Kia Ora Resort & Spa

Within a coconut plantation on the island of Rangiroa in the Tuamotu Archipelago.

Choose to sleep over the water, on the beach or nestled in the forest, with 60 villas and bungalows scattered across the grove. Complete with suntrap terraces, bathrooms offering lagoon views and glass floor windows in the overwater bungalows, you’re invited to put your feet up and unravel in this exotic hideaway.

There are two restaurants to choose from at Kia Ora, each serving South Pacific delicacies and Mediterranean fare to be enjoyed over glorious lagoon views. The Miki Miki Bar is your spot for an evening sundowner cocktail, while the Poekura Spa invites you to unwind with its traditional Polynesia treatments and tropical rain showers.

Not so far from the resort is the renowned diving haven of the Tiputa Pass. Here you’ll drift along the tidal surge of the South Pacific into Rangiroa’s lagoon, where you’ll likely see manta rays dreamily gliding by, reef and silvertip sharks lingering around the mouth of the pass and bottlenose dolphins playing in the surf. Alternatively sail around the scattered coral islands of the Rangiroa atoll, or pave your own route on a kayaking adventure through the lagoon.