Destinations

My high issues to do in French Polynesia from ATV-ing to whale watching

Editor’s observe: Tahiti Tourism supplied TPG with a free journey to French Polynesia because the nation reopened in the course of the COVID-19 pandemic. The opinions are completely the creator’s and weren’t topic to assessment by Tahiti Tourism or any exterior entity.


After having to cancel and rebook a visit to French Polynesia a number of occasions in the course of the pandemic as journey and entry restrictions saved altering or getting prolonged, I lastly obtained to go on what turned out to be a unbelievable trip there.

Right here had been eight actions I loved throughout my journey to French Polynesia final fall that have already got me planning a return go to.

Snorkeling and dolphin recognizing in Rangiroa

Rangiroa atoll. CLINT HENDERSON/THE POINTS GUY

Leaping dolphins, circling sharks, quite a lot of stingrays, the Blue Lagoon and an explosion of coloration from faculties of tropical fish had been only a few of the highlights of a day trip on the water in Rangiroa. It is one of many largest atolls on the earth, and the hour-long flight from Papeete’s Faaa Worldwide Airport (PPT) runs about $350 round-trip on Air Tahiti, the only real provider that flies the route.

Simply arriving on the island was a thrill for me as an enormous aviation geek since I obtained to fly on one among Air Tahiti’s little ATR planes and land at Rangiroa Airport (RGI).

I stayed in a small seaside bungalow with a non-public plunge pool on the Kia Ora Resort and Spa, however the resport additionally has some overwater bungalows.

I went out on the water with a small group of different vacationers on an tour organized by the Kia Ora Resort with a tour firm known as Kaimana Excursions Rangiroa. We went to a reef island and to see the Blue Lagoon, which is a form of lagoon inside a lagoon surrounded by little islands and coral reefs teeming with marine life.

I obtained to swim and snorkel with sharks and stingrays after which have lunch on slightly motu, or small island. Full-day journeys like I took begin round $82.

Rangiroa. CLINT HENDERSON/THE POINTS GUY

The tour guides picked us up on the resort on a small boat at 9 a.m. We first regarded for stingrays and dolphins en path to the Blue Lagoon. Inclement climate prevented us from seeing a lot at first, however by the point we obtained to the Blue Lagoon the rain was gone, and we obtained to do some snorkeling with sharks and stingrays.

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We noticed a number of blacktip and gray reef sharks and I even noticed a lemon shark on one of many brief snorkeling alternatives the guides supplied. Thought-about threatened, lemon sharks are pretty uncommon, so I thought-about it a deal with to get to see one from my spot swimming round our boat.

Lunch was served on a spectacular motu we obtained to wade to from our boat. The mini-island was surrounded by child reef sharks and pink-hued sand. There have been palm timber and plenty of fascinating native birds, in addition to a home-cooked Polynesian meal arrange for us. The meals included a number of uncooked fish dishes and coconut bread.

The most effective half, from my standpoint, was towards the top of the day. Earlier than heading again to the resort, we obtained to experience the waves together with bottlenose dolphins leaping out of the water round us within the Tiputa Move (additionally known as “The Aquarium”), a channel the place the peaceable waters of the lagoon meet the extra turbulent ocean waters of the Pacific, creating an ideal spot for dolphins to feed on passing fish.

Within the evenings, folks collect onshore to observe the leaping dolphins, however you may also observe them in a ship. On this journey, I obtained to attempt each experiences, and it was fairly spectacular. I’ve by no means seen something like dolphins leaping out of waves whereas trying to find fish.

Whale watching and foodie outings on Moorea

Whales in Moorea, French Polynesia. GRILLEAU NICOLAS/GETTY

One of the crucial unimaginable experiences of my life to this point was seeing whales up shut underwater.

After an evening on the Sofitel Kia Ora Moorea Seaside Resort, Corallina Excursions picked some fellow friends and me up on the resort dock in a small speedboat. We spent three hours fruitlessly trying to find whales. We’d discover a group, however each time we jumped within the water to spend a while with them, they’d disappear.

Lastly, on our final run, we obtained fortunate. Our boat obtained shut sufficient to 3 of the behemoths for us to leap within the water and swim after them. I wasn’t in a position to get footage, however that shut encounter with the giants underneath the waves will stick with me for the remainder of my life. Basically, we had been in a position to swim alongside a mom humpback and her calf, together with an grownup male who was attempting to courtroom the feminine. The expertise was actually awe-inspiring.

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Stingray in French Polynesia. CLINT HENDERSON/THE POINTS GUY

Nevertheless it wasn’t all about humpbacks. We additionally obtained to see many different sea creatures, together with a stingray that I used to be in a position to {photograph}.

A 3-hour tour just like the one I took begins round $110 per particular person and is completely value budgeting for.

Again on land, I took an area meals tour with Heimata Corridor, who began the Moorea Meals Adventures tour proper earlier than the pandemic began, however has managed to experience it out and continues to be open for enterprise.

He picked me up on the Terevau terminal ferry dock in Moorea and took me on a driving tour of the island. Sadly, it was pouring rain, so Corridor could not take me to the various meals vehicles providing native treats that day. We did get to cease at a number of mom-and-pop retailers to choose up native delicacies, and we ended up having lunch at Corridor’s residence within the hills of Moorea. It wasn’t fairly the meals truck tour we each had been hoping for, however I obtained some native hospitality as a substitute, which turned out to be even higher.

