TAHITI TIMES

Sunday – Oct 7th

Christina and I enjoyed Moorea’s morning glow aboard Jet Skis! After gliding across the crystal clear water, I know that I have been spoiled and will never feel the same about Jet Skiing anywhere else again.

We were lead by one of the amazing guides from Moorea Mahana Tours through the lagoon and around the coral reefs. Now, I thought Moorea was magical from the seat of a bike but I have to say that it might be even better looking across the lagoon at her lush flora and fauna and ridged mountains.

After we returned to our hotel, we wound down with a nice glass of wine and then indulged in a one hour massage treatment- there is nothing quite like being in Heaven, on Earth.

Saturday, October 6th

We continued our vacation at the Hilton Moorea- this property is located on a peninsula located smack dab in the middle of Opunohu Bay and Cooks Bay. We enjoyed staying in another overwater bungalow that was only one bungalow away from being at the very end of the pontoon. It was perfectly positioned to watch a romantic Moorea sunset- with my sister. Where’s my boyfriend when I need him?

At 6:00 pm we visited Moorea’s Tiki Village which is a ‘recreation’ of a Polynesian village that has authentic décor, excellent ambiance and some of the most warm-hearted Tahitians you would ever hope to meet. After touring through the village, we dined Polynesian style and ate breadfruit, taro and Pua (pork) all prepared by Hima’a (a Tahitian cooking pit).

After dinner it was time for the dance performance- and that included fire dancing. There had to be over 60 dancers and over a dozen costume changes, but by far the highlight of our evening was marveling at the amazing fire dancers.

I took some beautiful photos of the Hilton Moorea and the dancers of Tiki Village- Click here to see more!

To celebrate my sister Christina’s 30th Birthday, I planned a trip for us to travel to Moorea. We spent 7 days and 6 nights exploring this amazing place and I will be posting about our trip throughout the week!

The goal that Christina and I made for this trip was to experience the entire island of Moorea in every way possible. We wanted to explore the: interior, exterior, the incredible lagoon and the luxurious accommodations available on the island. The further we got into our stay on Moorea, the more we fell in love with the island.

Tomorrow, I will give you my first hand account of biking around the entire island of Moorea (63km) as well as our Jet ski tour around the island so please stay tuned and I hope you enjoy the journey as much as we did.

-Jessica Smith

While Aude was in French Polynesia last week, she had an opportunity to eat at the Kaina Hut Restaurant in Bora Bora. She ordered from Tahiti Legends’ exclusive menu and had the crispy red tuna with foie gras (in the center of the tuna), accompanied by a sweet potato mash which she says was simply- “DELICIOUS!”

The Kaina Hut Restaurant is open every day at 6:30PM, except Friday. To pre-book your reservation during your stay in Bora Bora and sample Tahiti Legends’ exclusive menu, please call your preferred travel agent or call Tahiti Legends at: 1-800-200-1213.

To view more pictures of the cuisine available at the Kaina Hut- please click here!

We also have a video of the restaurant available on our Facebook.

Photo Courtesy of Planetoddity.com

The Waitomo Glowworm Caves attraction is a magnet for both local inhabitants and travelers visiting from overseas. This particular glowworm (or in latin: Arachnocampa luminosa) species is completely unique to New Zealand.

You can begin your tour from several places- but the most popular is departing from Auckland, where you will then travel South through the farmland of the Waikato to Waitomo. Your experienced guide will take you through the stunning underground scenery while sharing interesting stories, legends, and historical facts. The highlight of every tour is a boat trip through the amazing Glowworn Grotto, where thousands of glowworms light your way as they suspend from the ceiling.

This is truly a must see for any traveler visiting this region!

Join Pa, a local islander as he takes you on a three-hour guided walking and hiking tour of the lush interior of Rarotonga. Learn about the local medicinal plants used by his ancestors. You will see ancient ceremonial stones and hear legends of the ancient Polynesians all underneath the canopy of the jungle. At the bottom of the famous “Needle” you will enjoy the incredible views from this vantage point, and then trek down to Wigmore’s Waterfall where you can cool off with a swim before boarding your transfer bus home.

