FRENCH POLYNESIA

This day begins our acquaintance with French Polynesia. We arrive in the capital of the island of Tahiti, Papeete, and make another flight – an internal flight from Papeete to the island of Raiatea, where our catamarans, Catana 55 and Catana 47, are waiting for us, which will become our floating hotel for the next decade. We get acquainted with the catamarans and the crew, listen to the briefing and go to the nearest supermarket for purchase. In the evening (around 17.00) we make our first crossing to the eastern part of Tahaa island. The transition takes several hours, but the first vivid impression is already ready – we are meeting the sunset in the endless Pacific Ocean!

In the evening we have dinner on the shore and get acquainted with the local cuisine and the peculiarities of its preparation – since ancient times, the islands had their own unique way of cooking. Outside the house, in the yard, they made an earthen oven (imu), where they cooked food on hot stones, wrapping it in banana leaves. Basically, it was vegetables and fruits or fish. This tradition still exists, and it does not matter where you are going to eat – in an expensive restaurant or a local fast food.

The next 2 days we completely devote to the study of Bora Bora. The main wealth and the main attraction of Bora Bora is the magnificent nature, generously endowing the island with mountain peaks, overgrown with luxurious tropical greenery to the very tops, and a variety of beautiful flowering plants and delicious fruits, and a colorful, densely populated and fascinating underwater world. Local residents are proud of their island and welcome numerous guests, doing everything to acquaint them with every corner of Bora Bora.

The island offers many excursions, on foot, horseback or by jeep, along the coast or inland. Everyone can see the strange temples of the Marae, which are still revered by the indigenous Polynesians, and the village of Faantui, which once served as the residence of local leaders. You can also turn your attention to the ruins of the American naval base, left over from the war with Japan, as a reminder of perhaps the most tragic days in the history of the island.

Thematic picnics are held on one of the motus, where young Polynesians and Polynesians will talk about the tricks of tying a pareo or breaking coconuts, tell about the secrets and customs of the indigenous people of the island, about which of the local plants can be eaten and how to cook them, and much more interesting little things. In the southwestern part of the island there is a real “Coral Garden”, where, under the guidance of an instructor, you can dive to the bottom of the lagoon to see the splendor of the underwater world with your own eyes.

In the town of Tupitupiti, scuba diving will be especially interesting, it is here that barracuda, tuna and big shark are most often found. The most adventurous scuba divers can even feed these predators, and huge, but benevolent stingrays will not refuse treats. The apotheosis of the excursion program can be a helicopter ride around Bora Bora to see the breathtaking magnificent panorama of the island.

Still being impressed by the unprecedented beauties and landscapes of Bora Bora, we still leave ourselves hope that there is at least something left in this world that can surprise us!))) And we will not lose, we straighten the sails and set off further on our way – towards the island of Tahaa. We enjoy nature, sun, ocean, fishing and swimming. In the evening we come to the island and have dinner on the shore.

This day we dedicate to the study of the island of Tahaa – the “vanilla island” of French Polynesia.

Among the historical monuments of Tahaa there are several well-preserved marae, ancient temples of the Polynesians, three of them are located on the shores of Vaimai Bay, five more are in Mao Bay. In one of the marae, an ahu, a ceremonial platform, has been perfectly preserved. There are only three settlements on Tahaa, scattered along its different banks. Fishing is excellent in the coastal waters of Tahaa, usually fishing from a boat, but if you wish, you can try your hand at underwater fishing. As soon as you step on the coast of Tahaa, you will immediately understand why it was called “vanilla island”, the delicate aroma of this spice spreads far beyond the vast plantations that occupy most of the island. The smell of vanilla permeating the air of the island makes Tahaa even more romantic and gives a special poignancy to your senses. Vanilla plantations will be shown to everyone who is interested, and they will be told in detail about how trees are grown, how vanilla is pollinated and ripened. In addition to selling vanilla, the locals make money by selling unique black pearls, which are grown on several farms. Black pearls of Tahaa Island are known to jewelers and lovers of precious jewelry all over the world, because they are of the highest quality. Here, on one of the farms, you will be taught how to evaluate the quality of pearls, they will tell you the legends and lyrical stories dedicated to it, and you will also be offered to purchase a string of amazingly beautiful pearls. The pride and object of special concern of the islanders is the “turtle reserve”. In it, under the care of people who are passionate about their work, many turtles spend their days in prosperity, some of them belong to unique and rare species, while others can boast of a very advanced age.

We continue to explore the island of Tahaa and focus on its main asset – snow-white beaches and the cleanest, gentle waters of the lagoon. You can indulge in a serene pastime, basking in the sun on the beach and swimming in the azure water, you can endlessly. On local beaches there is no crush of large resorts and tightly closed private estates on the coast. And in this freedom and some wildness there is a special charm. The life of both the indigenous islanders and the tourists who come to Tahaa flows slowly, measuredly, as if everyone, getting here, receives a secret knowledge that life and beauty are eternal, and after one happily lived day, the next, even happier, will surely come.

In the evening we return to our home marina on the island of Raiatea.

In the morning we still have to say goodbye to our catamarans and get ready for a long flight home. But we are firmly convinced that the impressions that we experienced will forever remain with us one of the most vivid adventures in life!

TRAVEL!