Le Tikehau by Pearl Resorts

Le Tikehau by Pearl Resorts stands on Motu Tianoa, a private coral islet in the Tikehau atoll of the Tuamotu archipelago, 15 minutes by boat from the village and some 220 miles north of Tahiti, less than an hour away by air. The atoll is the coral crown of an ancient submarine volcano, with white and pink sand islets ringing a lagoon of 177 square miles that opens to the ocean through a single pass, and its waters are known for their wildlife. About 500 people live on Tikehau. The resort, a member of Relais & Châteaux, calls itself the only boutique hotel in the Tuamotu, with 29 suites and bungalows under palm roofs: 21 over the water and eight on the beach, from Overwater and Beach Bungalows to the Horizon Overwater Suite and a Royal Beach Villa with its own pool. All have air conditioning, a television, a safe and tea and coffee. Behind the pink sand beach lie a wild coconut grove and a tropical garden. The Kaina Bar and the Poreho Restaurant sit beside the infinity pool, Te Reka Ika is the second restaurant, and Fare Massage by Tāvai Spa looks after treatments. Snorkelling, kayaks, sunset cruises, private picnics, village visits and scuba diving fill the days.