Tuamotus, Coral archipelago in French Polynesia.
The Tuamotus are an island group of 76 atolls in French Polynesia, spread across a wide area of the South Pacific with flat coral islands and turquoise lagoons. Most atolls rise only a few meters above sea level and form narrow rings of sand and coral rock around calm water surfaces.
Ferdinand Magellan reached the archipelago in 1521 as the first European, landing on Puka Puka during his circumnavigation of the world. In the following centuries French missionaries and traders arrived, until the islands officially became part of French Polynesia in 1880.
The Pa'umotu speak their own Polynesian dialect and have lived for centuries by fishing in the protected lagoons. Pearl farming shapes many villages today, where families harvest black pearls from oysters and the farms often sit directly on the water.
Air Tahiti connects the larger atolls such as Rangiroa, Fakarava and Tikehau with regular flights from Tahiti, while smaller islands can only be reached by boat. Visitors planning to see multiple atolls should book domestic flights in advance, as capacity is limited.
Taiaro Atoll has a completely closed lagoon with no connection to the open sea, which has led to the development of distinct species. UNESCO declared it a Biosphere Reserve because of these rare ecological conditions.
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