Tahiti by Debbie Gray

Last month I was lucky enough to visit the beautiful Tahiti and her Islands.  I am a beach girl, I love beach holidays and have travelled throughout Fiji and the Fijian islands on both small ship cruises as well as on land, the Maldives, Bali, Queensland Islands, Phuket so I was really looking forward to seeing what Tahiti was really like.

Tahiti has always evoked images of unsurpassed beauty and exotic culture and the blend of Polynesian and French culture make it a truly unique travelling experience. Activities on offer include snorkelling, diving, sailing, canoeing, windsurfing, parasailing, swimming with dolphins, shark feeding, swimming with sting rays, 4 wheel drive adventures, hiking, horse riding, jeep safaris or perhaps a round of golf.

Papeete is the gateway to Tahiti before you head out to the neighbouring islands of Moorea and Bora Bora. Papeete itself is rather ordinary, a bit like Suva in Fiji, however the InterContinental was lovely and great just for a lay over.  We spent 8 days experiencing these 3 islands and I would have to say Bora Bora was my favourite (this is where they recently shot the movie “couples retreat”.  It was what I had imagined Tahiti to be! The water is exquisite, Aquamarine Turquoise Sapphire Emerald…stunning! The only other place I have seen water anything like that is in the Maldives. Tiny reef aisles called “motus” ring the island of Bora Bora and are home to a number of high-end luxury resorts such as Four Seasons, Intercontinental and St Regis. I can vouch for the Four Seasons it is DIVINE and the facilities for children and families as well as honeymooners and couples are second to none.

I had always thought that Tahiti was expensive and let me tell you it is. The Tahitian people do not pay income tax so therefore a bottle of water was $7.00 or if you prefer bubbles, a bottle of Moet $650.00. So if you baulk at those sort of prices then maybe Tahiti is not for you. There are ways of making it more affordable of course, eating at the local patisseries is a nice thing to do – the French sure know how to make good croissants. In Moorea we stayed at Legends Resort, a beautiful new resort where you have a choice of 2 or 3 bedroom villas with stunning views overlooking the lagoon and ocean. They are beautiful villas where you can lounge on the deck or in your Jacuzzi gazing out to the water beyond. A self-catering option in Tahiti is a great idea in a stunning but expensive destination as the lovely French baguettes were really inexpensive.

What struck me about Tahiti is how very different resorts and locations are and my visit has really reinforced how important it is to select the right place.  One of the places we stayed at was quite awful (affordable Bora Bora they called it) and not all locations have that stunning water so if you’re thinking of treating yourself to this beautiful destination then come and see me to ensure you have the holiday you dream of.

Don’t forget that only Travelscene American Express at Samford lets you travel anywhere, any time and pay with your membership rewards points so contact us on 3289 3700 and let us help you turn your American Express membership rewards points into your next trip.