Tikehau Atoll
About 200 miles north by northeast of the main French Polynesia island of Tahiti lies the Tikehau Atoll, a spectacular crown of coral and sand 16 miles long and 14 miles wide. The atoll is a thin white line of coral, sand and palm tree, no more than half a mile wide, but it encircles a lagoon of pristine, otherworldly beauty – a place Jacques Cousteau visited in 1987 and found a greater variety of fish species than any other location in French Polynesia.
Ninamu Resort
Hidden away on a private island in the southwest corner of the atoll, Ninamu (Nee-Nah-Moo) Resort is a luxury minded outdoor enthusiasts’ retreat. We cater to surfers, divers, fishermen, kite surfers, paddle boarders or anyone who loves cruising in tropical waters that are bursting with life and energy. Everyone should experience a pristine atoll in the middle of the South Pacific once in their life.

A five star rating on TripAdvisor
-
We had just spent our last 7 nights at 2 different resorts at Tahaa and Bora Bora staying at overwater bungalows. My wife insisted we try something different so we... read more cancelled the stay at Pearl Resorts Tikehau (overwater bungalow) and decided to come to Ninamu instead and stay at one of their jungle rooms.
Great decision!
We just lazed the 4 days away! If we wanted to do nothing but lie down and read a book, we did. If we wanted to snorkel at the seafront, we did. If we wanted to catch their boat and go snorkel somewhere to chase rays, we did!
Loved it here. What a great way to spend our last days at FP!
For the commenters complaining about the food, what's there to complain about?
The chef cooked healthy as he used little olive oil. No heavy sauces, no heavy pretentious creams. All four lunches and dinners were not to heavy, not too fatty!
Fantastic!
We highly recommend this place! More
December 9, 2021 -
Seriously this place could be renamed Eden!!! Unbelievably beautiful from all perspectives: the sea, the coral, the pink beach, the small houses made with so much taste, but that's not... read more it. It is not a typical western hotel in Polynesia, it is a truly Polynesian experience, extremely authentic. You are in the middle of nowhere with only 20 people around you, you eat all together, become friends with the staff and with the other tourists. The kitchen is divine based on the catch of the day and the creations of an amazing French Chef who could be a star on his own. All of this without mentioning the amazing excursions you can do every day. The warmest hello to the whole Motu by Dalia & Alex, thanks again. More
Dalia P
May 1, 2019 -
The stark landscape, solitude, and infinite horizons refocus your universe inward. Relax and reflect whilst you unwind in one of their our private beachfront day beds or float in the... read more lagoon in an acquatic landscape.
Surrounded by pink sand beaches, abundant marine life, impeccable waves and prevailing trade winds, this secluded retreat is the ultimate paradise for every type of water sports enthusiast. It caters to divers, surfers, fishermen, stand up paddlers and kite boarders. In fact,Chris the owner told us that the name Ninamu, which means 'blue' in Tahitian, was inspired by the surrounding sapphire lagoon.There are only eight unique bungalows at the Ninamu Resort, all handcrafted from natural, locally sourced materials.
Ninamu owner, Chris O'Callaghan, is a man with a back story. Variously a tradie, air steward, yachtie, surf competition founder (not just any surf comp, but Teahupo'o)
Chris is a very sociable and accommodating Australian native who will keep you entertained and pours a stiff drink at the bar.Ninam is just the place to live out your fantasy of a remote island escape. More
July 22, 2019 -
Ninamu, although expensive like a 5 star hotel in Bora Bora, does not provide the same level of services but it gives you so much more that you will... read more never want to go back to the "water villa metropolis" as most resorts in Polinesia essentially are. The following aspects of the Ninamu merit 6 stars: - The atmosphere of the restaurant and bar, that especially in the evening brings the few guests together drinking a Mohito while knowing each other, commenting the day and planning for tomorrow escusrions - Chris, the owner and soul of the resort, having a strong Australian character - The daily excursions, included in the price of the room, when Chris takes you with passion and knowledge on its boat around Tikehau . - The beach on front of the restaurant for the colors of the water - The beach bungalows that guests can use to repair themselves from the sun while continuing to enjoy the view of the sea under the shadow with a good nook in hand The following other aspects are in line with expectations: - The food is very good, healty and simple. However someone may found the quantities of food not enough or could desire more choices. - The availability, at no extra costs, of paddles and canoas as well of palms and mask There are aspects that could be improved as: - The confort of the bungalows it is not... Ninamu, although expensive like a 5 star hotel in Bora Bora, does not provide the same level of services but it gives you so much more that you will never want to go back to the "water villa metropolis" as most resorts in Polinesia essentially are.
