Where's Johnny Jet? Island Hopping in the South Pacific

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Ia orana! We left off last time from one of the world's most beautiful (and most expensive) islands, Moorea! This week, we continue with our four-island trip to French Polynesia and take a 30-minute flight to Raiatea before transferring by boat to a secluded island called Taha'a! It's as close to Fantasy Island as you can get with five-star, luxury overwater bungalows and practically no one else around.

Hotel to Airport

From the Moorea Pearl Beach Resort, Natalie and I took a 10-minute shuttle to the Temae Airport. The transfer was part of our package deal and it was operated by a small Moorea tour bus. They showed up on time as did the other passengers but a high maintenance Italian couple, with their five monster-sized suitcases and oversized painting, were 15 minutes late, holding us all up. The bus was hot since the doors were open and everyone (including myself) was perturbed that we didn't just leave their unapologetic a*ses behind. But the driver must have known our flight was delayed (by 30 minutes) and just kept his laidback island attitude (it must be instilled at birth!)

Moorea Airport

The Moorea airport has high ceilings, not much air conditioning, a few shops and a bar where they sell bottles of water for just 150 CFP ($1.60USD). Check-in felt like the old days of travel. There was just one agent. He ticked names off of a handwritten list, weighed the bags on an antique scale and there were no security questions or checkpoints. I actually loved the fact there was no security because it's such a hassle and is it really going to deter anyone? Even in the U.S., it's pretty much a joke and any terrorist could get around it. Heck, even I can get around it (and have). The one thing I didn't like about Air Tahiti is that they don't tell you what's going on. There was no announcement that the flight was delayed.

Moorea to Raiatea

We flew an ATR 72 plane to Raiatea. Air Tahiti doesn't assign seats so when we boarded (from the back), I asked the flight attendant which side of the plane offered the best view. She said the left. Keep in mind, the plane's overhead space is very limited so if your carry-on won't fit under your seat, you will most certainly have to check it. Don't forget to take all your valuables out. Flight time is a short 30 minutes and it was smooth. The pretty flight attendants in their colorful uniforms went up and down the aisle serving pineapple punch. The rude, newly married Italian couple were sitting three rows behind us and they were still fighting. I forgot to mention that they argued the whole time on the bus and they weren't shy about it. On the flight, the woman was bawling so loud that the flight attendant went over to her and asked if she wanted to see the cockpit – while we were in the air. She shook her head “no” so when the flight attendant made her way up to me, I asked if I started crying, would I be able to visit the cockpit? She smiled and said she'd check with the pilot but she didn't come out again until landing. How did I know that was going to happen?

Raiatea to Taha'a

After a smooth touchdown, Natalie and I walked inside the airport and proceeded to the booth sporting our hotel's name. The young rep was there and gave us tags to identify our bags, which came out within five minutes. He carried as much as he could (there was another couple) and we walked 50 yards to the airport dock where the Le Taha'a X was waiting. The boat transfer is 30 minutes and it's not out in the open ocean so it doesn't get crazy rough. We pretty much hugged the coast of the island of Taha'a, which is the fourth largest of the Society Islands (Tahiti, Moorea and Raiatea are the others). The boat is brand new and has a teak floors and everyone sits down below on the comfortable white seats, stares out the open windows and daydreams.

Le Taha'a Private Island & Spa

Surprisingly, for such a nice resort, they didn't offer a cold towel or anything to drink on the boat. However, the moment we arrived, there was a welcome delegation with cool fragrant towels, cold tropical drinks the color of the lagoon and flower leis. Le Taha'a Private Island & Spa opened in July 2002 and was designed to be the most exclusive resort in French Polynesia. The hotel has won numerous awards including making Conde Nast's Gold List. It's safe to say that they've accomplished their goal because the 60-room (48 overwater bungalows, 10 beach suites and two super beach suites) resort makes you feel like you are out in the middle of the South Pacific all by yourself. There's no boat traffic like in Bora Bora and the bungalows are reasonably spread out. The resort is isolated and it's not actually on the island of Taha'a. It's located on a motu (a small islet) on a coral reef on the lagoon side of the island of Taha'a with Bora Bora in the background. The resort is owned by the Pearl Hotel group but run by the swanky Relais Chataeux consortium.

