BoraBora

BoraBora of James Michener fame is an attractive rock with an unbeliebably blue- turquoise lagoon.Over-water bungalow hotels on the motus compete for well-to-do guests and honeymooners who take this trip as a once in a life time experience. Beware, you might be infected with the Polynesian virus which forces you to return to the South Pacific every year and to dream of living there forever.
The photo below shows Raiatea in the background and over-water bungalows at the edge between the dark blue and turquoise.No South Pacific vacation is complete without a colorful pareo. You can buy many designed and produced directly on the islands. They look better than any dress you might have brought along in your suitcase.

Tahaa

Lovely laidback Tahaa with its deep bays offers a relaxing vacation. Families grow vanilla which is of very high quality. The vanilla farmer has to go out every morning to pollinate the flowers of his orchids by hand. The natural pollinator is an insect native to Central America where the vanilla orchid originates.

Raiatea

Impressive Raiatea is the ancient religious center of the Society Islands. Voyages to other islands probably originated here.Raiatea has the only navigable river of the group. One of our fellow passengers remarked, "I feel exactly like I did in Vietnam."Without beaches, Raiatea has few tourists but a humungous pier for large cruise ships whose passengers are then tendered to the neighboring island of Tahaa with whom Raiatea shares the lagoon. Fiu, take it easy, just a small catamaran. Let's wait for a big cruise ship with shopping crazy Americans.Today, Raiatea is the administrative center of the northern group of the Society Islands. Its shores near the capital boast pretty homes.

Huahine

A motu, one of the many small islets on the coral fringe that provide solitude.We started our cruise on the catamaran Haumana in Huahine. The crew was delightful with Tomita (dancer) responsible for the cabins, a barman, a French chef and sailors who loved to sing.


The kitchen crew served a Polynesian lunch in the shallow water of a bay fringed with coconut palms. If you haven't relaxed yet, this is the moment.