First Travel of 2017

I have decided that 2017 is the year to say YES to adventure. In Mid January I got the chance to say Yes to join some friends for a close friend’s wedding in French Polynesia. So with 2 weeks until the date we would leave I booked the trip with another friend to join our friends on February 1st. It was one of the greatest decisions of my life and with this decision I added invaluable memories. The wedding was absolutely beautiful and I got to experience a Tahitian Wedding. On this trip we flew in and out of Tahiti, so when we were leaving the country we got to have dinner in downtown Papeeta.  My friend and I on the advice of the Hotel Director in Bora Bora decided to go to the local food trucks. We took a taxi from the airport to Les Roulottes where there were so many food trucks serving seafood, crepes, and lots of Chinese Food. The taxi can range anywhere from $20-$25 one way, but definitely worth it. There was a little market of artisans next to the food trucks so we were able to pick up last minute gifts/souvenirs. The two islands we were mainly on were Moorea and Bora Bora. I saw recently that Moorea is the Most Beautiful Island in the World and I must admit this might be true as it was simply gorgeous. Flying from Tahiti into Moorea was an awe-inspiring moment. It was almost magical when you get off the plane and see the amazing Mountain peaks looking at you and crystal clear blue, turquoise waters.

In Moorea I was able to go on two dives and an ATV tour. We stayed at the Intercontinental Moorea Resort and Spa which was absolutely a beautiful resort with TopDive located on site and paddleboarding and kayaking. Also on site they have a dolphin experience and a Sea Turtle Conservation Project. We were able to snorkel right off the beach and see some tropical fish and lots of sea cucumbers. The diving was absolutely amazing here. I saw a Sea Turtle (which is one of my favorite ocean animals), black tip reef sharks, a lemon shark, and plenty of colorful tropical fish. The diving was clear visibility. We had some of the best seafood of our lives here; so fresh. One of the best restaurants we went to was Tiahura, where we got a Coconut Crab to share. This is one of the only places in the world you can get one from what I understand, so it was a unique experience. The following night we went to Sunset for dinner which had an amazing view on the ocean and that night we got to watch the lighting off shore. On the ATV tour we had some of the most breathtaking views I have ever seen in my life. We toured through a pineapple farm and went to the top of Magic Mountain. The first part of the trip through the pineapple farm you are actually in the middle of a giant Volcano Crater, the largest crater in French Polynesia. The peaks were just so staggering to see them rise into the sky and you are in the middle of this crater with peaks all around you. When we got to the top of Magic Mountain you got to see so much of the island and the ocean and truly take in this great island. It was an inspirational moment where you really see and take in the beauty of what this world formed in these islands. To think that these islands rose out of the middle of the ocean through now dormant volcanoes is kind of amazing and inspiring. The islands are just beautiful and Moorea did not disappoint. The landscape was one of the most beautiful I have seen in the world, the people were so kind, and the culture is inspiring to find what is near and dear to you. Flying out of Moorea was so much fun as there are roosters in the airport that hang out with you. The airport is quaint and reminds you that sometimes life is better simple.

The second island and resort we stayed at was Bora Bora at the InterContinental Le Moana Bora Bora Resort. Flying into the island was stunning and a bit of a surprise as you land on an outlining island and then have to take a boat to get to any of the hotels or to the main island itself. The airport was small, but the views looking out onto the main island will forever be in my memory. The resort is exactly what I pictured a hotel in Bora Bora to be like. They had beautiful over the water bungalows and beach bungalows with private beaches. The snorkeling right off the resort led to rays and tropical fish. The first full day there it rained, but we made the best of it and headed into town, which is just a small area with lots of shops. One of the items the French Polynesia Islands are famous for is the Black Pearl, so we went to all the shops to find the best in our price range. We also walked through the local market which had many vendors to choose from and bargain with. On the way back to the hotel we took the local bus, which is just a converted school bus with three long benches in it that plays popular songs set to island beats. The bus ride was fun and the cheapest way to get back at only $5 a person. The next day was the wedding which was absolutely gorgeous and very colorful. I would be lying if I wasn’t a bit jealous of the beautiful flower crowns and leis. After the wedding, my diving buddy and me went on our one and only dive in Bora Bora, which was truly magical. The boat ride to the dive site took you along the shore through the lagoon and you really got a feel for this huge, beautiful island coming right out of the ocean. The dive site was at first nothing to be impressed with, but all of a sudden you sank into this canyon of coral walls teaming with brightly colored tropical fish. I saw an eel at one point and just enormous coral structures. It was a pathway that led to a valley. Once we made it to the valley within the coral structures and played with some sea creatures I turned around to what was just a sand floor with poor visibility. All of a sudden out of the fogginess of the ocean came 15-20 Spotted Eagle Rays that just floated right past us without a care in the world. It might have been one of the most amazing moments on the trip. On the last day before we took the boat back to the airport we were able to kayak right off the resort about 10 minutes and came to the Coral Reef Garden which was teaming with ocean wild life and beautiful coral reef sculptures. On this kayak trip we got to see a manta ray.

All in all I am so excited I said YES to adventure and cant wait to see what the rest of 2017 has in store for me, but I don’t know if it will top this trip. I saw some stunning places and sights. I would definitely recommend the French Polynesian Islands to anybody and will definitely be going back. Until my next adventure I hope you find and continue to look for the beauty in the world. To see what I am finding you can always check out my Instagram or Facebook pages.

Sunset from our resort in Moorea

In the middle of the crater on Moorea

On the right side is the Famous Robinson’s Cove

From the top of Magic Mountain

On the boat from the airport in Bora Bora

The peaks on Bora Bora: Mount Pahia and Mount Otemanu

Bora Bora