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Asia & Oceania Travel

    Asia & Oceania Travel  --  Inspire

    My Adventure in Papua New Guinea

    Location: Papua New Guinea

    I spent 12 days in Papua New Guinea in September. Twelve remarkable days. I learned and saw so much…and yet…just scratched the surface of this uniquely fascinating, isolated and diverse culture. I don’t know it all, but here is what I know – My Adventure in Papua New Guinea.

    Why Papua New Guinea

    It’s taken me a few weeks to finalize this blog post – there was so much to consider. During my visit to PNG many of my followers reached out asking why we had chosen to visit this remote destination. The best way I can answer this question is this; as we have explored the world these past seven years, our thirst to deeply experience new cultures has grown. Seven years ago I could not have found Papua New Guinea on a map. Today, after visiting so many nations (both highly touristed and off the beaten track), I want more. I am not satiated – rather I’m intrigued, engaged, and astounded. The clarity and understanding that comes from travel takes hold of something deep inside. It opens your heart and mind to tolerance and broadens a quest for understanding. And if I am doing anything right, travel gives me an opportunity to share an inclusive understanding of the world.

    Goroka Festival
    Goroka Festival

    As we begin to explore lesser-traveled destinations, we find ourselves booking more tours than at anytime before in our travels. Like last spring in Bolivia (see A Very Big Bolivian Adventure here), booking with a reputable company was important for our visit to Papua New Guinea.

    Goroka Festival

    Ancient

    Relatively little archeological work has been carried out on the island of New Guinea. On the basis of current evidence, it has been postulated that parts of New Guinea were occupied as early as 50,000 years ago. This population is primarily the Melanesian people. The Melanesians are an ancient group who migrated from Asian areas to populate the island now known as New Guinea. (Source Britanica)

    Village bamboo flute playing

    This ancient peoples developed into regional tribal structures throughout today’s New Guinea, living off the land and the sea and often warring with each other. Today Papua New Guinea has more than 800 tribal languages – a reflection of the insular tribal system that has endured for tens of thousands of years.

    Goroka Festival

    Tribal

    Considered one of the world’s most remote and least explored areas, Papua New Guinea remains a mysterious and misunderstood place in the world. A country of some 7 million people, there are anywhere from 350 to 600 distinct tribes depending on which source you reference. Many tribes continue to live in such remote areas they have little contact with the outside world. Parts of the country, particularly in the north, experience tribal warfare even today and are considered too dangerous for visitors.

    Village warrior demonstration

    Missionaries

    The earliest missionaries are thought to have arrived on the island in the 1500’s and continue to have a presence among the island people today. Through colonization, de-colonization and eventually independence in 1976, missionaries have provided stable assistance in education and religion for many of the local people. Today much of the population claims to be Christian at some level.

    Goroka Festival

    Goroka Festival

    The reason we visited Papua New Guinea in September is to attend the annual Goroka Festival, the oldest continuous festival in the nation, and where I took the majority of these photos. The Goroka Festival, always held the weekend of Independence Day, was founded by Australian missionaries in 1957. It was conceived as a way to bring tribes together in a non-violent way and to celebrate the individual differences and diversity of the island nation.

    Goroka Festival

    The 2023 Goroka Festival we attended was the largest festival ever held, bringing 157 tribes together from around the country. Many tribes cannot afford to attend the festival annually…so we were thrilled to witness the largest one ever held. Some tribes walk for a week to get to the three-day festival in the mountain town of Goroka (population 19,000).

    Black Face Jumping Tribe at the Goroka Festival

    VIP Treatment

    About three-hundred VIP guest tickets are allowed. This gives access to people like me, to be up close and personal with the various tribes on the festival grounds (a soccer field). We were allowed access to the tribal celebrations from 8am to 2pm on each day, before the gates were open to the general public. Each tribe brings to the event their special form of traditional dress, dance and music. Known as a “sing-sing”, some of the tribes do a “sing-sing” style dance with music while other tribes have a more military style of marching. Still others present a seated “sing-sing”. It was loud, colorful, a bit overwhelming and an absolutely remarkable thing to behold. I felt very grateful to witness something so few outsiders ever get to see.

    Mossmen at Goroka Festival

    Some of the most fascinating tribes we found were the Huli Wig Men, the Mossmen of Jiwaka and the jumping Black Face Tribe. Such a fascinating difference between the look and dance styles makes it clear how little interaction the tribes have with each other.

    Huli Wigmen at Goroka Festival

    Village Visits

    As part of our tour we also had a unique opportunity to visit several villages throughout the country. Our first opportunity was the Asaro Mud Men Eco Lodge village, where, during the Goroka Festival, numerous tribes from the region come together to share with guests music, stories, arts and crafts, food and dance. We spent several hours here getting our first taste of the wide variety of cultures of the Island. The event provided photo opportunities as well as a chance to talk to some of the local people about their crafts and way of life. The fascinating Asaro Mud Men, the cane swallowing Bena Tribe and the Oma Bruglgoma Skeleton Tribe were all fascinating.

    Asaro Mud Men
    Omo Bruglgoma Skelton Tribe

    After we left the Goroka Festival and drove to the Mount Hagen region, we had another full day of visiting small villages. On this day we visited a small mountain village where they presented two dances and showed how they use a bamboo flute. We visited another village where we learned about ancient tools and beliefs and were greeted by the chief, his wife, mother and grandmother.

    The chief and his family
    Demonstrating ancient tools

    Everyday Life

    At another small village we saw the local people panning for gold, drying coffee beans and cooking the evening meal. It’s important to note that most villagers today only don the traditional costume and makeup for festivals, ceremonies, special guests, weddings, funerals and holidays. On a day to day basis they will dress in informal work clothing like you see in the photos below.

    Humble dinner at home
    Drying coffee
    Beautiful produce at the local market

    The Huli Wigmen

    And finally my absolute favorite village visit was to the Huli Wigman village. These fascinating people have such a unique custom for the young men in the tribe.

    Visting the Huli Wigman Village. The chief in the middle and his son on the right. The chief has a small reed pierced through his nose indicating his status.

    The clothes, colors and headdresses are complemented by a dramatic wig worn only by men. Each wig is made from their own hair. The process of making a wig takes 18 months. Young boys are sent to “wig school” to make their wig from their own hair as it grows during the 18 months. Only virgin boys can make the wigs. Sometimes boys and men make several wigs in their lifetime. At first glance it’s hard to tell that the headdress is made from human hair. Some of the head pieces are so intricate and are decorated with feathers and other natural items.

    Wigmen headdress made from human hair

    In addition to this amazing cultural ritual, the high pitched musical song the Huli sing while dancing is distinctive and mesmerizing.

