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10 Things You Probably Didn't Know About Tahiti

Jessica Festa — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Arts and Culture, History, Photos, Stories, Europe, Hotels and Accommodations, Caribbean, Luxury Travel, French Polynesia

Located in the South Pacific, Tahiti is thought of by many as a prime vacation destination. But what do you actually know about these islands? To test your Tahitian knowledge, here are 10 things you probably didn't know.

1. The official languages of the country are both Tahitian and French. However, English is also widely spoken on most of the islands.

2. What is commonly known as "Tahiti" or "The Islands of Tahiti" is officially categorized as an Overseas Country of France, with its own government overseeing all international decisions on behalf of French Polynesia.

3. There are 118 islands and atolls spread out over five archipelagos.

4. Most Polynesians believe the mythical island of Hawaiki, today known as Raiatea, rose from the bottom of the ocean and was the beginning of all life on Earth.

5. The over-water bungalow was invented in the islands of Tahiti 45 years ago.

6. On Fakarava, there is a church called Jean de la Croix made completely of coral.

7. The Islands of Tahiti is the only country in the world to have a winery, Vin du Tahiti, on a coral atoll.

8. The word "tattoo" originated in French Polynesia. The legend of Tohu, the god of tattoo, talks about painting all the fish in the ocean and showing their vibrant colors and designs. In Polynesian culture, tattoos are thought to be signs of beauty, and were ceremoniously applied to the body as a celebration of adolescence in earlier times.

9. Mount Temehani on the island of Raiatea is home to the Tiare Apetahi flower. This flower will not grow anywhere else in the world, despite botanists having tried to replant it for centuries.

10. The Tahitian alphabet contains only 13 letters.

For a more visual idea of Tahiti's lesser-known side, check out the gallery below.

[flickr image via Michael R. Perry]

Gallery: 10 Things You Probably Didn't Know About Tahiti

10 Things You Probably Didn't Know About Tahiti originally appeared on Gadling on Mon, 23 Apr 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Teahupo'o: the world's 'heaviest' surfing wave

Jeremy Kressmann — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Surfing, Oceania, French Polynesia

Teahupo'o, site of a legendary surfer break on the French Polynesian island of Tahiti, has developed quite the reputation among big-wave surfers. Due to a shallow coral reef just off shore, waves here tend break as massive, chunky walls of water, a phenomenon that has earned Teahupo'o the distinction as the "heaviest" wave in the world.

The video above, filmed at Teahupo'o, offers a first-hand view from the ocean of what it's like to ride the massive swells of this epic surf spot. Set to an ethereal soundtrack, the video follows surfers as they brave one of the biggest surfing days at Teahupo'o in recent memory, riding crushing "fists" of ocean that grow and collapse, threatening to swallow them whole at any minute. Sit back, click the play button, and let yourself be mesmerized by these awesome feats of athleticism.

Teahupo'o: the world's 'heaviest' surfing wave originally appeared on Gadling on Mon, 16 Jan 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Surfers in Tahiti ride waves so big they cancel contest

Kyle Ellison — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Surfing, Oceania, French Polynesia

For those who don't know very much about the world of pro surfing, it isn't very often that a professional contest gets cancelled because the surf is actually too big. That's exactly what happened in Tahiti, however, when a massive swell generated by hurricane force winds in the southern latitudes rendered the surf too powerful for any human to possibly paddle in to.

With the 2011 Billabong Pro Tahiti on hold due to the exceptional surf conditions, many of the world's top surfers instead opted to whip into the aquatic monsters via tow-lines attached to the back of jet skis. In case you're unfamiliar with the sport of tow-surfing, this video should be a nice little introduction.

Taking place on the ridiculously shallow reefbreak known as Teahupoo (or simply "Chopes" to those in the know), the spot is renowned for having a wave shape that more resembles a dark, bulbous pit of death than a casual, inviting day at the beach. It's the same place where Laird Hamilton in August, 2000 rode the wave that forever changed big wave surfing history.

While the contest has since resumed, this is a glimpse into the types of days that professional big wave surfers consistently travel across the globe attempting to conquer.

Surfers in Tahiti ride waves so big they cancel contest originally appeared on Gadling on Mon, 29 Aug 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fishing in the French Polynesian waters

Jon Bowermaster — Fri, 27 May 2011 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Learning, Paddling, Scuba Diving, Oceania, French Polynesia

Fakarava Atoll, the Tuamotus, French Polynesia - Maru's 16-foot, plywood fishing boat, steered by one metal rod coming straight out of the floorboards in his left hand and accelerated by another rod held tightly in his right hand, hugs the eastern edge of Passe Garuae. One of only two passes accessing the atoll's thirty-six-by-twenty-one mile lagoon, twice day big water rushes either in or out and navigation requires years of experience.

