island of love - Tahiti Legends

52 I FRENCH POLYNESIA I RAIATEA & TAHA’A I EXPERIENCES
RAIATEA & TAHA’A ExPERIENCES
fAArOA rIvEr ExCUrSIOn – rAIATEA
Cruise up raiatea’s magnificent, jungle-like faaroa river, the only
navigable river in french Polynesia. discover different species of birds
and the lush vegetation that hugs the banks—conifers, coconut palms,
pineapple, taro and vanilla. visit areas of local interest.
4X4 JEEP SAFAri – TAHA’A
Taha’a is the “vanilla Island.” Throughout your safari, you’ll delight in the
rich scent of vanilla. your half-day tour takes you into the island’s interior
with views of rivers and mountains. visit a black pearl farm and see how
the black pearl is cultured. Another stop to a vanilla plantation allows
you to observe firsthand how vanilla is cultivated.
PEOPLE The rarest and most precious of Tahiti’s
gems is its people with their sparkling eyes,
radiant smiles, flawless beauty, and priceless
innocence. Their pace of life is slow. Their
philosophy, “aita pea pea” (not to worry), is
truly the Tahitian way. They love to share their
wealth of ancient traditions through songs
and dance, leaving you with a treasure trove
of memories that will linger long after you have
left their paradise home.
LAgOOn TOUrS – TAhA’A
discover the raiatea/Taha’a Lagoon with a lagoon tour via motorized
outrigger canoe. Snorkel over coral gardens, enjoy a Polynesian picnic
on a motu and experience a shark and ray encounter.
4X4 JEEP SAFAri – rAiATEA
Explore the interior of raiatea with its mountains, rivers and waterfalls.
The rugged interior reveals views of the neighboring islands of Taha’a
and huahine. mount Temehani is the only place where the rare Tiare
Apetahi flower grows.
VANILLA The variety Vanilla
Tahitensis, created at the end of
the 19th century, is the most widely
cultivated in French Polynesia.
It has an exceptional aroma, and
its beans are plumper, shinier and
richer in oil than those of other
species. The islands of Huahine
and Taha’a are famous for their
vanilla plantations.
TIARE APETAHI According to legend, this
delicate white flower is the hand of an
island princess who proclaimed, as she
died in her lover’s arms, “Every morning
when you come to the mountain, I will give
you my hand to caress.” As proof of its
unique nature, the Tiare Apetahi cannot be
transplanted and grows nowhere else in
the world except on the slopes of Raiatea’s
Mount Temehani.