    They look fierce but they were so nice and welcoming to us
    Listen to the high note and remember the head dress is made from hair

    Cannibalism

    Because I have been asked about cannibalism I must take a moment to answer this question here. It is well documented that a couple of the tribes of Papua New Guinea have practiced cannibalism. But it is not a custom among the majority of tribes. It is possible it still happens today…our guide told us the last documented incident was in 2016. To be clear, cannibalism in Papau New Guinea is not about a source of food…rather it is believed by some tribes that eating the brain of a revered family member or chief or even of an enemy killed in warfare will give the person strength and special powers.

    Asaro Mudmen Village “penis” dance

    But the truth was that the few tribes practicing cannibalism begun to experience serious deadly disease that was annihilating their tribes. Sometimes called “laughing disease” those who ate the dead bodies usually were dead themselves within a year.

    The practice is illegal and education efforts have been made to help the tribes understand how dangerous it is. Learn more about it here.

    How to Visit Papua New Guinea

    My Adventure in Papua New Guinea was remarkable. Writing this blog post has been difficult, because this experience was difficult, but also incredibly rewarding. The opportunity to visit one of the most remote and unexplored places in the world was such a gift. I have no regrets.

    Our bus got stuck and we had to walk
    Food and accommodations are very basic

    That said, this is not a place for everyone. It’s hard to be here. Accommodations are basic to say the least. It’s hot. But also cold and wet (we went as high as 9000 feet in elevation). Infrastructure is poor. Flights are often canceled or delayed…roads are truly awful in certain places. There are bugs and snakes. And the food is bland, starchy and usually poorly seasoned and served lukewarm. But I felt safe and everyone we met was friendly and welcoming. The people are somewhat shy, soft-spoken and as interested in us as we were in them. They are extremely patriotic.

    Moon Mountain Lodge was at 5000 foot elevation

    You need a guide to see this country and many guiding services are available. We chose to do a group tour with a company called Indigo Safaries-The Best of Papua New Guinea Tours. This company does the annual Goroka Festival as well as takes guests to the Sepik River region and on diving excursions.

    Flying is useful since the infrastructure is poor.

    If you are interested in visiting, I highly recommend coming during September and experiencing the Goroka Festival. You won’t ever forget it. But additionally, the country is host to several other tribal festivals through out the year so do your research. Hopefully My Adventure in Papua New Guinea has opened your eyes to this unusual destination.

    Everyone was so friendly at the Goroka Festival

    My Adventure in Papua New Guinea

    Next week I will share with you about the stunning bird life we discovered in Papua New Guinea. A truly phenomenal collection of rare and beautiful birds call New Guinea home. Check back next week for another new post. And watch for lots of new posts in the weeks ahead about Hong Kong and Bohol Philippines.

    If you want to see about our upcoming destinations read Year Eight of the Grand Adventure Begins here.

    As always, we thank you for engaging in our posts, pinning, sharing, and commenting. Thank you for reading my post My Adventure in Papua New Guinea.

    Asia & Oceania Travel

    Korean Spa – Some Like it Hot

    Location: Korea

    As we celebrate our tenth birthday of My Fab Fifties Life, today I re-share one of my favorite blog posts from way back in the beginning…Korean Spa – Some Like it Hot! Enjoy it again or for the very first time. Thanks for helping us celebrate ten years!

    I’m discovering the Korean people love to be hot.  Setting the temperature in our hotel room lower than 80 * Fahrenheit is nearly impossible.  The toilet seat is heated and so are seats in the car.

    And they love their hot baths and saunas.  And now I do too.

    Canva

    I was a little apprehensive about going into the sauna the first time.  Only apprehensive because I’m not used to walking around naked with people I don’t know. This apparently is not a problem for the Koreans.  And frankly why it is for Americans I’m not sure.  We do obsess a great deal about our bodies.  God knows mine is far from perfect.  But what is perfect anyway?  Wouldn’t it be great if we all just were satisfied with ourselves?

    Some Like it Hot

    I tried to think like this in the sauna.  No one paid any attention to me here.  You shower first, then choose between three different pools; hot (44 C), medium (41 C) and cool (21 C).  There is also a 95 C dry sauna, a 73 C wet sauna and a sun lamp room in addition to several stations to wash and scrub yourself.

    After two days of visiting the spa I decided to tackle the massage and body scrub.  I was met by a tiny little lady, the only person in the spa wearing a bathing suit (or perhaps it was her underwear, I’m not exactly sure). She motioned me into the small room adjacent to the spa and encouraged me to get up on the bed face up.  She spoke only Korean except for the word “okay” which she used to show me I was following her instructions correctly.

    Canva

    Every Crease and Crevice

    She then proceeded to scrub the hell out of my skin.  Using what I think was mitts on her hands that were abrasive and using some abrasive concoction she scrubbed and scrubbed and scrubbed.  With my eyes closed I had the image of me in my kitchen at home using my Brillo to scrub away baked-on macaroni and cheese. She scrubbed every nook, cranny, crevice and crease of my body, and I mean every crease and crevice – she was very thorough and diligent in her task.  For an hour she scrubbed away years of dead skin, old suntans and crud.  She even tried to scrub away a few scars. I have a permanent mark on my sternum where my running bra abrades me.  She did her best to scrub that sucker away.

    Korean Spa
    Canva

    I wear a patch on my belly that is hormone replacement therapy.  I hadn’t even thought about the patch, but she scrubbed that away too.  I have no idea if she knew what it was but I felt it rip off and I laid there mentally calculating how many more I had in my suitcase. Just hoping the loss of one wouldn’t make me come up short before I headed home to my pharmacist.

    She scrubbed my armpits and I was wishing I had shaved that morning.  She scrubbed my breasts and I opened my eyes to peek and make sure my nipples were still there.  She scrubbed my neck, my ears and every toe and finger.

    She then soaped me up and I nearly shot right off the plastic covered bed like an oiled pig for being so slippery…she tossed large tubs of hot water all over me and I nearly drowned.  And I loved every minute of it.

    Okay Okay

    “Okay, Okay” she said and sent me off to shower and soak in the pools while she cleaned the room and prepared for my massage.

    Canva

    I returned and she was waiting for me and I laid down again, top up.  She rubbed me down, starting with my face with an oil that smelled of the sea, fresh but also of seaweed.  She used another implement that was wood and covered with nodules to rub my body head to toe.  She occasionally would throw a bucket of hot water on me and then begin again.  She covered my face with a hot towel and then I heard her scraping something.  It sounded like my kitchen grater…and then the unmistakable smell of fresh cucumber.  She grated and grated and then proceeded to artistically cover my entire face with the freshly and finely grated cucumber mash.  And suddenly I was hungry and my stomach growled.

