Travel guide: Makemo, French Polynesia
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At a glance
Local facts
Travel essentials for Makemo, French Polynesia — what to expect on the ground. Makemo sits in French Polynesia (Oceania), in a tropical climate band — tropical southern-hemisphere zone with a wet season and a dry season. Nearest airport: MKP serves the area. Local timezone is Pacific/Tahiti, which matters for arrivals and check-ins. It sits at -16.59°, -143.65° — useful for weather, daylight, and route planning. Use the live tools below to plan around these facts.
- RegionFrench Polynesia, Oceania
- Climate bandtropical southern-hemisphere zone with a wet season and a dry season
- Nearest airportMKP
- TimezonePacific/Tahiti
- Coordinates-16.59, -143.65
- Located in the Southern Hemisphere
Makemo is a coral atoll in the Tuamotu Archipelago of French Polynesia, one of the larger atolls in this vast chain of low-lying islands scattered across the central South Pacific. Like its neighbours, it is a ring of narrow motu, or islets, and coconut palms enclosing a long turquoise lagoon, with the main village of Pouheva beside one of the passes. Makemo is best known among divers for its passes, where tidal currents draw in sharks, rays and dense schools of fish, making for exciting drift dives, and the atoll is also part of the region's black-pearl farming culture. It is reached by domestic Air Tahiti flights from Papeete on the island of Tahiti, landing on the atoll's small airstrip. The tropical climate is warm year-round, with a slightly wetter, warmer season from around November to April.
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Tours & experiences
Top tours & experiences in Makemo
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Frequently asked questions
Where is Makemo?
Makemo is an atoll in the Tuamotu Archipelago of French Polynesia, in the central South Pacific east of Tahiti. It is one of the larger Tuamotu atolls, a ring of low coral islets and palm-covered motu enclosing a long lagoon. Its main village, Pouheva, sits beside one of the atoll's ocean passes.
How do you get to Makemo?
Makemo is reached by domestic flights with Air Tahiti from Papeete, the main hub on the island of Tahiti, landing on the atoll's small airstrip. There is no other regular way in for most visitors. From the airstrip, boats connect to the village and to accommodation around the lagoon.
What is Makemo known for?
Makemo is best known for diving, especially in its passes where strong tidal currents attract sharks, rays and large schools of fish, giving dramatic drift dives. Its long, clear lagoon is ideal for snorkelling and boat trips, and like much of the Tuamotus, the atoll has a tradition of black-pearl farming. It offers a quiet, remote island experience.
When is the best time to visit Makemo?
The Tuamotus are warm all year. The drier, slightly cooler season from about May to October is generally the most comfortable and settled for diving and boat trips. The season from November to April is warmer and can be wetter, with a chance of tropical storms. Diving is possible year-round, with conditions varying by season.
Nearby destinations
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