French Polynesia, 🇵🇫 - Bonnie Curran

Bonnie Curran is a avid rambler, mom of adult children, retail store manager and a Canadian living her best life in Kauai, USA.

When I was a kid, we had a subscription to National Geographic. There were stacks of them in our home, and I spent hours and hours pouring over them. That's what started my lifelong fascination with the South Pacific.  

When I was fourteen, our parents took us sailing for a year. We launched our Bristol Channel Cutter, Sunstar, from Gabriola Island in British Columbia and traveled down the west coast to southern Mexico, Hawaii, and then back again. This adventure changed my life and cemented my passion for tropical travel. 

Memories of this trip also nurtured my and my husband's decision to leave our long-time home on Salt Spring Island and move our family to Kauai. I was excited to fully indulge my youthful fascination with Polynesian culture.  

In 2018, my husband and I had a unique opportunity to travel to Tahiti with the Hula Halau dance group from Kapa'a, Kauai, on a cultural exchange with a Marquesan Tahitian dance group. The island captured our hearts, and we knew we wanted to return. So, this year we decided to continue our adventure on the nearby island of Mo'orea.

For most people, it's hard to imagine how to even get to French Polynesia. For us, it was a breeze. We hopped on a quick flight from our home in Kauai to Honolulu and then caught the weekly Saturday flight to Tahiti. It departs and returns every Saturday, making for a perfect seven day getaway. 

We landed at the Faa'a Airport on the outskirts of Papeete in Tahiti and grabbed a hotel. The following day we rambled to the local boat terminal, packs secured to our backs and hopped on the Tereveau Fast Cat ferry. After a stunning 30-minute boat ride, we landed in Vai'are on the island of Mo'orea. 

We rented a car to buy groceries to access the island's interior hiking trails. It was a happy decision, and we adored our tiny Peugeot with a stick shift.  

We had a few hours to kill before checking into our Airbnb, so we merrily drove our trusty Peugeot along the south coast. We were amazed to discover that the roads in Mo'orea are fantastic, with nary a pothole and safely marked bike lanes almost everywhere. We leisurely drove through Farehau, Haapiti, and past two tiny islands on the northwest coast called Motus and ended up in Opunohu Bay, where we were staying.

We bought some groceries at the Super U Are store in Cook Bay and then stopped for lunch at Allo Pizza, where we devoured excellent grilled tuna sandwiches and chilled Hinano Beer. I don't usually drink beer, but it was hot, and a cold beer hit the spot. 

I am happy to report that we adored our Airbnb. Our hosts, Kori and Pierrick, are new parents to six-month-old Te Manu, aka the baby shark. Pierrick is also a marine biologist and eco-tour operator specializing in Tiger Shark dives - sounds interesting but not for me!

Our new digs occupied the entire upper floor of a stand-alone building with epic views of the spectacular Opunohu Bay. We soaked up the emerald waters, dotted with luxury yachts and fine sailboats, against the backdrop of Mount Belvedere. The room cost only $90 a night and included a daily snorkeling tour! These kinds of deals don't exist in Hawaii.

The next day we explored the Opunohu valley, one of the oldest settled areas of Mo'orea and the site of many ancient Marae walking tracks in the interior. We decided to ramble an old path called the Col de Trois Pinus, or Three Pines Pass. 

Our ramble took us up Magic Mountain on a steep and beguiling pathway. It started at a sweet fruit stand where we were charged a nominal hiking fee of two dollars a person. We climbed through a mature mango tree forest and were rewarded with an epic mountain top view of the Papatoai peninsula and surrounding reef. It's hard to overstate how stunning this view was. We soaked it in and then rambled back down to the fruit stand and were served a yummy fruit and jam sampler plate by some gracious local women. 

One can sign up for many guided activities in French Polynesia, but we prefer to ramble at our own pace. We also brought our own snorkeling gear. Unlike Kauai, the island of Mo'orea is an atoll or ring-shaped coral reef protected by more barrier reefs, making for mind-blowing snorkeling.

We also spent some time every day at the local public beach, Ta'ahiamanu, which was conveniently located just a quick ramble from our Airbnb. We enjoyed lounging on the sugar white sand, swimming in the warm emerald water, snorkeling right off the beach, and admiring the luxury yachts flying flags from around the world. We even saw a Canadian flag!

We took a day trip to an outer island, booking a motorized outrigger ride to Coco Beach located on one of the Motus Islands that only cost five dollars. We also pre-booked a lovely lunch and enjoyed delicious grilled tuna served with a green salad and a bottle of rose, which we enjoyed alongside the beautiful views of Mo'orea island. We spent the rest of the day swimming and chilling beachside. It was truly remarkable.

We were also able to squeeze in a final ramble to Afareaitu Falls. We drove east towards the ferry dock in Vai'are and then on to the village of Afareaitu. The road was dirt, and we shared it with many chickens and dogs. We drove past a local school with loads of smiling kids. When we arrived, we were greeted by a charming local man who let us park on his property for a few FP francs. He then guided us up the valley to the falls. All I can say is wow! They did not disappoint, being both massive and truly spectacular. 

We mostly ate at home or packed lunches. The best bet in the supermarkets was baguettes and slabs of Brie cheese, as most fresh produce is shipped in and is expensive and close to wilted. We also enjoyed the many local fruit stands stocked with fresh watermelon, pineapple, and bananas. 

If you are going to eat out, the one must do, is to dine at the Hilton Mo'orea's Creperie, which we did on our last night. The restaurant sits above the reef, flanked by over-the-water bungalows. We watched the reef fish, rays, and even the black tip reef sharks swim by while enjoying cocktails and a couple of crepes. The food was, as we say here in Hawaii, ono-licious!

We found the people of Polynesia to be warm and friendly, and if you speak a bit of French, all the better! We also advise learning a few Tahitian phrases, like "Ia Orana," for hello, and "Maruru" for thank you. 

We cannot wait to return to this beautiful place, but until then, we say, Au Revoir, French for until we meet again, and Maruru - Thank you!

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