    While lunch sat on my face she continued my massage.  She found the knot in my neck where my massage therapist at home has spent a lot of time and energy.  My Korean masseuse was hell-bent on undoing this knot and she worked and worked it.  It was both painful and pleasurable.  She even massaged my belly, almost as if she was trying to manipulate my liver and kidneys.  Oops, and my bladder.  I hoped she would avoid that area or else I wasn’t gonna make it through this torture without a potty break.

    Canva

    Finally she removed the salad from my face, lightly washed and dried my face and then it was time for dessert.  Yes I said dessert.  She drizzled honey all over my face and rubbed and patted it into my skin before saying “Okay okay” and had me roll over to my belly.

    Not Done Yet!

    And then she started on my backside.  During this 30 minutes she made my sciatica feel fabulous and my lower back feel young again.  She used a pumice stone on my feet and scraped away the dead skin and calluses.  She kneaded my neck further and worked my shoulders and arms.

    “Okay okay” and I rolled over again, thinking we must be done, but no.  She washed my face again, poured more water all over me and then had me scoot all the way to the top of the table where she proceeded to wash my hair and scrub my scalp.  Really, when has your masseuse ever done this?

    Canva

    Finally, after nearly three hours, “Okay okay” and I am done.  Off to the showers I was sent.

    My day at the Korean spa was not just a body scrub and massage, it was a facial and a hair care and pure ecstasy.  My inhibitions are gone forever and I am now a super fan of Korean Spa Life.  I will absolutely do this again.

    And by the way, three hours and all this only cost me $75.  Wow. I’m really starting to enjoy Korea.

    All photos in this blog post from Canva.

    See last week’s post about Cooking Class in San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua. Next week we will share our final Nicaragua post about amazing San Juan del Sur.

    See this week’s top performing post Twelve Things to do on the Island of Roatan.

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    Asia & Oceania Travel  --  Island Life

    Where to Eat on the Island of Mo’orea

    French Polynesia, South Pacific

    Location: Mo'orea, French Polynesia

    What a blessing it has been to spend two entire months on the glorious island of Mo’orea in the South Pacific. Mo’orea, French Polynesia, has turned out to be a perfect fit for what we look for in long-term travel destinations; laid back but with enough activity and lots of delicious food. So I hope you saw last week’s blog post Seven Things to do on Mo’orea French Polynesia – and today we present Where to Eat on the Island of Mo’orea.

    The Flavors of French Polynesia

    A few weeks ago I introduced you to The Flavors of French Polynesia in a blog post as I began to learn and explore this culture and it’s food. Now, two months into our visit we have visited many of the local comfort food spots as well as some finer dining restaurants. For the most part we cooked our own food in our Airbnb, but we ate out about once a week – or sometimes more, as we researched and enjoyed the delicious foods of Mo’orea.

    Mo’orea

    For the purposes of this post I have broken our favorites of where to eat on the island of Mo’orea into two categories; Snack/Roulette/Take Away and Sit Down Table Service. Some of these restaurants straddle these categories and I have mentioned it when they do. There is some incredible food here, the majority focused around seafood. But you can also get a good burger, steak, pizza and pasta as well as Chinese and Japanese. Alas we have not seen a Mexican restaurant.

    Tips and Tricks on Where to Eat on the Island of Mo’orea

    Many places are only open a few days a week. Most places close after lunch and re-open for dinner. Surprising to us, a lot of restaurants and Snacks closed the entire month of February. Apparently this is vacation month. Do not assume hours on Google, Facebook or even websites are correct. Call to be certain. Most places don’t even have web presence, if they do I have provided a link below or at least a Trip Advisor link. As of this writing, masks are still required indoors and most staff will be masked although it is loosely enforced. Many of the finer dining places will require reservation.

    So here is our list of our favorites, from snacks to French Cuisine. Where to eat on the island of Mo’orea.

    Snack, Roulette and Take Away

    Snack Rotui – we visited Snack Rotui located in Pao Pao originally when we did our food tour with Street Foods of Tahiti. We went back again for lunch. This is the oldest restaurant on the island with outdoor seating but mostly it’s a take-away place. Serving a variety of Asian, French and Polynesian foods.

    Snack Rotui
    Snack Rotui

    Kaylakea Moz – one of the best meals we had on the island, this tiny little Roulette (food truck) puts out some incredible, high-quality food. We ate here twice and the tuna was spectacular. Located in Maharepa.

    Kaylakea Moz
    Kaylakea Moz

    Dimanche Matin – this name means Sunday morning, and indeed this take-away is only open on Sunday morning. It was only about 25 yards down the street from our bungalow, so we picked up a couple things on a couple of Sundays’. The pork (roti and sausage) were excellent as was the Bouchon au Poulet – Chinese dumplings. Located in Teavaro.

    Dimanche Matin
    Dimanche Matin

    Chez Ke’iki – this is one of those places that straddle the categories…is it a food truck? Yes. Is it a sit-down restaurant? Yes. Whatever it is it is delicious, one of the best on the island. During our first few weeks here it was closed, due to the rain. So call before going, but definitely go. Duck, pork, fish, curry it’s all delicious in a beautiful setting. Located in Maharepa.

    Chez Ke’iki
    Chez Ke’iki

    Magic Mountain Juice – this tiny Snack is at the base of Magic Mountain, a hike we did twice. The nice lady here charges $2 to park and then you can hike up the mountain. On the way back she serves you a free selection of stunning fruit. Both times we also each ordered a fruit smoothie. So delicious after a hot and muggy hike…or anytime. Located in Papeto’ai.

    Roulette 64 – this little food truck seems to only be open a few days a week, located at the beach we go to close to our Bungalow called Te’mae. They have a darling little set up with burgers, sandwiches, grilled fish and lots of poke bowl options, which is what I enjoyed. Very reasonably priced.

    Roulette 64
    Roulette 64

    Allo Pizza – we’ve seen at least five pizza places on the island, but this one is ALWAYS busy so we thought we should check it out. There are some tables, but it is more of Snack than a sit down restaurant and is also great for take-away. Friendly service. We had a honey, goat cheese and bacon pizza that we loved, as well as a tuna and pineapple pizza. The mixed green salad and two beers each rounded out our lunch, which was big enough to cover dinner too for a total of $70. Located in Cooks Bay.

    Allo Pizza
    Allo Pizza

    Sit Down Table Service Restaurants

    Mo’orea Beach Cafe – one of the more expensive restaurants on the island, but the food was phenomenal. I can say it was one of the best pieces of fish I have ever eaten. Order the Dover Sole. The service was also great and the view can’t be beat. Located in Maharepa.