As we try to edge our way out onto the South Pacific for a day of fishing, currents at the heart of the pass are running out at about seven knots, creating what appear to be standing riptides. If we were anywhere near the center, we'd most likely be cart wheeled by the fast-moving water and big waves.

Maru, a 46-year-old native of Fakarava - the Tuamotus' second-largest atoll - has driven boats through here thousands of time, so far without incident. I'm hoping his luck stays.

Despite a population of about 700 on this remote atoll 150 miles north and east of Tahiti, there are surprisingly few people making a living off fishing. It's not because there aren't fish, but because the big industry here - black pearls-has become more lucrative and in some respects easier. Though the boom in the growing of black pearls has weakened the industry a bit in recent years by flooding the market - every Polynesian with access to the ocean wants in on the business - it doesn't require risking life and limb on the open ocean everyday.

Maru tells me he prefers this life than the more intensive routine of seeding oysters and monitoring them for more than a year and a half, hoping they'll produce pearls. His days are routine, leaving from the docks of Fakarava's one town around six and returning by two or three in the afternoon. His catch provides the bulk of the fresh fish for the atoll's residents. This day he'll take a dozen big mahi-mahi, spearing them from his boat while simultaneously steering and accelerating. He surveys for signs of a small school - watching for the big fish to break the surface - and then chases them down, tiring them. It requires a skill-set few Westerners can imagine: Steering, accelerating, scouting and spearing, all with only two hands.

Continue reading Fishing in the French Polynesian waters

Fishing in the French Polynesian waters originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 27 May 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The coral reefs of Bora Bora

Jon Bowermaster — Thu, 26 May 2011 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: History, Paddling, Scuba Diving, Oceania, French Polynesia

Bora Bora, Society Islands, French Polynesia - I dove in the beautiful lagoon that surrounds the tall island to have a first hand look at how the coral reef is doing in this South Pacific resort island. The report is not good.

Descending to ninety feet it was immediately clear that the reef has been hammered in the past few years. I've come here every year for the past decade and have seen incredible change.

I spent most of the morning observing the still-growing reef system just ten to thirty feet below the surface. Although the waters are warm and magnificently clear an invasive predators and natural disaster have both taken big tolls.

Populations of acanthaster -- more popularly known as the Crown of Thorns starfish - mysteriously arrived in Polynesia in 2006. No one is sure exactly how they got here or where they originated, though invasive species are well known for hitching rides on cargo ships and jumping off far from home. Here in the shallows surrounding Bora Bora - as they have done to reefs on nearby Moorea, Raiatea-Tahaa, Huahine and Maupiti - the predatory starfish have eaten, thus killed, hundreds of acres of coral.

The natural disaster occurred in February 2010, when Cyclone Oli whipped the nearby seas to a froth of eighteen to twenty-one feet, pouring over the protective reef and across the lagoon. The impact on the corals was devastating, as deep as 100 feet below the surface.

At twenty feet below, the coral was ripped off at its base and forever destroyed. Rather than coral, today much of the shallows of the lagoon floor are covered instead of by a fine pale yellow algae mat. The deeper you dive, the less destruction you see, but the powerful storm - the first cyclone to hit here in fourteen years -- still managed to break, mangle and kill coral. The only slight upside is that it was also hard on the starfish population.

Continue reading The coral reefs of Bora Bora

The coral reefs of Bora Bora originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 26 May 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Summer vacation in Tahiti: 5 reasons to visit French Polynesia's Tuamotu Atolls

Erin De Santiago — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 23:00:00 EST

Filed under: French Polynesia

If you've had enough with the recent onslaught of wintertime blizzards, you're probably ready to start your summer vacation planning. How about jetting off to a part of French Polynesia that few travelers ever visit?

Considered to offer a number of the best diving sites in the world, the Tuamotu Atolls are some of Tahiti's lesser known islands. These remote atolls, most specifically Rangiroa and Fakarava, possess all the exotic charm of Tahiti and Bora Bora, but they have the distinction of featuring a few activities the others don't. Since summertime in the northern hemisphere is the dry season in French Polynesia, June through August is the perfect time to plan your visit.

If you aren't enticed just yet, then consider these five reasons to visit the Tuamotus when finalizing your summer vacation plans this year.

