Honeymoon9 - Taha'a: Wild with the Scent of Vanilla

First day in Tahaa

............continued from Moorea...........

After about a 40-minute flight with beautiful views over Huahine and Raiatea, we land at Raiatea airport. No sooner have we got off than our suitcases are handed back to us by hand. Waiting for us we find a young Polynesian, Omai, the person in charge of the boat of the guesthouse we are heading to. The boat (beautiful!!!) awaits us moored at the airport pier. We set off towards Tahaa, immediately beginning to discover the colours of this fantastic lagoon. The island is very green, the coast a continuous palm grove. There are very few dwellings and already thus it reveals its wild character. But the profile is less imposing and suggestive than that of Moorea. The crossing takes another 40 minutes or so. As we go along, numerous small motu begin to appear, forming a crown around the reef. We have arrived, the boat turns towards the coast.

We see on the pier a woman waiting for us with the usual brightly coloured flower garlands. The sight is remarkable and we are already convinced that it will be a "special" week. Brigitte, the owner of the guesthouse, welcomes us like this and personally accompanies us to our bungalow. The place is enchanting, all facing a very well-kept garden which in turn faces the beach surrounded by palms. A beautiful pool with sun loungers. Snorkelling equipment, canoes and outrigger canoes. Real villas, the beach bungalows. Entering the room we are struck by the care with which it has been tidied, flowers everywhere. We find a brochure, with the description/prices of all the services and excursions offered. Only the bicycles are free but fortunately the village is only 1 kilometre away. We ask Brigitte what the alternatives are for dinner and discover that there is nothing.

Only a market that closes at 16:00 but not having a kitchen it would be useless...or dine at hers...for the modest sum of 45.00 per person drinks excluded. We have to come up with something! We spend the rest of the day in complete relaxation between sea and pool. We are alone. We reach the village, and we immediately realise that Tahaa is not like elsewhere. Few houses, scattered and poor, 1 bar and 2 markets, but since it is Sunday everything is closed. The children play in the street, the women sit on the ground in front of their houses, the men play cards or gather in groups to chat or are busy working on the chicken coops....but EVERYONE and I mean EVERYONE greets us as we pass, bestowing smiles on us. On the road (the only one) no cars, a scooter now and then. Land crabs out for a stroll and many, many palms.

We return in love with the place and, forced to, we book dinner at Brigitte's certain that we will find a solution. Having taken a Hinano from the minibar we move to the pier, from which we witness one of the sunsets that we will carry inside us the most. In the background Bora Bora, the lagoon and the sky that gradually merge assuming the most beautiful shades. We get changed and here we are at dinner. It is us and another Italian couple. They too are stunned by the prices of this paradise oasis which, however, absolutely do not match the tone of the island. Tahitian dinner....good, romantic, intimate, well served....but it was not even worth half of what was paid. We stay chatting, organising ourselves for a dinner together the following evening....we will use the barbecue present on the beach! We return to the room and here.... I had the only shock of our dream trip.

Premise that I am not fussy (but arachnophobic), I love animals, nature, no phobia of geckos, centipedes and that I had not even complained about the presence of a wasp nest in the room, now my nerves are really put to the test: in the bathroom sink there is a spider as big as a hand. TOTAL PANIC. They come to remove it, reassuring us about the fact that there are no venomous spiders in Polynesia and that they are harmless. I would like to run away, I would have wished for this evening differently...but what to do? We close ourselves inside the mosquito net and I hope that it was a very rare and isolated case.

Second day in Tahaa

We get up early, woken by the rooster from the neighboring house and the little birds in our garden. My mood has improved, but I force my husband to inspect the bathroom before I go to wash! Breakfast is very pleasant. On the veranda, served by two good-natured Polynesian ladies. Croissants, delicious vanilla yogurt, lots of tropical fruit, butter and jams, toast: all while enjoying the wonderful view. I'm starting to feel better and the peace that reigns in this place is taking hold of me; despite everything, I LIKE IT. Before heading out on our bikes for our ride to Patio, we ask about scooter rental.... Madame Brigitte asks three times how much we were quoted in Moorea... it becomes a matter of principle and we decide to use only bicycles and to use this week to step out of normal life, to devote ourselves to relaxation and to copy the rhythms of these people.

We go to the market and buy meat to grill tonight over the fire; for our new friends it's their last evening on the island, so we treat ourselves to a good wine too! Outside the market there are lots of ladies chatting, men sitting on benches watching passersby. This is the heart of this tiny town center. I dust off my French and start chatting with some women, asking them where you can buy fresh fish (nonexistent at the markets). They are extremely kind and immediately surprised by my request; they politely explain that for them there are things you don't buy.... fish is caught and fruit is picked. Observing my face, one of them takes me by the arm and together we cross the street. We enter the garden of a little house and she starts shouting: Someone's looking for fish! Out comes a woman, three children, and two men.