    Mo’orea Beach Cafe

    Snack Mahana – even though this place is called a “snack” it really is a restaurant. It’s all about the seafood here, and we LOVED our food. So glad we went out of our way to this place that is all the way around the other side of the island from where we are staying. My assumption is it started as a “snack” but now has lovely beach side tables with a view. Mahi Mahi and Tuna Tartare were incredible as was watching the black tipped sharks swimming. Located in Tiahura.

    Snack Mahana
    Snack Mahana

    Le Lezard Jaune – This highly rated French restaurant is one of those that closes for a month in the winter so the proprietors can take a vacation. So we had to wait until late February to squeeze in a visit. You definitely need a reservation here, and it is so worth it. We had a spectacular meal here. I had Mahi Mahi, my husband had lamb. We shared their version of Poisson Cru which was fantastic and we shared a coconut cake for dessert. Dinner and drinks was about $120. Don’t miss it. Located in Tiahura.

    Le Lezard Jaune
    Le Lezard Jaune

    Maheata – this place has tiny little rooms and feels almost like a hostel. But they also have a rustic but lovely restaurant with a waterside view. You can choose to sit on the beach with your toes in the sand or on the covered open air dining room. Lobster was great and affordable. French fries were maybe the best I’ve had ANYWHERE! Located in Pihaena.

    Mahaeta
    Mahaeta

    Fare La Canadidenne – well I’ve been off burgers BUT we kept hearing this place had great burgers so….and yes they do. Fun little place, very popular, not open every day so be sure to check. We ate lunch there and didn’t need any dinner! Between Teavaro and Maharepa in the tiny neighborhood of Tiaia.

    Fare La Canadidenne
    Fare La Canadidenne

    Restaurant Golden Lake Chinese – if it weren’t for all the people who told us we should eat here, we would have driven right by this nondescript building. My husband isn’t a huge fan of Chinese food, but this was certainly one of the best Chinese meals we have had. And huge. We had the signature dish of Roasted Pork with Coconut Milk and two vegetable sides and this fed us for two dinners. Our only complaint was they needed more staff. Located between Teavaro and Temae near the airport.

    Restaurant Golden Lake
    Restaurant Golden Lake

    Coco Beach – if for no other reason make the time to spend half a day at Coco Beach just for the “castaway” feel of it. This unique restaurant on teeny little island surrounded by a gorgeous turquoise lagoon is right out of Swiss Family Robinson. You must CALL for a reservation. They will pick you up in an open air boat and take you to the island. Your table is yours for the entire day. We started with a tropical drink, then went snorkeling, then back to the restaurant for a delicious lunch. It was a fun day. They could have used a few more servers but we had fun. Parking at the boat dock located in Papeto’ai.

    Coco Beach
    Coco Beach

    Where to Eat on the Island of Mo’orea

    We have enjoyed every aspect of our time here, including the wonderful food and restaurants. Everything is fresh and delicious and I should also point out that EVERYONE is helpful and accommodating. Nothing to complain about as we wrap up our two month visit. We highly recommend this destination and welcome your comments and questions.

    Mo’orea

    Thank you for following along…we are headed back to the USA for six weeks before launching another two plus month adventure. No doubt it too will be delicious as we jump around the Caribbean, Northern Africa and the Mediterranean.

    Meanwhile, no travel Friday blog for a couple of weeks, but soon I’ll share our upcoming itinerary we have (almost) nailed down for the rest of 2022. Wait for it!

    We would love it if you pinned or shared our post Where to Eat on the Island of Mo’orea. Thank you. Ma’uru’uru.

    See last week’s post Seven Things to do on Mo’orea French Polynesia.

    See this week’s top performing pin Nine Things to do in Tuscan Arizona

    Asia & Oceania Travel  --  Island Life

    Seven Things To Do On Mo’orea, French Polynesia

    South Pacific Paradise

    Now enjoying our sixth week in French Polynesia, we are smitten with the island of Mo’orea. Just a 30 minute ferry crossing from Tahiti and the country’s main city of Papeete, Mo’orea is convenient and has everything we look for in a relaxing destination. We like it way more than Bora Bora and hope to come here again. Here are our favorite seven things to do on Mo’orea French Polynesia.

    The ferry terminal on Mo’orea

    Why Mo’orea?

    We originally chose Mo’orea because we found a wonderful Airbnb. Arriving with high hopes it would be as good as the reviews and photos – we were not been disappointed. It’s very comfortable, affordable, waterfront, and a great location. Another bonus is our host Maea is one of the best hosts we have ever had in our 102 Airbnb’s around the world – yes I said 102!! Perhaps it’s time to update this post Our Favorite Airbnb’s Around the World.

    Our host Maea teaching us how to open coconuts
    Our beach side Bungalow

    Mo’orea might not get the same marketing push that Bora Bora gets, but we think we like it better…at least for us. We enjoy a quiet place with a less touristy vibe. Mo’orea has that, especially during the shoulder season. Authentic ambiance is another thing we look for, and Mo’orea has that too. Our experience here has been incredible.

    The beach we stayed on from the air

    Seven Things To Do On Mo’orea, French Polynesia

    Unless you are staying only for a couple days in a resort (we recommend longer) you need to have a car on Mo’orea. Public transportation is non-existent. There are a few taxis and of course tours, but having your own wheels will make all of the suggestions below accessible. It’s worth the expense.

    So here are our seven things to do on Mo’orea, French Polynesia. In no particular order;

    1. Snorkel

    Snorkleing at Temae Beach
    Snorkleing from the kayak

    There are many snorkel options on the island. Mo’orea is surrounded by a reef that creates a shallow and beautiful lagoon nearly the entire circumference of the island. You can take a snorkel tour in a kayak, small boat, large group tour with lunch or an outrigger. Or you can bring or buy your own snorkel and fins (what we did) and snorkel from any public beach on the island. You will see remarkably beautiful coral of all shapes, sizes and colors. Of course you will see a fascinating collection of sea life including rays, black tip sharks and a rainbow of tropical fish. Want to see more of our favorite Snorkeling Around the World? Click Here.

    2. Coco Beach

    Coco Beach
    Coco Beach

    Coco Beach is a fun day trip, even though we had better snorkeling elsewhere. You need to call ahead for a reservation. A small boat will meet you at the parking area and ferry you over to the tiny island. Then you will be shown to your outdoor table, which is yours for the day. Have a tropical drink, then enjoy the beautiful warm water before feasting on delicious lunch. Last boat back is at 3:30pm. It makes for a wonderful day. Total for our day was $116.

