TAHITI TIMES

Friday- October 5th

Christina and I woke up bright and early, just in time to see the sun rise over the lagoon. We enjoyed French chocolate croissants at breakfast and then packed our day bags to take off for our adventure. We decided to challenge ourselves to ride rented bikes from the Sofitel Moorea around the entire island which is 63 km (approximately 39 miles). Starting off, it was all like a dream- blue lagoons to the right of you and stunning lush green peaks to your left. We did stop at several beaches to rest along the way and enjoyed fresh pineapple. We arrived back at the hotel to enjoy a chilled bottle of ‘Tabu’ a local Tahitian brew where we reveled in our accomplishments and watched the sun slip deep into the lagoon.

Saturday – Oct 6th

Today we covered our bodies with 100 proof sunscreen and dove into the water from our overwater bungalow. We snorkeled our hearts out! The visibility was excellent and we could see straight down to the bottom (20 to 30 feet in some areas). We saw schools of trigger fish, angel fish, puffers and lots of sea cucumbers. I was on a mission to find a ‘nemo’ in a sea anemone for my sister. We weren’t successful on that attempt, but the multitude of the aquatic life knocked our socks off. Also, we were amazed by the sheer size of these fish! I swear, I saw one trigger fish that looked like it could have been half my size.

Check out a few of our photos from these two days on our Flickr! Click here!

Tahiti Legends Exclusive Offer- Buy Two Activities and Get the Third Free!

When you combine the purchase of the Lagoon Cruise and Motu Picnic and the 4 x 4 Jeep Safari, you will receive a free Parasailing excursion!

When you combine the purchase of the Jet ski excursion (1 hour) and the ATV Adventure Tour, you will receive a free Snorkeling and Ray Feeding tour!

For more information on this exclusive offer, please call your preferred Travel Agent or Tahiti Legends at 800-200-1213

Fijians are known as the friendliest people in the world.
And they want you to bring your friends to visit their beautiful islands.
For a limited time, take a friend and they get 50% off airfare.
If you’re getting married, the bride is 50% off! That’s friendly!

See our Friend Flies 50% Deals now http://www.tahitilegends.com/fiji50off

By the way, have you been to our Facebook fan page? We are only 75 away from reaching 2000 fans, so be friendly and get your friends to visit and like our page.

While visiting Australia, Heather visited the beach town of Byron Bay which is located as far-east as you can possibly go on Australia’s North Coast. She told us that the beach seemed to go on for miles and miles and sand was as soft as talcum powder.

For photos of her Byron Bay trip click here!

In honor of the Royal Wedding, some of the members of the Tahiti Legends family decided to have a tea party with all the trimmings. Below are a few pictures, and check out the rest on our Facebook fan page

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

With miles of white sand beaches and the crystal clear water of the South Pacific, Fiji is an ideal place for a Destination Wedding. Whether you choose to have a simple ceremony on the beach or an elaborate ceremony with traditional Fijian singers and dancers, Fiji will provide an ideal backdrop for your special day. Here are some of our favorite reasons to plan a Destination Wedding in Fiji:

-Your choice of beautiful locations
Each resort has unique wedding packages with a variety of ceremony locations to choose from. You can personalize your wedding as much as you like, and we can ensure your day is as special an event as you deserve.

-Fijian touches create a memorable ceremony
It is a Fijian custom to have warriors carry the bride up the beach to meet her groom. During the ceremony there is often joyful Fijian singing and the procession is accompanied by the blowing of conch shells and beating of Lali drums.

-Incredible photo opportunities
Close your eyes and imagine your wedding on a pristine, white sand beach, just before sunset…

It doesn’t have to only be an exercise in imagination; you can have the picture-perfect wedding of your dreams in Fiji!

- Filling out the same amount paperwork to marry in the US- and nothing more!

And last but not least-

-Not having to travel for your Honeymoon
There’s no flight to catch, and no bags to pack when you are already in paradise!

To find out more about having a Destination Wedding in Fiji, please contact your Preferred Travel Agent or contact Tahiti Legends at: 1-800-200-1213.

A Traveler’s Guide to Fiji

Bula Everyone! (Bula is Fijian for ‘hello’ or ‘welcome’)

We love Fiji, and this week we’ve decided to share with you why we’re so enamored with this magnificent South Pacific destination.

But before we delve into what makes Fiji so special, a brief introduction:

The Fijian Islands lay in the South Pacific approximately 2,775 miles Southwest of Honolulu and 1,100 miles North of New Zealand. The once volcanic mountains on these islands are now the home to tropical rain forests, coconut plantations, and a wide array of wildlife. The warm/nutrient-filled tropical waters of Fiji provide the perfect conditions for soft coral to grow and flourish. Diving/ecology enthusiasts come to Fiji from all around the world to witness the coral gardens in full bloom.

Whether you are looking to get away with your family, have a romantic honeymoon, enjoy the marine life, have an adventure in an exotic place, or explore the diverse environment and culture of Fiji, there is something for everyone here!

For more information on staying in Fiji- Please contact Tahiti Legends at 1-800-200-1213

Tomorrow we’ll go beyond the basics and explore other attributes that makes Fiji so special in our hearts, so be sure to come back!

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