It is recommended for this tour that you bring:
-Lots of water
-Mosquito repellent
-Camera
-Comfortable walking shoes (their website explicitly states- no heels ladies!)
-A spare t-shirt in a plastic bag (to keep it dry in case of rain)
-A bathing suit for when you reach the waterfall

Hi Everyone,

I visited the Koroipita Model Community during my vacation last week, in Fiji. We have supported this project, alongside Rosie Holidays since 2006 during the Stage 1 project that they called K1.

The first time I visited Koroipita was in 2008 and K1 was almost at completion and had the goal of building a total of 81 homes and 6 communal buildings - office, kindergarten, playground areas, and a general shop. It was then that they started planning for K2 an expansion to add 153 more homes. During my visit, I spent some time with the children and families at Koroipita, and also the head of the project- Peter Drysdale.

Koroipita is the first full development to provide a sustainable community for impoverished families. The goal was not only to provide the squatters and poverty stricken families a cyclone-proof home with running water and electricity, but to help them become independently and financially sustainable. A daily rent of $1 Fijian dollar is collected (the community secures a minimal lease in order to maintain and encourage long term development) and the members of the village grow/sell their own food and create craft products to sell in the village or local towns. The community also has subcontracted with the cut flower market, where Koroipita residents actively grow orchids for sale.

Stage 2 of the project (K2) is currently in full swing, and I was surprised at the growth of the village since I had last visited. Not only have the homes been improved from K1, but the families now have separate bathroom/toilet facilities. There is also a large town hall that was recently constructed with funding from NZAid, the Fiji government, and Rotary International. This will be the main meeting place for the community council, and also acts as a housing unit for volunteers. There are 346 persons living in Koroipita at this time, and when K2 is completed there will be over 1100 residents. I was able to meet with a family who had moved in the day prior to my arrival- A young mother of four. Their belongings only consisted of some blankets in the corner of the house. This woman advised that the rotahome she now occupied was more than she could have ever dreamed up for her children. The fact that they could attend the kindergarten for free was also unbelievable to her.

Seeing the kids at Koroipita is always the most moving aspect of visiting. I was/am genuinely proud that Tahiti Legends in our small way could support this beautiful project.

Here are some photos that I took while visiting Koroipita: http://www.flickr.com/photos/legendsluxurytravel/sets/72157626478057243/

-Anna
Tahiti Legends, Vice President

Twenty miles south of Savusavu lies the small island of Namena. This island is surrounded by mile after mile of unexplored reefs making it crystal clear as to why Fiji is known as the “Soft Coral Capital of the World”. Currently, the Jean-Michel Cousteau Fiji Islands Resort is one of the only resorts in Fiji that visits Namena on a regular basis. Weather permitting, the guides at the resort will visit Namena once or twice per week. Be sure to ask the local guide if there is time to stop by what the locals refer to as “Grand Central Station” where you will see a large density of big game fish (sharks, mackerel, tuna etc) that occupy this area.

For a first hand look of this diving experience, click here to check out this video of Camille diving in Namena- http://on.fb.me/fXPAiG

Heather Stewart, one of our Australia Specialists, has just returned from a two week long trip to Australia, so I sat down with her this morning to find out what she enjoyed about her trip. After visiting Sydney, she took an Ecotour to the Blue Mountains; something that she has always wanted to do. This excursion takes you to several locations while ascending the mountains, including: having morning tea at the base of the mountain (designated as a national park), taking in the incredible view over the Sydney basin at Hawkesbury Heights, having a BBQ lunch and wine under the canopy of the bush, and visiting Wentworth Falls to explore the wildlife and scenery.

And wildlife was certainly plentiful on this excursion. Heather was fortunate enough to see a Kangaroo in the wild, trees surrounded and filled with Australian fruit bats and a variety of exotic birds, all in their natural habitat.

Click on the below link to view Heather’s amazing photos from this adventure:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/legendsluxurytravel/sets/72157626422504193

Dubai’s most recognized landmark and one of the most photographed structures in the world- Burj Al Arab - also specializes in luxurious amenities to enhance your stay at this resort.

You would expect a menu at your meal, but did you know that at Burj Al Arab you will also be offered a bed linen menu with over 13 pillows/quilts to choose from? Not only that, in your bathroom (which also includes a rain shower and a Jacuzzi) you will be presented a bath menu, which includes a variety of music, aromatic bath oils and products. With so many personalization options, you will be comfortable and relaxed.