Overwater Bungalows

Natalie and I were in one of the overwater bungalows. These things are so nice that they made the ones at their sister property (the Moorea Pearl Resort) look like Motel 6. Okay, that's an exaggeration but you get the point. The big differences were the space, the seclusion and the authentic Polynesian style. They are more than a hundred square meters (328 feet) in size. They all have a king size bed, a ship shaped desk and tub, a small flat screen TV with satellite, A/C, phone, high ceilings with a fan, plenty of closet space (one has snorkel gear), a luxurious bathroom that includes a separate stone shower and private toilet. There are also some really nice touches. For example, at the foot of the bed, a glass bottom table can be lifted up to feed or simply stare at the fish below in amazement. There's nothing like seeing eagle rays swim underneath in the thigh deep light green crystal water. There's also a similar hatch next to the tub so you're never far away from the action!

The Back Deck

The bungalows also come with a private balcony, with two comfortable multi-position lounge chairs and a covered, outdoor dining table. There's plenty of space and that doesn't include the stairwell to a smaller lower deck with an outdoor shower and an algae covered ladder. I'm not sure why they don't go around and clean the slippery ladders every week but I think it might be a good idea unless it's not environmentally friendly (which might be the case). For sure, the windows could use a cleaning as they were a bit dirty for a five-star resort. I know: picky, picky, picky! But these things are a no-brainer and so easy to do. I also didn't like the fact that they don't give guests the option to use the same towels or sheets for more than one day, which would be more environmentally friendly. The maids are meticulous about cleaning the rooms twice a day however I did find a roach. I felt it crawling on me in the middle of the night so I had to feed him to the fish. That didn't bother me because when you are in the tropics, you expect to see lots of insects and bugs, even in five-star hotels. Except for Mr. Roach, our room was bug free. Another plus about French Polynesia is that there are no poisonous creatures to worry about ... unlike Australia. BTW: I was actually happy you-know-who woke me up in the middle of the night because I ended up going out on the back deck and lying out there for a good 30 minutes. It was so magical and peaceful. The sky was spectacular, dotted with so many brightly lit stars and the occasional one shooting through the infinite galaxy above.

Dining

The hotel's public areas are manicured perfectly and they have 150 staff for 120 guests. That's an unreal ratio. Only a few staff members (managers) are lucky enough to live on the island. The others all commute from Taha'a, which is an eight-minute boat ride away. The shuttle is continuously running back and forth (except in the middle of the night) and guests are welcome to go for the ride. The resort has three restaurants and two bars. With the exception of the pool bar and restaurant, they are built up in the trees that provide an exquisite view of the lagoon and Taha'a Island. Vanille is the main restaurant and Ohiri is for fine dining (you should wear pants and a button down shirt). The food is top-notch at both places and the fresh squeezed pineapple juice is amazing. Every Tuesday night, there's an elaborate Polynesian BBQ and show put on by the resort staff, which is quite entertaining. Also, in the main building but on the lower level next to the lobby, is the business center with wireless Internet (1500 CFP = $16USD ) for 24 hours, a shop and the concierge.

Activities

If you get bored, there are lots of free activities at the resort, which include use of the gym, kayaks, outrigger canoes, snorkeling equipment, tennis and wind surfing. There are also jet skis available for rent and a slew of excursions that can be arranged: shark feeding, day or sunset cruise, a jeep safari on the main island. Natalie and I booked a jeep safari (more below) but the coolest free thing we did was grabbing some snorkel gear and a kayak and paddling out in the shallow waters to a private motu, then wading through the water until we reached a coral garden. It was so cool. The only thing that could have made it better is if the hotel created a program (or assigned a worker) to pick up the garbage that the locals leave behind from picnics and bonfires. Don't forget to pack water shoes since the ground, at parts, is a bit sharp.