    3. Tahiti Street Food Tour

    Poison Cru
    With our guide Haimata

    One of the first things we did our first week on the island was to take a tour with Tahiti Food Tours. It’s always a good way to learn about local cuisine. Our tour included stops at 7 local “snacks” (Tahitian Fast Food or Street Food) as well as a distillery. This tour was delicious and opened our eyes to some of the local specialties. Our local guide was knowledgeable, enthusiastic and funny. Cost per person $120USD

    4. Food and CookLab Cooking School

    Wrapping the Po’e in banana leaves
    Making the Manioc Chips

    Another thing we do in many of our travel destinations is take a cooking class. Thanks to our guide on the food tour (above) we learned about the Food and CookLab, a sustainable and organic cooking school on the island. We took their Polynesian Foods cooking class where we learned to make poisson cru, manioc chips, po’e – a plantain pudding cooked in banana leaf (also a sweet potato version), breadfruit and hibiscus leaf wrapped coconut bread. Cost per person $75USD lunch included.

    Learning three ways to use tuna

    I enjoyed the class so much I signed up for a second class, presented by a local chef on the island. In this second class we took beautiful local tuna and oyster muscles and created multiple dishes including gravlax, rillettes and fume (smoked fish). $125 USD lunch included as well as doggy bags of delicious fish to take home.

    5. Tiki Village

    Tiki Village performance
    The feast at Tiki Village

    If you have been to a luau in Hawaii, Tiki Village is the Polynesian version. The entertainment is different than Hawaii, as of course it focuses on the Tahitian dress, music and lore. The food is cooked in a pit including a whole pig but includes breadfruit, po’e (see above), poisson cru and local fish. The meal also included some international dishes from the French influence including pate, salads and dessert. The sunset view was amazing. Cost $110USD

    6. Hiking

    The Airport Hike
    On top of Magic Mountain

    Airport/Golf Course Hike – Starting from Temae beach you can hike the flat sandy road along the tiny Mo’orea Airport and the Mo’orea Golf Course and back. Round trip about three miles. Easy.

    Three Coconuts – Starting at the Belvedere Lookout this ascent is gradual except for the final mile. But the beautiful view is definitely worth it. Wear proper shoes. Total round trip 3.5 miles. Difficult.

    Three Coconuts Hike
    The Top at Three Coconuts

    Magic Mountain – most of the tours drive up to the view point on Magic Mountain but if you want a good work out then you can walk up. It’s steep but the road is in fairly good condition and the view is spectacular. Park at the fruit stand at the bottom for $2. When you come back have a fruit smoothie. Very nice lady here. Total round trip less than 2 miles but 700+ feet vertical. Moderate.

    Waterfall Hike – there wasn’t much water in the waterfall when we visited, but it was a good sweaty work out nonetheless. This was the most junglesque hike we did, beautiful deep jungle as we trekked a sometimes rough trail to the waterfall. To find this hike go just past the hospital in Afareietu and turn into a small road and park near the Veterans Memorial. Walk up the dirt road and keep left, it becomes the trail. 3 miles round trip and moderate.

    The view from Post Office hike
    Waterfall

    Post Office – from the right side as you face the tiny yellow post office building at the Temae beach turnoff, there is a hidden trail that takes you up to the radio towers and then scoots up to a peak. This trail is very steep. Bring lots of water. The view is amazing. You can go back down the way you came or continue on the trail through a thickly forested area where the trail is sometimes difficult to find. Watch for flags tied to trees to keep to the trail. Total distance 2 miles if you head back down the way you came up; 4.5 miles if you complete the loop. Very difficult.

    Pineapple Fields – From Pao Pao follow the “Route de Ananas” road inland until it becomes dirt. Park and walk staying to the right to the beautiful pineapple fields. Pineapple is a local cash crop Mo’orea is known for. The tiny and sweet little golden fruits are delicious. On this hike you can see the beautiful plants both in flower and in fruit. You can make this hike short (about 1 mile) or longer (above 3 miles). Easy.

    7. Drive Around the Island

    It’s 30 miles or 48 km around the island on the “main” road. This is bigger than the island of Praslin we stayed on in the Seychelle Islands and smaller than our favorite Hawaiian island of Maui. It definitely makes my list now of my favorite islands around the world.

    There are a few side roads, like the one to the Belvedere and to the Pineapple Fields. But mostly it’s the main road. Locals drive pretty fast and crazy and there are bicycles, pedestrians and lots of dogs. But a tour around the island is a must with stops along the way.

    This map shows the island and the main road. Starting at the ferry terminal in Vaiare follow the road counter clockwise. Teavara is the village our bungalow is. Continue up the hill to a spectacular viewpoint called Toatea, down the hill to the entrance to one of our favorite beaches Temae (also the location of the Airport Hike above). Continue around through the main town of Maharepa (don’t blink you’ll miss it) and to the first bay called Cook’s Bay. The village of PaoPao has some tiny eateries and a fabulous view of Rotui Mountain. Beautiful spot here includes a historic church. Pao Pao is also where you turn to the Pineapple Route. Continue on you’ll come to another gorgeous beach called Ta’ahiamanu – my favorite beach on the island. Plenty of parking and a great snorkel spot.

    Ta’ahiamanu Beach
    Toatea Viewpoint

    Next you’ll arrive at the head of Opunohu Bay. This is where you turn to the Belvedere lookout and hikes as well as Magic Mountain. As you round the Westside of the island it is quieter and more rural. There is a beautiful public beach here at Hauru and this is also the location of Coco Beach (above). Continue further to the location of Tiki Village (above) and a couple more beautiful historic churches at Haapiti.

    At Afareaitu is the start of the waterfall hike (above) and is also home to the island’s administrative center and hospital. Finish your circle tour back at Vaiare. Along the way there are plenty of local “snack” shops, food trucks and restaurants as well as a hand full of souvenir shops and pearl shops and locals selling goods and fruit along the roadside. It’s a beautiful drive and a beautiful island. Take your time and enjoy.

    Several historic churches around the island
    Shopping options abound

    Fresh Food Glorious Food

    There are some surprisingly good places to eat on this tiny island, and I am putting together a separate blog post about that for next week. So you’re gonna want to check back about that. Meanwhile, check out our latest Tasty Tuesday video on our YouTube channel. Your introduction to Poisson Cru the national dish of Polynesia – we try to eat it everyday. It’s amazing, healthy and very local.

    Beautiful Mo’orea

    Thanks for following along on our Seven Things to do on Mo’orea, French Polynesia tour. Please come back next week for more about Mo’orea.

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    Asia & Oceania Travel  --  Island Life

    Bora Bora on a Budget

    How to Visit This Beautiful Island Without Breaking the Bank

    Location: Bora Bora, French Polynesia

    Air Tahiti is budget friendly
    Air Tahiti is the island to island option

    Our two month visit to French Polynesia is now into it’s fifth week, and we recently hopped over to Bora Bora for five days. Despite how much we are loving living on the island of Mo’orea, we felt we needed to see what the fuss is all about on Bora Bora. But we travel on a pretty strict budget, so we approached this excursion in a thrifty way. Here are our Bora Bora on a Budget recommendations.

