ADVENTURE TRAVEL - Tahiti North America

Categories: [North America] [Sea]
Links: www.tahiti-tourisme.com
Last update: January 14, 2008
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About Tahiti

Tahiti cover over two million square miles of the South Pacific Ocean and is comprised of 118 islands spread over five great archipelagos.
Many islands are crowned with jagged peaks while others appear to barely float above the breaking waves. Spread over an area as large as Western Europe, the total land mass of all the islands adds up to an area only slightly larger than the tiny state of Rhode Island.

The three archipelagos most sought by visitors are the Society Islands, comprised of Tahiti, Moorea, Bora Bora, Huahine, Raiatea and Taha'a; The Tuamotu Atolls or "Tahiti's Strand of Pearls", include the atolls of Rangiroa, Manihi, Tikehau and Fakarava; and the Marquesas, or "The Mysterious Islands."

The two other archipelagos, the Austral Islands and the Gambier Islands, lie to the south and the southeast, respectively, of the Society Islands. While very few travelers venture to these remote islands, those that do are not dissapointed by the pristine environment.

Tahiti Map and Islands

Tahiti map

Easier to travel to than you might imagine, Tahiti's Faa'a Airport is under 8 hours by air from Los Angeles LAX airport, with daily nonstop flights and starting in the summer of 2005 – 3 non-stop flights a week from New York’s JFK airport. As far south of the equator as Hawaii is north, Tahiti is halfway between California and Australia, on the same side of the International Date Line as North America, and in the same time zone as Hawaii - (only three hours behind California April-October and two hours behind California November-March).

Island of Tahiti

The island of Tahiti, towering over the ocean like a proud and royal Queen, is crowned by a circle of majestic peaks. The mountainous interior shelters deep valleys, clear streams, and high waterfalls, all bathed in the green iridescence of Mother Nature's light. The flat coastal lands, edged with a rugged coastline, are home to fields of tropical flowers and most of the island's population.

Papeete, the invigorating capital city and gateway of the territory, boasts world-class resorts, spas, fine restaurants, nightclubs, and endless shopping at the vibrant markets, pearl shops, and boutiques.

Bora Bora

Bora Bora, with a lagoon resembling an artist's palette of blues and greens, is love at first sight.

Honeymooners and romantics from around the world have laid claim to Bora Bora where the castle-like Mount Otemanu pierces the sky. Lush tropical slopes and valleys blossom with hibiscus, while palm-covered motu circle the lagoon like a delicate necklace. Perfect white-sand beaches give way to emerald waters where impossibly colored fish animate the coral gardens.

Simply said, Bora Bora is the most beautiful island in the world. Truly, the most romantic island in the world. From the dramatic scenery to the privacy and amenities of the overwater bungalows, everything in Bora Bora equals a 10 on the romance scale.

Resorts have been welcoming couples for over 40 years and their special amenities have been fine tuned to perfection. From sunrise to sunset, each resort has designed their own blend of unique romantic experiences for their guests to choose from.

For the visitor, the colorful and majestic setting of Bora Bora offers unlimited possibilities:

Enchantment from the turquoise lagoon with unending days of snorkeling and diving.
Excitement above the waters by canoe, Boston Whaler, wave runner, parasail, and nightly sunset sails.
Exploration of the panoramic overlooks found on a 4x4 safari.
Discovery of the world-renowned shopping for original art, pearls, and handcrafts.

Moorea

The Moorea Visitors Bureau welcomes you to the island of Moorea, the second touristic destination in French Polynesia after the island of Tahiti. The Moorea Visitors Bureau website offers our visitors the best resource for Moorea information. Moorea is actually spelled Mo'orea, and is located in the Islands of Society in French Polynesia. Moorea is one of the world's most exotic islands and has many things to do and see.

Moorea, which has often been likened to James Michener's mythological island of Bali Ha'i, is a small island jewel of the vast ocean that can be perceived in one loving glance.

Rising like a shark's jaw from the sea, Moorea's jagged profile beckons. To her sister island of Tahiti, Moorea presents a fresh young face in the pink glow of dawn. In late afternoon she becomes even more enticing and inviting, crowned with a majestic headdress of fleecy cumulus clouds of snowy white, upon which the infinite colors of the sunset play.

Walk barefoot on a clean, quiet beach. Bask in the warm caress of the sun. Swim in crystalline lagoons. Watch a sunset that dips the world in bronze. Wrap your body in a colorful pareo. Put a fragrant blossom behind your ear. Learn to dance the tamure. Sleep in a palm-thatched hut. And waken to the wonder of dawn in the tropics.

Gambier Islands - Mangareva

Over one thousand miles southeast of Tahiti are the Gambier Islands.

The cradle of Catholicism during the nineteeth century following the arrival of the first missionaries to the region, hundreds of stone buildings from that era survive including churches, convents, schools, and watch towers. Mangareva, the largest island of the region, is home to most of the population and the center of the region's pearl industry. The island's only small family pensions are located here in the town of Rikitea.

Fakarava

Fakarava, is an untouched world where nesting birds and marine life live in harmony with the land and water.

The rich ecosystem is home to rare birds, plants, and crustaceans while the dive sites are virtually undiscovered. Life along the quiet shores is equally unique with quaint villages, old coral churches, and welcoming people.

Even though Fakarava is the newest destination to welcome resort visitors among Tahiti, it was one of the first population centers and the ancient capital of the region. The lagoon, the second largest after Rangiroa, is rich with life below and above the surface and a prime example of nature at its finest. So pure is the environment here that Fakarava is being considered for classification as a UNESCO nature reserve for the preservation of rare species.

Life among the 400 residents is centralized around the quaint villages of Rotoava and the Tetamanu.

Tikehau

Tikehau, a graceful oval crown of pink-sand beaches, can only be described as a picture postcard.

Considered to be one of the most beautiful atolls in Polynesia, the fragrance of the air is matched only by the abundance of life in the bright-blue water. The friendly people, their homes awash with gardens, invite you to share and explore their world beyond imagination.

In this pristine world, fish seem to outnumber people one-billion-to one. In fact the density of the fish in the lagoon is so high that Jacques Cousteau's research group declared that Tikehau's lagoon contained the highest concentration of fish in all of the Tuamotu atolls.

Fishing is among the primary industries here for the 400 residents. Families share fish parks - underwater fenced areas - where they trap parrotfish and other lagoon species as a primary source of food and income. Families also ship fish by air to Papeete for sale in the local markets. Visitors enjoy endless hours of exploring the perfection of the lagoon, the Isle of Birds, and the tidy island village of Tuherahera.