Blogs from Raiatea, French Polynesia, Oceania

I would never have imagined there's a backpacker trail of sorts through the islands of French Polynesia, but the multi-island flight packages offered by Air Tahiti ensure travellers continue to bump in to each other. For me this has always encapsulated the magic of travel, and to see friends you have a genuine connection with in multiple locations helps solidify the special bond that only comes from getting out and exploring the world. I have to admit it was with a degree of sadness I prepared to bid goodbye to my travel friends in Moorea after our unforgettable adventures together, however after some preliminary discussions we began to realise this is a special crew. So it was off to Air Tahiti, and before you could say voila we rearranged itineraries for a second week of island ... read more

I'd read that most people skip Raiatea because it isn't known for white sand beaches, but I'm really glad I included it. It reminded me a little bit of Kauai with mountains with huge/dramatic cliffs, waterfalls everywhere, and more green that I think I've ever seen. It's also the site of the Taputapuatea marae - maraes are old religious/political sites where the living interacted with ancestors/gods - this complex was once considered the central temple and religious center of Eastern Polynesia, and was recently made an UNESCO world heritage site. A separate island, Tahaa, sits right next door to Raiatea and shares the same lagoon - Tahaa is well known for it's production of vanilla beans (vanilla is an orchid, and apparently a moody/high maintenance one).... read more

January 17, 2014 Today we visited Raiatea, French Polynesia. We took a small group tour by Land Rover jeep to see the highlights of this small island. The tour took us along the coast and then into the heart of the island ( actually the middle of the crater from the volcano that created Raiatea ) into the lush forest. Visited a farm that produces Vanilla in the wild. Most is grown in “ green houses “. Some beautiful views of the surrounding mountains that form the walls of the crater. There is a very small population on this island and a very small village at the dock where we left the ship. There is a hospital here that supports a few of the surrounding islands and schools up to High School. University must be taken ... read more

Raiatea is the second largest of the Society Islands (Tahiti is the largest), but only has about 12,000 residents. It is also thought that Raiatea was where the Polynesians that settled Hawaii and New Zealand originated. The traditional name for the island is Havai'i, which is spelled exactly how Hawaiians say 'Hawaii'. I did not have a lot of time to explore the island, but to make the most of it, I found a guide who takes people on stand-up paddleboard excursions up the Faaroa River, which is the only 'navigable' river in all of French Polynesia. I say 'navigable' because the river is very shallow, for the most part only a couple of feet deep. There is hardly any current, or rather, there was hardly any current--I imagine it could be quite different in a ... read more

When I left you I was ready to leave the bungalow and do something productive. I decided that I would walk to the grocery store, have I mentioned how effing expensive everything is here? Crazy expensive. Anyway, I decided to pick up some dinner and a few other provisions, so I made the fifteen minute walk into the town. After returning to the bungalow I made myself a sandwich and drank a couple of the local beers, Hinano Tahiti, while I watched the sun set. I had a long day and was feeling like I could just go to bed, but when I looked at my watch I found that it was only seven o’clock. There was a happy hour going that changed from having a Polynesian band to having a full traditional Polynesian show. I ... read more