    The island and motus
    Bora Bora

    Why We Travel Budget Friendly

    Because we have designed a life for ourselves that includes long-term travel, staying on budget is critical. The only way we can sustain long term travel on our retired income is to travel inexpensively. Although it looks attractive to spend a night in a $1200 over the water bungalow, we know through experience and research, we can spend twenty nights in our Airbnb on Mo’orea for the same price.

    Blue Bora Bora Budget friendly beach
    Bora Bora

    To some people, a once in a life time visit to an over the water bungalow might be a dream come true, but I would like to convince more people to recognize how traveling in a budget friendly way will give you deep, authentic and meaningful travel experiences. I am living proof of that.

    So, if your goal is that Instagram selfie on an over priced over the water bungalow, then this blog is not for you. Otherwise, please read on…

    When to Travel

    We always try to travel to popular destinations in the low or shoulder season. Our two months in French Polynesia is the low season, also called the rainy season. Although it poured rain for the first four days we were here in mid-January, the weather has been great ever since.

    Bora Bora off season is budget friendly
    Great weather

    This is also one of the reasons we love Hawaii in September and October; no crowds, great rates and good weather. Off peak travel is the way to go when you are on a budget.

    Where to Stay

    We researched, for purposes of this blog, costs at a few of the over the water bungalows on Bora Bora. They range from $800 to more than $2000 a night, depending on the resort, the season and the location.

    Bora Bora has a nice selection of Airbnbs under $200, and if you stay long term you can even find some closer to $100.

    Budget friendly hotels
    Hotel Royal Bora Bora

    We spent four nights at the Royal Bora Bora, a really nice and comfortable hotel in the Matira Beach area on the south part of the main island. We paid $180 per night (off peak) for this property that included a fantastic private beach, pool and breakfast included. Our room was big and clean and comfortable with a nice lanai that overlooked a garden. And the staff was fantastic. We highly recommend this property, which was also within walking distance to a grocery store and four restaurants.

    Breakfast included helps with budget
    Omelet for breakfast at Royal Bora Bora

    Things to Do

    On Land

    Touring the island by land requires a vehicle of some kind. Here are some options for your consideration as you think about Bora Bora on a Budget;

    Guided Private Tour 4WD Land Tour $650

    Guided Group Tour 4WD Half Day $75

    ATV Private Tour $1100

    Avis Rental Car – many options starting at about $120 per day

    Scooter Rental available from many locations including Avis about $40 per day

    Bike our choice. For $17 per person we rented bikes from our hotel and spent half a day riding.

    Budget friendly cycling
    Cycling on Bora Bora

    On Sea

    Getting wet is one of the top things visitors to Bora Bora like to do. Here are some options so you can compare costs;

    Whale Watching (seasonal)$200

    Full Day Snorkle with Lunch $140

    Rent Your Own Boat – multiple options of boats and prices starting at $180 for half day

    Sunset Sail $300

    Snorkle at Public Beach with your own gearour choice. We brought our snorkel set with us that we purchased on Mo’orea for $60 and we have already gotten our money’s worth.

    Self serve snorkeling is budget friendly
    Snorkling at the public beach

    And Way Up High

    Birdseye view of Mo'orea
    Our view from Air Tahiti as we left Mo’orea

    If you want to see it from above…well if you flew here on Air Tahiti, which you probably did, you have already had the best point of view. But for your consideration, here are a few more;

    Parasailing starting at $250 per couple

    Helicopter Tour $200 per person

    Hike to the top of the mountainour choice. There are several hikes on the island, and depending where you are staying many are accessible from resorts and hotels. We enjoyed our hike and it was free!

    Hiking is free and good for you
    On the mountain top

    Things to Eat

    To save money, Airbnb is a great option for the ability to cook your own meals. There are only a handful of grocery stores on the island, the biggest on is a Super U in Vaitape. Other ways to eat on a budget include;

    Hotel with Breakfast included – our choice. The Hotel Royal Bora Bora offered an incredible full breakfast every morning included in our room. It kept us full throughout the day and then we went out to dinner in the evening.

    Take Out food from Grocery and Gas Station

    “Snack” which is French Polynesia Fast Food

    One splurge meal not budget friendly
    We had one delicious dinner out
    And a couple less expensive options.

    Bora Bora on a Budget

    Before visiting the beautiful Polynesian islands take some time to consider what is the most important for you, and create a budget to make it happen. Whatever your budget is, Bora Bora is available to you, with a little pre-planning and prioritizing. Bora Bora on a Budget – enjoy the beautiful South Pacific.

    Sealife spotting can be free
    Stingray

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    Asia & Oceania Travel  --  Island Life

    The Flavors of French Polynesia

    Island Life on Mo’orea

    Location: Mo'orea Tahiti French Polynesia

    We are loving our long visit to the gorgeous island of Mo’orea in French Polynesia where we are living for two months. As usual we are eating our way through this tropical culture and enjoying every morsel. It’s an eclectic collection of cultures and ingredients, so today we will attempt to pull together our impressions of The Flavors of French Polynesia, and specifically of Mo’orea.

    Poisson Cru is the national dish

    History

    The people known as Polynesians migrated to the Society Islands as long ago as 500 BC from as far away as Malaysia. These same people, who are known to be exceptional navigators, populated the south Pacific islands from Hawaii to Samoa and also New Zealand.

    On these voyages the Polynesians had bananas and coconut, as well as taro, yams, plantain, breadfruit and sugarcane. It is thought they also brought pigs, dogs and chickens. They carried with them what would become the flavors of French Polynesia.

    Polynesian Navigators (Wikipedia)

    The Portuguese explorer Magellan sailed through this area in 1521 and the Dutch in the early 1700’s. But the first European to land on Tahiti was a British Explorer named Samuel Wallis who arrived in 1767 and claimed the island for Great Britain, despite the fact that there was already a monarchy ruling Tahiti.

    Shortly after Louis-Antoine de Bougainville arrived and claimed it for France. Tahiti became a French Protectorate in 1840 and in 1880 a French Colony when King Pomare V of Tahiti accepted annexation.

    Today it is known as a collectivity of France, comprising over 100 islands in the South Pacific. It holds more autonomy than most French possessions and has a President and Assembly.

    French Influence

    Our food exploration on the island of Mo’orea turns up a lot of French influence in the cuisine. Despite the fact less than 9% of the population claims to be French, it is a big influence in the cuisine. In the grocery stores available for purchase are beautiful terrines, foie gras and cheeses as well as bread. Lots of French bread.