Visit a Winery

How about sipping wine from a winery located in the midst of a coconut grove, flanked on one side by turquoise lagoons and the deep blue ocean on the other? Rangiroa is home to Vin de Tahiti, one of the world's most scenic wineries. While these wines may not be on par with your favorite Chateau in Bordeaux just yet, they are well-crafted and the views are unsurpassed.

Continue reading Summer vacation in Tahiti: 5 reasons to visit French Polynesia's Tuamotu Atolls

Summer vacation in Tahiti: 5 reasons to visit French Polynesia's Tuamotu Atolls originally appeared on Gadling on Mon, 14 Feb 2011 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Learn the national holidays before you go - International travel tip

Melanie Linn Gutowski — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 14:35:00 EST

Filed under: Arts and Culture, French Polynesia

Before departing for a foreign country, be aware of any national holidays that will occur during your trip. Do your best to learn about even the minor ones that aren't widely known.

My husband and I nearly had our honeymoon derailed by a national holiday during our stay in French Polynesia. Most businesses were closed, including restaurants, banks and museums.

We were saved by the tourism office, which offered us a chance to spend the day learning about Tahitian culture on the grounds of a closed museum. Otherwise, we would have wasted an entire day of our trip stuck in an urban area with nothing to do.

[Photos: Flickr | Yandle]

Learn the national holidays before you go - International travel tip originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 06 Aug 2010 14:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tahiti greens up its tourism

Laurel Miller — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Climbing, Arts and Culture, Hiking, Food and Drink, Oceania, Hotels and Accommodations, Ecotourism, Budget Travel, Cruises, Luxury Travel, French Polynesia

Tahiti ain't cheap. And, at least in the past several decades, it's also had a reputation for crappy food, cheesy resorts, a seriously sketchy scene in Papeete, and a general lack of sustainable tourism. But that's all changing.

CNN reports that small-scale, eco-oriented tourism is thriving in Tahiti, especially in the mountainous interior, and on the peninsula of Tahiti Iti. An influx of B & B's, guesthouses and bungalows have cropped up, making a visit to the island paradise more affordable to budget travelers (after you cough up the plane ticket, but Air Tahiti Nui offers promotional prices and family discounts). The less-populous inland has loads of hiking trails, waterfalls, and remote beaches accessible only by foot, and outfitters such as Tahiti Evasion offer guided hikes for non-DIY'ers. On the luxury end, some properties, like Bora Bora's InterContinental Resort, are reducing their carbon footprint by using high-tech cooling systems that use pumped-in, deep-sea water, instead of A/C units.

Additionally, great public transit and a thriving local food scene make it easier for culturally-inclined travelers to get a true taste of Tahiti. Roulottes, small food trucks found along Papeete's waterfront, offers local ingredients and traditional dishes, while the central market, Marche Papeete, sells all manner of locally-grown produce. On rural Moorea, check out family farms, and slip into the relaxed, local way of life.

[Via Mother Nature Network]

[Photo credit: Flickr user D.[SansPretentionAucune]]

Tahiti greens up its tourism originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 29 Jul 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Daily Pampering: Sailing Bora Bora in your own private catamaran

Melanie Nayer — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Oceania, Hotels and Accommodations, Cruises, Luxury Travel, French Polynesia

You're already in Bora Bora, what more could you possibly want? Fortunately, the Four Seasons Resort Bora Bora has planned for travelers like you, who want just a little bit more with their side of luxury. Adding to its fleet of custom-built boats, Four Seasons Resort Bora Bora has introduced the Navigator, a custom-crafted catamaran, available to guests for transportation in and around Bora Bora.

The Navigator features a full bar, dining tables, rooftop sundeck, lavatory and rinse shower, and a fresh water shower on the rear deck allows guests to refresh back on board. Its low hull design and shallow draft allow it to charter to just about any nearby destination.

Go alone or with a group. The configuration of the interior of the boat allows for guests to have intimate evenings at sear or host small receptions and dinners.

Total cost: At today's exchange rate a 4-hour rental will run you approximately $900; 8-hour rental will cost $1,500. This is just for the catamaran and captain. If you want to go snorkeling, dine on the ship, hire musicians or a private astronomer (which is available), it'll cost you extra.

Want more? Get your daily dose of pampering right here.

