Manihi is a coral atoll in the Tuamotu Archipelago. It is one of the northernmost of the Tuamotus, located in the King George group. Orders see Anthozoa A coral reef can be an oasis of marine life. ... Fanning Atoll (Tabuaeran) is a typical, small to moderate-sized atoll located in the central Pacific Ocean. ... A Satellite photo of the Acteon Group, 4 atolls in the southeastern Tuamotus. ...

Its oval-shaped lagoon measures about 10 km (6 mi.) across and 20 km (12 mi.) long, and is ringed by innumerable islets. The atoll is today home to a great number of pearl farms, and is the original home of the highly prized Polynesian black pearls. Several of the islands are inhabited, by populations ranging from single individuals to as many as 400. A lagoon is a body of comparatively shallow salt water separated from the deeper sea by a shallow or exposed sandbank, coral reef, or similar feature. ... For other things called pearl, see pearl (disambiguation). ... Polynesia (from Greek, poly = many and nesos = island) is a large grouping of over 1,000 islands in the central and southern Pacific Ocean. ...

The chief village, Turipaoa is located in the southwestern part of the atoll, and is home to about 400 inhabitants. The atoll's only airfield, served by the local Polynesian Airlines, is located here.

On Manihi are located two ancient ceremonial platforms (marae in Tuamotuan), constructed of blocks of coral.

The lagoon is well-known among snorkelers for its beautiful and diverse marine fauna, including, among other species, the manta ray. Snorkeling is the practice of swimming at the surface of a body of water equipped with a mask and a short tube called a snorkel. ... Binomial name Manta birostris Dondorff, 1798 The manta ray, or giant manta, is the largest member of the ray family, ranging up to eight meters (25 ft) across its pectoral fins (or wings) and weighing up 3,000 kg (3 tons). ...