RANGIROA PLAGE

I messaged the host before coming to Rangiroa, no response. I met a couple at the airport who also wanted to camp there-she responded to them but the airport shuttle did not work. When I got to the campground, there was only a campground for one tent and the owner was everything but helpful. Would not recommend this place!

Très bon séjour de 5 nuits à la pension camping de Cindy. Propreté, confort et calme au rdv : espaces communs nettoyés tous les jours, systèmes de pompage de l’eau (cuisine, douche) en parfait état, grand frigo compartimenté, sièges extérieurs très confortables, accès direct au lagon avec kayaks à disposition. De plus la localisation est vraiment bonne (snack, magasins, marina à quelques minutes à pied). Camping sur sol corallien mais cela ne nous a pas dérangé.

Fantastic Coconut Crabs, Feet in the Sand

We had a wonderful evening on Rangiroa June 18, dining at Snack Rangiroa Plage at Pension Rangiroa Plage, after a wine tasting at Cave à vin de Rangiroa (Wine Cellar Rangiroa) a five-minute drive away. Cindy at Snack Rangiroa Plage gave us a special courtesy to pick us up at Cave à vin rather than our hotel, then after dinner they returned us by taxi to Kia Ora Resort. Cindy was especially kind to help us plan this complex evening in advance by email, and the rest of the staff were welcoming and helpful.

Passing several pretty tables at the Snack Rangiroa Plage entrance, we went down to the beach and found a spot right on the sand, steps from the ocean (photo 1). Unlike most “snacks” which close after lunch, they’re open here in the evening under the stars.

And, an amazing menu for a small place. It has a variety of fish, fish curries, chicken, steak, even roast duck, as well as several kinds of seafood ceviche; with more time we would have returned for those (photo 2).

But for us the big draw was the coconut crab (crabe des cocotiers), giant crabs who feed almost entirely on coconuts, yielding incredibly sweet meat. We’d seen them online, but Snack Rangiroa Plage was the only place we could find actually serving them on Rangiroa.

Thankfully Cindy helped us figure out by email in advance how big these crabs are and how many we could eat, so they’d have the right number of crabs ready for us. These big guys are not easy to catch as they scurry up coconut palms. They’re maybe twice as large as anything I’ve seen in the US (other than Alakan kings). These are large enough that we could barely finish one each and had no room for more food (photo 3). The oval sack is where the crab stores its coconut oil, a special delicacy.

The side dishes (Garnitures au Choix) – especially the green beans – were so fresh and flavorful (photo 4).
Don’t miss Snack Rangiroa Plage when visiting Rangiroa.

This place is lovely, extremely clean, right on the beach, free kayaks and wifi, basic shared kitchen facilities.
Beware it is backpacker quality accommodation though, no hot water (but honestly we didn't need it), basic furnishings, shared facilities except for one ensuite room.
Great location, just down the road from some small supermarkets, a bank, and several snack bars/ restaurants nearby offering dine in or takeaway.
We were there in windy season but the beachfront rooms were surprisingly sheltered. The sea was not really calm enough to swim in most of the time though, and the noise from the waves at night eas loud, but fine once you get used to it.
Cindy, her son and the lady that cleans the rooms were all super friendly and helpful.

Wir waren hier zweimal am Abend essen. Die Speisekarte ist wie überall auf den Inseln. Die Preise sind für französisch Polynesien günstig (1.500 xpf) Auf Rangiroa gibt es zudem für abends nicht viele Alternativen. Die bestellten Gerichte waren sehr gut. Wir hatten Poisson Cru, Tartar, Steak und gegrillten roten Thunfisch. Sehr zu empfehlen.