    Foie Gras (Canva)

    There are several French Restaurants on the island. We enjoyed a fabulous meal at the Mo’orea Beach Cafe and hope to visit another French Restaurant on the island in the weeks ahead.

    We have visited many nations with a history of French occupation. The cuisine in many of these still reflects the French influence. Everything from Bahn Mi in Vietnam to the Burkina Faso street food of omelet in a baguette.

    Chinese Influence

    In the 1860’s the French brought Chinese laborers to the Pacific islands to work in the sugar cane fields. With them of course came their cuisine and food influences. Today the population is made up of about 10% ethnic Chinese.

    One food we had was a strange but delicious combination of French and Chinese when we were served Chop Suey noodles inside a French Baguette.

    Chop Suey Sandwich

    Bao Buns, dumplings and many fried Chinese Foods are popular, especially on Sunday mornings which is always family day.

    This week is also the start of the Lunar New Year and there are some local celebrations. In honor we did a favorite Chinese dish at our Airbnb with local Tahitian Shrimp and shared it on our YouTube channel. Check it out here Kung Pao Shrimp,

    I’ve Got a Lovely Bunch of Coconuts

    Coconuts are a staple here on the island and islanders use every part, both historically and today. The amazing coconut has water, milk, meat as well as strong fiber for cloth and rope. Coconut sugar, coconut flour, coconut oil (known as Copra Oil) all are part of the culture. And the shell becomes a cup or a bowl. It’s a multipurpose and delicious food.

    Coconut

    Beyond coconut the island weather creates a thriving environment for tropical fruits of many kinds. We have talked in past blog posts about the abundance of mango and banana around the world, and here on Mo’orea is no different. Also available and commercially produced are the sweetest little pineapples. Everywhere you look there are papaya, passion fruit, limes, breadfruit and plantain. Sometimes we can find starfruit, avocado, custard apple and guava.

    Fresh Fruit

    This abundance of fruit makes it’s way into many local restaurants as well as into our morning breakfast bowl with yogurt.

    Agriculture

    The island of Mo’orea has both an Agriculture High School and College. Though pineapple is grown commercially it is not exported. Sugar cane is no longer a cash crop, but due to the resurgence of Rum it is being reinstated. Mo’orea has some commercial production of vanilla.

    Rum Tasting
    Tahitian Vanilla

    Today Tahiti exports coconut oil and pearls, with pearls making up the largest export by far and is second in economic impact to the nation to tourism.

    Teach a Man to Fish…

    Given it’s an island, fish is of course a staple protein. We have been astonished by the inexpensive and delicious red and white ahi. Ahi is served everywhere and is usually the fish enjoyed in the national dish of Tahiti called Poisson Cru. We have eaten Poisson Cru several times now, and have made it ourselves too. Mixing the island favorites of fish, lime and coconut milk with some veg it’s absolutely delicious and served everywhere.

    Fresh Ahi

    Originally however, Poisson Cru was made with reef fish. Reef fish is still a staple and local fisherman, in small skiff or kayaks fish the reefs every morning for Dorado, Parrot Fish and other small fish that live in the coral. We purchased some small fish right in our front yard and enjoyed cooking them.

    Today’s catch
    Fresh Dorado with herbs

    Sport fishing is also popular here for Big Eye, Wahoo, Marlin and more.

    Mo’orea is home to a shrimp farm, producing some of the best shrimp I have ever eaten. I was surprised to find warm water shrimp this tasty. We used the local shrimp for our Kung Pao Shrimp recipe (see above).

    Comfort Foods and Carbs

    I try to stay away from bread and sweets most of the time, but both are very popular in the daily diet of locals. One such food is Firi Firi, a local donut. Firi Firi is available in road side stands around the island, usually on Sunday morning when families gather. Personally I thought the coconut sugar fried dough was too greasy.

    Firi Firi

    Something I did really like was a coconut bread we had from the Chinese take out. It was wonderful and is a very popular local treat. On Sundays the Chinese take out is very busy as locals gather their favorites from bao buns to deep fried pork and sweets for family time.

    Coconut Bread

    Speaking of bread, the French Polynesia government subsidizes baguettes. Which means they are incredibly cheap and abundantly available six days a week, hot from the oven at a cost of 57 cents (USD). We were told this is to make sure everyone can at least afford bread. And boy do the locals eat up those cheap baguettes.

    Baguette

    At the Polynesian Tiki Village Show we attended, our dinner included the local comfort food of Pua’a, a suckling pig cooked underground. Nearly identical to way it’s done in Hawaii. Also in the same pit was cooked breadfruit, coconut bread and plantains.

    Oven for the Pua’a
    Pua’a

    Street Food Tour

    One of the first things we did during our first week in Mo’orea was spend a day with Tahiti Food Tours on a Mo’orea Tama’a Street Food Tour. I love doing these kinds of exploratory tours, to really kick start some knowledge about local cuisine. Our guide Heimata was fabulous and we tasted many different local street foods and the wide variety of different types of outdoor places locals go (see more below about that). Heimata, born on Mo’orea, was the perfect guide to show us the ropes. Some of my favorite things were the local mango sprinkled with plum powder, grilled beef heart, Chinese dumpling, Poisson Cru and homemade ice cream. Our tour also included a stop at the local rum distillery and juice factory.

    Mango with Plum Powder
    Chinese Dumplings

    Local Cooking Class

    Heimata also turned us on to the Food and Cook Lab, an organic and locally sourced cooking experience here on Mo’orea. We spent a day with Audrey and Stevenson as well as two American women and a man from France at their beautiful and sustainable kitchens. The class we took was all about using locally sourced foods to make some of the traditional Tahitian dishes. We went out into the garden and dug up manioc root and made manioc chips. They were so delicious. We cooked breadfruit over an open flame and then made amazing Poisson Cru. They taught us to make coconut bread, steamed inside hibiscus leaves. And we also made pumpkin and plantain po’a, which was baked inside banana leaf and is like a pudding. What an amazing experience we had. I liked it so much I have registered for another class coming up to learn about fish!

    Wrapping the Po’e
    Manioc Chips

    These experiences above also opened our eyes to some of the different kinds of food and dining establishments available on the island. We learned about several different categories of dining;

    Snack Shops

    Called Snacks locally, these are usually take out areas of restaurants, or very small roadside restaurants. On our food tour we visited a couple. My favorite was Snack Rotui right on the water at the head of Cooks Bay (often called First Bay). Snack Rotui is one of the oldest businesses on the island. The food is prepared across the street in a small kitchen and brought over to the road side “snack” by bicycle. Serving a variety of local specialties from quenelles to egg rolls and fish to chicken. Inexpensive and super yummy. We plan to return.

    Snack Rotui

    On another day we visited another Snack that sold mostly juice, smoothies and homemade jams. I bought some pineapple mint jam which I used on chicken and it was delicious.