They're surprised too, but they say I can get some fish for the next day. I tell them there are two of us and where we're staying; they reply that they'll bring it directly to Brigitte for me. They ask me lots of questions, they're curious, and I'm happy because chatting with them immediately turns out to be a pleasure. We head back to our nest, pool, sea, sun and a good book. After so many days, truly slowing down is very pleasant. At lunchtime, when Brigitte comes around to take sign-ups for dinner, we tell her we intend to have a meat barbecue and decline the reservation. That's how we discover we can't use it... it's only for those staying in the beach bungalow. We start to get seriously annoyed, so we go ask the French guests staying there to lend it to us. Naturally, they have no problem with it. 1 for us, Brigitte 0. Before sunset we ask if we can go visit the vanilla plantation.

You just have to call and they'll come pick you up. We drive there by car. You tour the plantation, they describe how the precious pods are obtained, and they offer you good fruit juice. You can also watch part of the process, with the women of the household working the pods individually. Here too the atmosphere is from another time, and a fragrance that intoxicates and envelops all the senses. Of course there's the kiosk where you can buy their products: vanilla, tea, coffee, oils and perfumes, naturally all vanilla-scented. (That's why they come to pick you up!) We return to the hotel and devote ourselves to our barbecue. A truly pleasant evening, spent at the little table next to our bungalow in the small private garden. We toast to our second evening in a true paradise, convinced that from now on it'll all be smooth sailing................

(in reality, my husband kept killing spiders of various sizes and colors, in most cases without telling me anything....so don't book the garden bungalow. It's a real spider den!!)

Third day in Tahaa - The desert island

We wake to the usual breakfast waiting for us. It's a truly pleasant moment, one we hadn't enjoyed like this in years. Our friends have left, and today we decide to spend the day taking advantage of the "Taxi Motu." That is, they take us to one of the little islets that stand out in front of Patio and leave us there all day, coming back to pick us up at the agreed time. We don't skip our morning bike ride to the market, where we buy something for lunch. Omai loads the canoe and the mini-fridge onto the boat; they'll stay at our disposal. Off we go. As we move away from the coast, the lagoon takes on wonderful colors, and when we spot the islet we start trembling with excitement. See you at 5. He unloads our things and leaves. We're alone, the motu is completely deserted — no wonder they call this excursion "Comme de Robinson." Suddenly, silence.

You hear the wind in the palms, a little fish jumping, the sea in the distance beyond the barrier reef. The view is that of a classic exotic postcard. Palms, stretches of white sand, a dream sea. TERRESTRIAL PARADISE. We really feel a bit like we're on Survivor, though aware that we don't have the cameras! We make the most of the day with sunbathing, canoe rides, snorkeling in the lagoon, and total relaxation lying in the shallow water of a stretch of lagoon. We also explore the islet, an activity that takes us 10 minutes given its size.......palms, coconuts, and crabs. That's it! When Omai comes back to get us, we don't want to leave this paradise, even though we're pretty worn out by the sun that never let up.

Back at the guesthouse I rush to ask if anyone has left anything for me.......the burly lady pulls a basin out of the fridge with 4 big fish inside!! He actually did it.........We immediately bike to the man's house to thank him and pay him. We're stunned when he asks for 1000 CPF, that is about 8 EUROS for 3 kg of super-fresh fish!!!! He advises us on how we should eat it and convinces us to make raw parrotfish, just oil and lemon. Now we'll have to get Brigitte to swallow our second evening of barbecue use! On the dock we clean the fish and then split up...some for firewood, some for the table....You won't believe it, but for our wedding half-anniversary it turned out to be a truly Polynesian and super romantic dinner. But of course...we won't be able to keep taking advantage of Brigitte's patience again, quite uncomfortable about the arrival of the fish and the price paid.

Fourth day in Tahaa

This morning the weather isn't good...it threatens rain. There's wind and big black clouds. So we postpone our excursion to the coral gardens, hoping it'll be better tomorrow. After breakfast we grab the bikes and set off on our morning ride. The usual market, the usual people, the usual greetings. We ride along Patio's little lanes until a proper downpour catches us. We duck into the bar on the little square and order a coffee. Here we start up a conversation with the people there: a nice lady, the owner, and two other chatty fellows. It's raining. We have all the time in the world. The conversation gets interesting, and we discover these people's aversion to the French, who hold all the tourism businesses while exploiting them only as staff. We talk about the European myth of Polynesia and discover that for them, Italy is just as mythical.

