Destination Makemo : Infos clés & aéroport
Makemo is the third largest atoll in the Tuamotus based on the extent of its lagoon. Its width only varies from 5 to 8 kilometers (3 to 4 miles) but its length extends 65 kilometers (40.6 miles) from the northwest to the southeast. Located 500 kilometers (310 miles) to the east of Tahiti and still relatively unknown, Makemo is coming out of its isolation little by little thanks to tourism. It i...
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Practical information
Population: approx. 825 inhabitants
Surface area: 270 sq miles (lagoon)
Main village : Pouheva
Minimum flight duration : 1h40
Distance from Tahiti : 642 km
The good reasons to visit
- A lagoon of exceptional beauty, offering dazzling gradations of blue and green.
- A huge atoll, the third largest in French Polynesia.
- Superb "motu" (islets).
- Makemo’s two passes are excellent diving sites known for the richness and diversity of their underwater fauna.
- Visit of mysterious sites and archaeological remains.
Do not miss
- The lagoon and the various « motu » (islets),
- the village of Pouheva,
- the ghost town of Punaruku,
- the « Komo Mokorea » ( Sirens’ lake),
- the catholic church,
- the lighthouse,
- the whales sanctuary.
Did you know that
- Makemo is the third largest atoll in the Tuamotu islands and also in French Polynesia, after Rangiroa and Fakarava.
- In 1926, the French navigator Alain Gerbault had made a stop there and was so charmed that he nicknamed Makemo, "the atoll of perfection."
Air Tahiti magazine
Makemo airport
Makemo airport is located on the main island, some distance from the village of Pouheva.
There is no shuttle service, so to get to the main village you will need to go by car.
If you have booked tourist accommodation, find out from your hosts whether they can arrange your outward and return transfer.
Services available
- Snack bar