blogger!! I’m just a girl trying to help organize a group of fellow cruise enthusiasts.

Some random Things I learned from 2024 & 2025:

1.  I was hesitant to book this trip on our first day in Raiatea. Both years we had to make a return to Hawaii for a medical evacuation. This was a two day departure from the itinerary which meant skipping Fanning Island (which gets skipped 50% of the time anyway due to weather).  Had that medical evacuation took longer, we would not have made it into Raiatea in time for the tour on Day 1. 

2. The drift snorkel is not for everyone. Strong swimmers only. About half the boat elected not to participate and hung out on the beautiful sand bar. I did participate. It was much more difficult in 2024 and one of our guides physically grabbed me at one point (and I’m a pretty strong swimmer).  Several people did get scratched so be aware. With that, the drift snorkel was pretty easy in 2025 so it just depends on the tide. If you see me going it’s probably good :-D 

3. Not everyone will get in with the sharks and rays and that’s ok. It’s super cool to see them from the boat anyway. Not everyone will snorkel either and that’s ok too. This trip is eye candy galore whether you get in the water or not.

4. There are lots of black tip sharks everywhere in French Polynesia. It was wonderful. In Raiatea the area you swim with sharks is over your head but not rough, so as long as you can swim without touching you are fine. If you are a weaker swimmer but want to swim with Blacktip sharks, Moorea is a much better choice.

5. Communication can be sketchy, but it all works out in the long run. It’s important to stay flexible. Bruno did an excellent job shuffling everyone around when Holland America decided to alter our itinerary at the last moment so it really does all work out, but bring your aloha just in case.

6. Please remember: I am not a tour guide. I’m not getting paid a cent to help organize this trip (nor am I getting any type of compensation, I pay exactly what you pay).  If this tour goes wrong any complaint should be taken up with the tour operator. This tour has never gone wrong, but I have had tours go wrong in the past so I try to be painfully clear that griping at me will get you no where :-D

There are tons more photos AND video in the live 2024 section of the blog.

We received a file with tons of underwater photos last year (but not in 2024)

One of two boats on this swim only excursion

The color of the water will take your breath away.

This was taken with an iphone12 ~ no editing

Gilligan’s Island (otherwise known as our Motu for lunch)

Lunch on a private Motu with only the guests on Bruno's tour.

We are traveling during rainy season. Expect some rain in each of the islands. Not an all day affair, but when it comes down, it comes down hard. You may want to bring rain gear. Both years it rained our our way back to the ship.

The water is just crystal clear

Here is the confirmation email I received from Bruno:

Ia orana Cheryl,

Thank you for your 1 adult reservation on March 4th 2026.for our SWIM TOUR.

Payment of 14 000 xpf has been received.

We will be waiting for you at the Quai de Uturoa, in front of the "Bon Apetahi" pastry shop ( 80 meters far from your ship ) at 08:15 am, for an excursion departure at 08:30 am.

Take plastic shoes, mask & snorkel, fins if you have. We have a few of this material also to lend on board, as well as drinking water towels, beer, Tahaa rum, Rotui pineapple juice, bananas.

We will fit the program to your shedule to be back at about 04 :00 pm, respecting the whishes.