We talk about their distance from home, their traditions, their government and their desire for independence. It's with a polemical tone that they point out that they are Polynesian, but the country is FRENCH Polynesia. We also talk about the cost of living, and they smile hearing us talk. They repeat that nothing is expensive if you're happy with what's made here. You live on little and they're happy with that. Their eyes widen when they hear how much it costs Europeans to come here, stay, eat...they can't believe certain amounts can be spent in their country. That's how we discover that it's not true at all that there's nothing else in Patio.... they advise us to go eat at Francoise's. It's not actually a restaurant, but an even more home-style version of the food truck.

It's the house of this family, Francoise's, and they tell us we'll recognize the house by the van parked in the garden. Once the sun returns we say goodbye and go back to our pool and our beach. Today too, just sun and relaxation. A marvel. We start reflecting on how completely useless cell phones, watches and everything else we can't tear ourselves away from these days are proving to be. We enjoy another sunset over Bora Bora and set off for Francoise's house. At night by bike it's a real adventure. We find the house where they told us, and we're greeted by this smiling lady, a bit surprised to see us but welcoming us in the best possible way. She brings us white rice with roquefort sauce, a very tender grilled steak, french fries and sauces. To finish, a chocolate cake she made herself, water and beer (Hinano, of course).

24 Euros for 2! She chats with us and her husband insists on giving us vanilla pods he produces. We take the opportunity to tell him we'll be back at her place for the next two evenings, also asking if she can make us some fish. She's happy and bids us farewell, saying see you the evening after next! On the way home, on the dark moonlit road, we wonder whether this is the real Polynesia, not exactly the one seen in travel agency catalogs.

Fifth day in Tahaa

This morning we're woken by beautiful sunshine, so we don't postpone our trip to the coral gardens any longer. Among other things, Omai tells us that today we're his only guests and he's at our disposal. We get ready and off we go! Before heading toward Motu Tau Tau, we stop in the lagoon where Omai throws in lines to fish. Another pleasant experience. With the heavier boat we head to our destination, stopping again at a spot in the lagoon that looks like a swimming pool, where we dive in and just a few pieces of fish are enough to find ourselves among stingrays! We continue on. Once we reach Motu Tau Tau, we drop anchor in the lagoon near the famous Le Tahaa Island Resort & Spa and swim to shore, where the exploration of the famous "Coral Gardens" begins. Considering that we're alone with Omai, he decides to take us to see the barrier reef from the outside too, that is, in open sea.

Even though it looks calm, getting in and out isn't exactly easy, but the snorkeling rewards the effort and a few scrapes! There are lots and lots of fish, bigger than those in the lagoon. There are a few little sharks here and there. The barrier isn't rich and colorful, but impressive in size. Finally we're at the coral gardens. It's a stretch of sea connecting two islets, inside the lagoon. Here, putting your face underwater, you're truly in paradise! There are many coral formations, not wall-like but in formations that really resemble floral arrangements. Their colors are wonderful, truly rivaling those of the Red Sea. A tide of fish envelops you, brightly colored and of many species. Enormous sea urchins and starfish everywhere. We spend almost three hours splashing around in this underwater Eden (thanks again to the wetsuit....).

We climb back into the boat, and Omai has sliced up lots of good fruit for us, ideal for recovering from the exertion. We return in the late afternoon and spend the rest of the time relaxing at the hotel. Evening again at Francoise's. She has the fish we wanted waiting for us, and another delicious cake!

Sixth day in Tahaa

This morning after breakfast we decide to go visit the pearl factory. There's more than one on Tahaa, but by bicycle we can only reach the nearest one. We still cover 8 kilometers, enjoying the coastal road and the morning cool. At the factory we find 2 other tourists who came from the Le Pirogue hotel, and we join them for the free tour; it's actually an open-air explanation of how Polynesian pearls are obtained, their particular colors, the oysters used, and the characteristics to analyze when assessing the value of a black pearl. They also offer us a good coffee on the terrace. On the way back the heat makes itself felt...and we can't wait to arrive and spend the rest of the day in complete dolce far niente.

Today is our last day on this island, and we already feel a bit nostalgic...though right now what prevails is the desire to reach Bora Bora...which we've been seeing on the horizon for six days, and finally we're aware that that dream is about to come true. Francoise waits for us as usual; today is Saturday and her garden is crowded with locals. They're all curious and we share a table with some of them. A fine farewell to wild and simple Tahaa

Last look at Tahaa...

Suitcases are closed, the bungalow is left behind. While Omai loads our luggage onto the boat, we have our last breakfast at Pea Iti. Brigitte is here to say goodbye, she gives us a little dish made from an oyster shell and the shell necklaces, used for farewells.....We get on the boat and keep watching the dock recede....leaving a piece of our heart in this corner of the world lost in the middle of nowhere that welcomed us as true friends. To return to Raiatea airport, we drive along the coast in the opposite direction from the one we took on the way out, so we've done the entire circuit of the island. We say goodbye to Omai and check in.... the ATR is arriving... Bye Bye Tahaa and thank you for the lesson.

.........continues in BORA BORA.............