Daily Pampering: Sailing Bora Bora in your own private catamaran originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 27 Jul 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tahitian dance chronicles, part three: Dancing towards a new adventure (video)

Celeste Brash — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Arts and Culture, Oceania, French Polynesia

To'ata Amphitheater, French Polynesia's biggest Tahitian dance venue, is an open-air wooden stage surrounded by a half-circle of tiered seating for about 4000 people. High-tech lighting on adjustable steel scaffolding surrounds the arena and the stage is backed by a covered, elevated platform for the orchestra. From the stage, the seats seem very close and standing there before the show made me nervous -- would I be busting my not-exactly-professional moves while looking my family and friends in the eye? My 200-woman-strong Tahitian dance troupe had rehearsed nine months for this one-night show but as a newbie, this still didn't seem like enough time to get it right. But here I was, the night of the show and it was too late to change my mind.

While setting up our changing areas before the show, we were told that the maman groups (those of us well-past high school age) couldn't use the dressing rooms -- we'd have to change costumes outside where inevitable lurking spectators could see us. This was not ideal.

Luckily my friend Arvella came to my rescue and said if I helped out dressing the little girl dancers I could use the private rooms. This sounded like a good deal. I got in my first costume, a flamboyant number made out of leaves and vines that made me look like a glamorous swamp monster, then got to work helping the girls. After putting make-up on the first eight-year old, word got around that I had cool sparkly stuff and soon I had a line of wide-eyed cuties asking me for silver eye-shadow and lip gloss; once they were made up I was onto hair and costumes.

We were all ready and could hear the stands a-chatter with people. It got dark without us noticing and soon we were getting called to take our places. My group was entering the stage from the spectator's stands after the Advanced-Pro and teenage girls opened the show with flaming torches. We walked up to our starting place at the main entrance of To'ata where people were still buying tickets. Several tourists took pictures of us, and I reflected on how strange it was to finally be a tourist attraction just before moving back to the States after fifteen years in this country.

Continue reading Tahitian dance chronicles, part three: Dancing towards a new adventure (video)

Tahitian dance chronicles, part three: Dancing towards a new adventure (video) originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 08 Jul 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tahitian dance chronicles, part two: Going to To'ata

Celeste Brash — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Arts and Culture, Oceania, French Polynesia

It was February and I'd been taking Tahitian dance classes for six months. I was now loving my twice-weekly wiggle as well as hanging out with my sometimes cranky but always lively retired Tahitian classmates. My hips were really starting to move and my rolling ueue shake was getting so fast that the teacher grouped me into the more competent half of our class.

Now the warm-ups were more complicated, with moves like the afata (hips like a box) that I just couldn't get right. At least the previously aloof ladies in class were now being helpful.

"Follow me," Tania would say, bringing me over to copy her. "See you bend the knee, keep it bent, straighten then straighten. Move the hips in a square to the count of four."

We had also started learning the choreography for two aparima, slow, graceful dances with swaying hips and lots of wave-like arm gestures. The dances were less blatantly sexy than our fast otea, but embodied a quiet feminine beauty.

I still was adamant about not performing in the show until the day our teacher Heirani announced that we were going to start making costumes.

Continue reading Tahitian dance chronicles, part two: Going to To'ata

Tahitian dance chronicles, part two: Going to To'ata originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 07 Jul 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tahitian dance chronicles, part one: Getting hooked

Celeste Brash — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Arts and Culture, Festivals and Events, Oceania, French Polynesia

Early explorers were struck by its sensuality, Christian missionaries banned it shortly after their arrival, and the open-minded 1960s began to revive it. Today, the uber-fast hip shaking of Tahitian dance is again ever-present in French Polynesia. The best performances can be seen at the Heiva I Tahiti festival at Papeete's Toa'ata Amphitheater in July, when locals and foreigners flock to watch some of humankind's most spectacular dance extravaganzas. Accentuated by flamboyant costumes and live traditional percussion orchestras, the festival's singing and dancing competitions are an unrivaled Polynesian highlight.

I've lived in French Polynesia for the last 15 years and have always been in awe of Tahitian dance. Although I'd been tempted to take classes, my busy lifestyle and distance from dance schools made it hard for me to make the time. But when my family and I decided to return to live in the U.S. in the near future, I knew my remaining months in Polynesia would be my last chance to explore the culture's greatest performing art. I signed up at a school in a nearby town and hoped my schedule would allow me to keep it up. I had no idea what I was really getting myself into.

I'd been to some amateur dance school performances over the years and invariably there were French students whose hips just didn't move like those of the girls who had grown up in the islands. It sounds mean, but it's impossible to watch a show without snickering at them a little; everyone does it.

When I told my husband I was going to start dance classes, he immediately said, "OK, but please don't do a show -- that's just way too embarrassing."

In other circumstances this might have been rude, but I knew exactly what he meant. No, I was with him on this one: There was no way I was going to dance on stage as the stiff white girl.