The following aspects of the Ninamu merit 6 stars:
- The atmosphere of the restaurant and bar, that especially in the evening brings the few guests together drinking a Mohito while knowing each other, commenting the day and planning for tomorrow escusrions
- Chris, the owner and soul of the resort, having a strong Australian character
- The daily excursions, included in the price of the room, when Chris takes you with passion and knowledge on its boat around Tikehau .
- The beach on front of the restaurant for the colors of the water
- The beach bungalows that guests can use to repair themselves from the sun while continuing to enjoy the view of the sea under the shadow with a good nook in hand
The following other aspects are in line with expectations:
- The food is very good, healty and simple. However someone may found the quantities of food not enough or could desire more choices.
- The availability, at no extra costs, of paddles and canoas as well of palms and mask
There are aspects that could be improved as:
- The confort of the bungalows it is not at top and varies depending thet bangalows.
- A more frequent treatment against mosquitos would be recommended
- The room services is basic, with room keeping once per day
More
September 2, 2019 -
This place is heaven on earth! We loved the solitude we found on this private island. Whether hanging out in a cabana or swimming in the stunning blue water, we... read more felt like we had the island all to ourselves.
It was such a treat to wake up to the gorgeous beach view out our back door. The bungalow was unique and homey. It would have been nice to have a chest of drawers to put clothes in but that’s a small thing. An ice machine would have been cool too. The service was outstanding. Lunch and dinner times were a little inconsistent, but the food was always phenomenal. Overall this was an unforgettable and absolutely wonderful retreat from the busy world we live in. MoreSir_Surtsey
May 17, 2019 -
Ninamu is paradise, it has to be the most relaxing and enjoyable place on earth. We were originally booked to stay for 4 nights, but when the lockdown on the... read more Society Islands was extended, we extended our stay by 2 nights. Chris was very helpful and accommodating as we were trying to figure out what to do given the lockdown. We did 3 nights in vini 1 and 3 nights in teahupoo. Both were fantastic and would make for great stays, though we were very happy with upgrading to teahupoo for the last 3 nights, the big day bed on the deck over looking the water and the roofdeck for amazing views of the stars at night make it worth it. My wife gets eaten alive by mosquitoes so we booked vini originally to help combat that, but the mosquitoes were not bad at all. We brought deet repellent, and had no issues. There are so many incredible things about Ninamu it will be hard to capture them all, but here are a few… the food is absolutely fantastic. Breakfasts have a great mix of options (the best croissants we’ve had). Lunch and dinner was a great mix of fish, always prepared different and always incredibly delicious, and steaks one night. And of course the highlight for us, a pizza night. Cheffie made incredible pizzas in the wood pizza oven, pick your own toppings with a ton of options. It... Ninamu is paradise, it has to be the most relaxing and enjoyable place on earth. We were originally booked to stay for 4 nights, but when the lockdown on the Society Islands was extended, we extended our stay by 2 nights. Chris was very helpful and accommodating as we were trying to figure out what to do given the lockdown.
We did 3 nights in vini 1 and 3 nights in teahupoo. Both were fantastic and would make for great stays, though we were very happy with upgrading to teahupoo for the last 3 nights, the big day bed on the deck over looking the water and the roofdeck for amazing views of the stars at night make it worth it. My wife gets eaten alive by mosquitoes so we booked vini originally to help combat that, but the mosquitoes were not bad at all. We brought deet repellent, and had no issues.
There are so many incredible things about Ninamu it will be hard to capture them all, but here are a few… the food is absolutely fantastic. Breakfasts have a great mix of options (the best croissants we’ve had). Lunch and dinner was a great mix of fish, always prepared different and always incredibly delicious, and steaks one night. And of course the highlight for us, a pizza night. Cheffie made incredible pizzas in the wood pizza oven, pick your own toppings with a ton of options. It was a fun night to hang out and have some drinks as the oven heated up, watch cheffie make them all, and then enjoy some of the best pizza we’ve had. I have never eaten so well on vacation, but also felt so good. The portions were always plenty to fill you up, but not have you feeling gross after like in in the US.
The excursions were always so much fun, you can tell Chris really cares about making sure it’s a good time for all of the guests. We got to snorkel with the manta rays (saw a bunch of very big ones), at the coral gardens and the pass. All were awesome. We also got to do some fishing one day with these deep water electric rods that were super cool. Similar excursions on a lot of the other islands (moorea, bora bora, etc) would have cost a fortune, but it’s all super reasonable at Ninamu. On top of that, just snorkeling out front of the beach huts on Ninamu was some of the best we’ve ever done.