    Smothies at a Snack

    Food Trucks

    Known as Roulotte, a French word that describes its mobility, Roulotte’s are everywhere. Not necessarily always “trucks” like we see in the USA, more often trailers. Some of the trailers are set up more permanent with attached covered seating, while others come and go. We noticed Roulottes selling noodles, crepes, whole chicken, pork, steak frits, grilled fish, tacos, and even churros. Our favorite is Kaylakea Moz Food right next door to the Mahana Resort. At Moz we had one grilled tuna and one tuna tartar and both were outstanding. So far the best meal we have enjoyed at this darling little Roulotte and much less expensive than a traditional restaurant.

    Kaylakea Moz Food Truck
    Grilled Tuna
    Tuna Tartar

    Fruit Lady

    For lack of a better name we call these small ma and pa roadside tables the Fruit Lady. Usually set up in front of someone’s home, these are likely unlicensed operators selling locally sourced fruit and veg and sometimes Firi Firi. We are trying to buy all our fruit and veg from these vendors and support local as much as we can.

    Fruits and Veg
    at the fruit lady stand

    Some of the vendors are at the same spot everyday, while others come and go, particularly the fish vendors who sell out of the back of their car when they have a catch. We have also seen vendors selling Mape, which is a local chestnut and very popular. At one fruit lady stand they also sell lovely leis and flower head pieces.

    Traditional Restaurants

    Of course there are traditional restaurants too, but they seem less frequent. All the resorts have traditional restaurants and there are several beach side ones as well. Because many business close between mid January and mid February, we are holding out to visit a few on our list. We did have an exceptional (but also expensive) French lunch at Mo’orea Beach Cafe on one of our first days. I had one of the best pieces of fish I have every had (Dover sole) cooked to perfection. The service and view was exceptional too.

    Mo’orea Beach Cafe

    The Flavors of French Polynesia

    We have been on the island of Mo’orea now for three weeks and we have five weeks to go. So we still have lots of time to explore more of the flavors of French Polynesia. Next week we are flying over to Bora Bora for several days. I don’t expect the food to be different, but since we will be staying in a hotel and not in an Airbnb we will be eating out more. So I’ll be in search of the flavors of French Polynesia.

    No blog next Friday but I’ll tell you all about Bora Bora the following week.

    Thank you for joining me today to learn about the flavors of French Polynesia. We love it when you pin and share our blog. Thank you. Mauruuru!

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    Asia & Oceania Travel  --  Island Life

    Mo’orea Musings – French Polynesia Week Two

    I was trying to write a blog about the local food for this week, but oh my goodness there is so much excellent food and I am still experimenting and eating my way through! So, instead I will wait and have a foodie post next week. I should be ready by then so be sure not to miss it – the flavors of French Polynesia are wonderful. Meanwhile, this week, we have been happily exploring and settling into our long stay on this remarkable island. And so I give you Mo’orea Musings – French Polynesia Week Two.

    Sunrise

    Weather

    Beach time

    Week two provided us exactly the weather we had expected when planning this trip. No more monsoons! Just showers now and then with lots and lots of sunshine in between. We are very happy about all of that. We know we will have more rain, but Mo’orea Musings – French Polynesia Week Two has provided us many opportunities to be active and explore in the warm (and humid) temperatures. We are now into a regular running and hiking schedule. No golf though, as we left our clubs at home this time.

    Food and Culture

    Tahitian Art

    Week Two we discovered so much about the local food and culture and this is why it needs its own entire blog post. The local influence of French and Chinese to the Polynesian foods has created a wonderful and delicious as well as eclectic cuisine. I’ll tell you more next week. Meanwhile, the local people are incredibly friendly and helpful. On more than one occasion we have had locals drop what they were doing to help us find our way or interpret for us. They are kind and sweet and make us feel very welcome.

    Polynesia show

    Life is pretty simple on Mo’orea. People live in simple homes and live simple lives. I’m sure on Tahiti it’s a bit more citified…but here it’s very laid back and slow.

    Beautiful tropical fruit

    The culture of these islands is influenced by many factors. The Polynesian people, known as great navigators, migrated to these islands from all over Southeast Asia starting in 500BC. They managed to govern themselves fine, but the French arrived in the 1600’s and took over. C’est le vie. Today French is the official language but English is spoken by many and the native language of Tahitian is spoken by many. There are still about 2 million people who claim Polynesian ethnicity.

    This week we took a food tour, a cooking class, ate in a couple of restaurants and went to a Polynesian cultural show and dinner. All of these experiences will get pulled into next week’s post.

    Geography

    Geography

    Mo’orea is an ancient volcanic island, about ten miles from its larger sister of Tahiti. This beautiful and lush island is very reminiscent of the Hawaiian island of Kauai. Kauai is estimated to be about 5 million years old while Mo’orea is closer to 2 million years old. The green mountains rise dramatically out of the incredible turquoise water with spires and peaks and craggy rocks jutting here and there. This makes for difficult but beautiful hiking options.

    Lagoon kayaking

    The coral reef that surrounds the island was described by Darwin as like a picture frame and helped him solidify his theory about atolls. The coral was originally part of the island’s lava flow. Over the millennia it pushed it way out to ring the island and the coral thrived in the environment. It makes a beautiful lagoon around the island and provides safe snorkeling, paddling and swimming opportunities as well as a wonderful home for sea life.

    Pacific Rim

    On top of Magic Mountain

    Although Mo’orea is not an active volcano, the recent volcanic explosion and ensuing tsunami in Tonga (1200 miles west) reminds us how our planet is in constant evolution. Following the tsunami we went in search of information regarding the local tsunami procedures and warning systems here on Mo’orea and learned where we are to go in such an emergency. We feel prepared.

    Negatives

    There are however a few negatives, but they are hardly enough to mention. But here they are anyway;

    Dogs – like many places we have traveled around the world there are ALOT of feral dogs and clearly there is no spay-neuter program in place. It’s sad to see the condition of many of these animals.

    Speed – people drive REALLY fast on the two lane road that rings the island and often pass. Yikes. However, over the past couple of years a bike lane has been added on both sides of the ring road all the way around the island. This gives me a safe running lane, although staying alert with the speeding cars is important. Many people use bikes to get around an Motos too, but the bike lane is a nice addition for all of us.

    Mosquitos – not the worst place I have been for bug bites (Seychelles Islands wins that award) but the mosquitos have been pretty annoying. Hopefully now that the sun is back, the mosquitoes will go!

    Mo’orea Musings – French Polynesia Week Two

    High above the lagoon

    We are relaxed and enjoying our new little island life. I promise next week we will have lot of foodie information to share! So I hope you will check back! Merci!

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