I decided to take a morning class, which ended up being full of retired Tahitian ladies. I already knew one or two of them but to my surprise my reception was cool. They had all been dancing together for years and I was crashing their party with my thirty-something-year-old hips that moved like the Tin Man from The Wizard of Oz. Still, the fast toere wood drum music and my talented teacher, Heirani, made me immediately love learning to fa'atere (quick hip flicks while shuffling on one's toes) and varu (a figure-eight hip roll) across the wood floor of the hot dance studio. By the end of each class all of us were drenched in sweat and had grins stretched across our faces.

Continue reading Tahitian dance chronicles, part one: Getting hooked

Tahitian dance chronicles, part one: Getting hooked originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 06 Jul 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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17 great destinations for romance

Gadling staff — Fri, 21 May 2010 15:30:00 EST

Filed under: Europe, Indonesia, Belgium, France, Greece, Italy, Mexico, United States, Argentina, French Polynesia

Some say that romance is a lost art - but it's not. It's just hiding, waiting to be uncovered in some of the most beautiful places around the globe. Whether you are trying to show that special someone that they truly are special, making a proposal, or rekindling the flame you once had with your spouse, setting the stage is your first step to success. Whether you are searching for the perfect romantic spot close to home or halfway around the world, the following 17 destinations are sure to bring out the romantic in each of us.

Paris, France
Who could leave Paris off a list of romantic places? You simply can't. Montmartre is the most romantic neighborhood in "the most romantic city in the world." Begin your tour of this hilly district with a ride up the Montmartre funicular as it glides along on its heavenly ascent to the Basilica of Sacre-Cœur at the summit of the highest point in the city. From here a dazzling view of Paris unfolds before you. Amble slowly, hand in hand, and wind your way along romantic back alleys and cobblestone streets, taking in the magic of the artist's corner of Place du Tertre, descending the stairs of Rue Foyatier. and concluding at 15 rue Lepic where Amelie Poulain immortalized romantic conjuring at Cafe des Deux Moulin.

Continue reading 17 great destinations for romance

17 great destinations for romance originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 21 May 2010 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Trade Mocked

Andrew Evans — Sat, 10 Apr 2010 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Business, Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, Oceania, South America, Algeria, Congo, Ethiopia, Gambia, Morocco, South Africa, Zambia, Bangladesh, Iran, Israel, Malaysia, Maldives, Pakistan, Russian Federation, Turkey, United Arab, Emirates, Vietnam, Albania, Andorra, Austria, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Lithuania, Monaco, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Bahamas, Belize, Canada, Costa Rica, Dominica, El Salvador, Jamaica, United States, Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Internet Tools, Middle East, Central America, Caribbean, French Polynesia

You were a cheerleader, you dated a cheerleader, or you hated the cheerleaders. As I recall, that's how high school worked.

Thanks to travel PR, that same primeval paradigm lives on long after graduation. That miniskirts-shouting-slogans thing still works, whether you're a used car salesman, Miley Cyrus on VH1 or the tourist board of a small Balkan nation. When it comes to selling your destination in today's busy world of busy people, a country's name just isn't enough--just like school spirit, you need colors, a pep band, a mascot, a brand and most important--a cheer.

It's tragic but true: tourist boards don't trust their country's name to inspire appropriate thoughts in your brain. Toponyms are too open-ended and too untrustworthy--also, way too obvious. For example, what's the first thing that pops into your head when I say . . . Monte Carlo? How about Australia? The Bahamas? Kuwait? The Gambia?

Whatever you're thinking, it's not enough. Tourist boards want you to choose their destination over all others, then allocate all of your vacation days to them and then come spend your money on very specific things--like miniature golf by the sea or hot air balloon rides across the prairie. In short, they want your school spirit so much they're churning out cheers to fill up all the Swiss cheese holes in your mental map of the world.

Like a good cheer, a good destination slogan is simple and so memorable it sticks in your head like two-sided tape. Sex sells, but then so does love: "Virginia is for Lovers", Hungary offers visitors "A Love for Life", Albania promises "A New Mediterranean Love", while the highlighted "I feel Slovenia" spells out sweetly "I Feel Love". Meanwhile, Bosnia & Herzegovina call themselves "the Heart Shaped Land" and Denmark's logo is a red heart with a white cross. Colombia and Dubai have red hearts in their logo. Everybody else uses sunshine.

Continue reading Trade Mocked

Trade Mocked originally appeared on Gadling on Sat, 10 Apr 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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