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Procuring and exploring in Papeete and the remainder of the island of Tahiti

Market in Papeete, Tahiti. CLINT HENDERSON/THE POINTS GUY

There’s loads to see and do within the Tahitian capital of Papeete apart from Faa’a Worldwide Airport. There are purchasing facilities, a busy downtown space with workplaces and retailers and a ferry port, and a number of other luxurious resorts in addition. I booked a tour of the bustling downtown space with an area information named Nadia Roustan. After a driving tour of native websites, together with the Port of Papeete and Metropolis Corridor, we obtained dropped off at a large purchasing space. A half-day tour exploring downtown Papeete will price you about $97.

She took me to the Marché Papeete, or Papeete Market, for a little bit of Tahitian tradition.

The market sells every part from flowers to fish and smells to souvenirs. It is the spot to fill up on presents for the house, together with jewellery, pearls, beads and T-shirts. Nadia was tremendous useful at declaring what the locals contemplate the most effective retailers within the space, together with some hidden gems you are not prone to discover by yourself. That mentioned, if you wish to spend a half day exploring by yourself, you can in all probability do it with out the assistance of a information.

I obtained out of town to see another components of the Island of Tahiti with La Ora Na Tahiti Expeditions. A four-hour tour begins at round $50 per particular person. My information, Teuai Lenoir, gave me a historical past lesson in Polynesian tradition on the drive to Papenoo on the island’s east coast and thru a big nature reserve. Alongside the way in which, we stopped at a number of waterfalls within the Papenoo Valley and at a few necessary archeological websites. The Polynesians name among the conventional gathering locations “marae,” and they’re preserved non secular gathering locations to this present day. Among the websites in French Polynesia date again to 1,000 A.D.

We ate a do-it-yourself lunch of sandwiches and recent fruit that was introduced alongside by Lenoir. Our solely firm within the forest was a hungry viewers of stray cats that hold us entertained. It was a fantastic day in Tahiti.

Off-roading in Bora Bora

There are a lot of methods to see Bora Bora — each from land and the water — however probably the most thrilling is from an all-terrain car.

Bora Bora, French Polynesia. CLINT HENDERSON/THE POINTS GUY

To get an summary of Vaitape, Bora Bora’s largest city, and its environment, I joined a bunch tour with Bora Bora ATV Excursions. The two.5-hour outing, which prices $279 per particular person, was a blast.

We began our ATV journey in Vaitape itself, the place we caught a glimpse of the city’s day-to-day happenings. As soon as we had been suited up for our quad automobiles and given directions on how you can function them, we adopted our information down a two-lane freeway for a number of miles till we reached a path that took us on a steep climb up Mount Popoti.

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After about 40 minutes of navigating the muddy path, which is one among a number of reportedly created by Allied forces throughout World Struggle II, we reached the highest of magnificent Mount Popoti, the place panoramic vistas of Bora Bora’s lagoon awaited us.

Earlier than ending our tour again in Vaitape, we stopped at an area farm for recent fruit and a few purchasing.

I had some downtime whereas ready for my resort’s water shuttle to get to Vaitape, so I made a decision to take a look at town middle, which I extremely suggest. It could be small, with simply a few blocks comprising the primary downtown space, nevertheless it options all types of retailers promoting every part from pearls to clothes, so you may discover it straightforward to move the time for an hour or two.

Remember to go to the market, which has a number of stalls, together with some promoting attractive native flowers and others providing colourful wraps.

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Exploring the colourful lagoon in Bora Bora

Bora Bora. CLINT HENDERSON/THE POINTS GUY

Whether or not you are touring with a accomplice, in a bunch, or by yourself, you may need to e-book no less than one tour to discover Bora Bora’s breathtaking lagoon.

Despite the fact that the six-hour boat tour I selected was operated by Bora Bora Romantic Tour — a tour firm that clearly focuses on romantic choices for twosomes, not solo vacationers like me — I nonetheless had a unbelievable time. It was a postcard-perfect day trip on the water and properly definitely worth the $220-per-person price ticket.

A number of {couples} and I had been picked up in a ship pushed by a information who doubled because the tour’s leisure. We began our journey cruising across the lagoon, listening to soothing tunes coming from the information’s Tahitian model of a ukelele as we went. The music he performed all through the tour actually helped set the tone for the day.

Throughout our boat experience, we circled well-known Mount Otemanu and obtained a close-up take a look at one among Paul Gauguin Cruises’ ships. Earlier than lengthy, we stopped to leap out and swim with blacktip reef sharks and numerous species of tropical fish. I used to be admittedly nervous at first, however as soon as I jumped into the shallow, crystal-clear water and noticed how sedate the attractive creatures had been, I rapidly overcame my concern of sharks and loved my time snorkeling across the lagoon.

After that, we spent an hour trying to find elusive stingrays earlier than savoring a picnic lunch on one other motu ready by an area islander, who opened up her residence to us for the meal. From my perspective, it was the best approach to spend a day in Bora Bora, even when I used to be the one single particular person in sight.

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Backside line

Though you would possibly need to spend a number of days lazing within the solar in your overwater villa’s personal deck or snorkeling the placid waters of a pellucid lagoon, there are additionally loads of outside journey actions to take pleasure in whereas in French Polynesia.

My high suggestions are whale watching (or diving), seeing the underwater sights on Rangiroa and ATV-ing on Bora Bora. I am already beginning to plan my subsequent journey, however I’ll take the recommendation of TPG Founder Brian Kelly and get dive licensed earlier than my subsequent journey to French Polynesia so I can spend extra time exploring its underwater treasures.



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