The beach huts were one of our favorite parts. They are all super shady and cool with a breeze, but just steps back from the water.
I’ve got to hit the bar too. Given the location we were expecting very high prices, but it was very reasonable. Chris has put together a great wine list, there a bunch of fun cocktails and of course hinanos always served in an ice cold mug.
We can’t thank Chris, Greta, Claire, Cheffie and everyone else at Ninamu enough for a wonderful stay. We are already trying to figure out our return trip! More
October 3, 2021 -
My wife and I really enjoyed our stay at Ninamu. As our experiences in FP go, this one really stood out as very special! Though it is explained as an... read more all inclusive island resort, it is actually far more (and in our opinion better) than that! It is definitely not your run of the mill overwater bungalow private island like in Bora Bora or Maldives. The whole experience is more like a window into a tranquil and natural island world, where you can disconnect from whatever reality you are coming from can connect to this completely different and beautiful reality that you may now access. It's quite hard to put into words, because just describing the services and all that doesn't really do it justice.
The staff is super super friendly and the owners are always around and try to help out and make your stay comfortable. The food is amazing and the best we had in FP. Never repetitive, always delicious!
The activites on offer are also super interesting and the more outdoor stuff you like to do, the better it is
Amenities are very nice, however you should keep in mind that this is an eco resort and thus for example mosquitoes may be present, there are coconut crabs on the island, there are two dogs etc. If you are squeamish about this sort of thing, you might not like it so much. We love nature and animals so for us it was not a nuisance at all but rather another building block to an amazing experience.
Definitely recommend going!andreil532
November 27, 2018 -
We just returned from a five night visit to Ninamu and had a wonderful experience. We did a buy-out of the property for a birthday celebration and it was truly... read more the perfect choice. Chris and Greta are the consummate hosts...and the service from the staff...More
alittlejared
December 9, 2018 -
My expectations of Ninamu were very high, and yet they were still exceeded. My husband and I stayed there in early November for 4 nights and the whole experience... read more was seamless, exhilarating, and relaxing. We loved the feel of the resort and enjoyed getting to...More
rahoffma
December 26, 2018 -
The previous review says it all so I will just add some highlights. PROS: secluded, quiet and private - you really feel like you can get away from... read more it all here. So relaxing - we spent many happy hours in a private beach cabana, reading, sipping cocktails, watching the sunset. Fantastic snorkeling right off the beach! We got to see many beautiful tropical fish and running around the shore were tiny crabs! If you are an ocean lover this place is for you! There was also a shed full of the following that can be borrowed: kayaks, surf boards, boogie boards, inflatable tubes, fins, masks, snorkels, stand up paddleboards, wind surfing boards, bicycles for a village tour. It was so dark at night that we could see the Milky Way, stars and bioluminescent plankton in the water. Also food was delicious - cooked by Cheffy the French chef who is a wizard with fresh local fish and fruits. If you love fish then you will love the food! CONS: There are some creatures you will find in your room as the rooms are open air. We had some geckos, bugs, and some other small animals that ate half a package of cookies one night (Best not to store food in your room). Some of the furniture in the main lounge area looked a bit worn, but as this is a tropical open air resort this did not bother us. Sometimes... The previous review says it all so I will just add some highlights.
PROS: secluded, quiet and private - you really feel like you can get away from it all here. So relaxing - we spent many happy hours in a private beach cabana, reading, sipping cocktails, watching the sunset. Fantastic snorkeling right off the beach! We got to see many beautiful tropical fish and running around the shore were tiny crabs! If you are an ocean lover this place is for you! There was also a shed full of the following that can be borrowed: kayaks, surf boards, boogie boards, inflatable tubes, fins, masks, snorkels, stand up paddleboards, wind surfing boards, bicycles for a village tour. It was so dark at night that we could see the Milky Way, stars and bioluminescent plankton in the water. Also food was delicious - cooked by Cheffy the French chef who is a wizard with fresh local fish and fruits. If you love fish then you will love the food!
CONS: There are some creatures you will find in your room as the rooms are open air. We had some geckos, bugs, and some other small animals that ate half a package of cookies one night (Best not to store food in your room). Some of the furniture in the main lounge area looked a bit worn, but as this is a tropical open air resort this did not bother us. Sometimes it can be quite windy and there can be a current at the beach so it is not ideal for small children. Again this may have just been the weather when we were there. Only other thing was that they were burning trash outside when we were there which effected the air quality on one side of the resort.
Other recommendations: Bring water shoes as some of the corals can be rough in the water. Bring insect repellent. Be prepared to disconnect virtually as internet access varies throughout the resort. Make sure to book your tours early as it tends to fill up! More
September 6, 2022