Did You Know? The island of Taha'a has a population of about 5,000 and there are just two hotels and about 10 bed and breakfasts.

Tour of Taha'a

When we got off the shuttle boat at Tapu'amu wharf on Taha'a, a few local tour guides were waiting. Two couples had arranged for a tour through the hotel while we had made our arrangements privately (it's cheaper). The hotel concierge was sure to tell us that they don't recommend booking anything on your own. I thought it was just so they made a commission. However, they might have had a point because it didn't meet their standards. Later in the day, the couples who had taken a hotel-arranged tour told us they absolutely loved it but ours was just okay. Our driver from Vaipoe Tours (tel: 79 26 01) was very nice and knowledgeable. He was waiting for us with his open-air Land Rover that had fitted, flower-patterned covers (which kept falling off) over the long bench seats. He asked if we wanted to sit up front with him or in the back. We figured we'd go for the authentic tour and sit in the back even though it's probably less safe. He showed us on a map where we were going, told us all the history and stopped at every different tree or bush and pointed out the different fruits (mangoes, papayas, avocadoes, grapefruit, breadfruit, jackfruit, coconut, soursop); flowers (hibiscus, gardenia, heliconias, flamingo, orchids); and types of trees (teak, rosewood). If nothing else, it was a very informative tour.

Grocery Store

About 10 minutes into the tour, our guide asked us if we wanted anything from the grocery store. Of course, we wanted to buy some cold drinks and check out what their grocery stores look like. I loved the fact that they sell fresh baguettes and what's even cooler is that our guide later pointed out what looked like long narrow mailboxes in front of most houses. But they're not mailboxes, they're really breadboxes (long enough to fit a baguette) so that fresh bread can be delivered each day. Too cool! He explained that most stores are owned by the Chinese and that 80% of all businesses in French Polynesia are owned by the Chinese as well. I'm not sure if that's true. It seems an awfully high percentage considering I don't think I saw one Chinese person the whole trip.

Vanilla Plantation

Taha'a is often referred to as the Vanilla Island since it's responsible for about 70% of Polynesia's vanilla production. It's estimated that they produce 25 tons a year. We visited a vanilla farm owned by a Danish man and his wife. He tours guests around while she manages the store. Being part Danish, the first question I asked him was if he missed Denmark. He said that when he gets homesick, he sticks his head in the freezer and that does the trick. Funny guy, eh? He showed us step-by-step how the precious vanilla orchid grows and is cultivated. It's not an easy process and requires some human intervention. I videotaped it all using my FlipVideo but it's not easy to post the file online. Once I figure it out, I will insert a link so you can see exactly how the black gold of Polynesia is created. Like a good tourist, I did buy some vanilla (600 CPF = $6.42 USD a bottle). I passed on the vanilla coffee, tea, perfume, soap and candles ... But I did learn that you can make your own vanilla extract by just getting 20 beans and putting them in a bottle with rum. All the restaurants do it since it's so much cheaper.

Rum and Coke

Speaking of rum ... When it was time to go, our guide was hanging out under the cool shade with a few locals in the open-air store. He was drinking Coke in a glass, which I thought was too civilized. Then I remembered that he'd bought a bottle of rum with his bottle of Coke during our earlier stop at the grocery store. He gave the rum to the Danish guy but since his eyes looked a little red, I think he must have cracked it open while we were on the tour. I'm not 100% sure that that was the case but I would bet the house he did. It didn't sit well that there was even a chance our guide and driver was drinking while on the job. I realize that there are barely any cars on the road (there are actually more boats than cars here), but that's hardly the point. It's not cool to drink and drive under any circumstances.

Black Pearl Farm

When we stopped at our guide's small, company-owned pearl farm and he took a leak in front of the truck on the side of the road, I was then pretty certain he'd been drinking. Their pearl farm wasn't a working one so it was a joke compared to the one I'd seen in Fiji and other ones on the island. He began explaining the long, boring process and all I could think about was how to end the tour and go back to our fantasy hotel room. After about 15 minutes (that was 14 minutes too long), I finally interrupted him and said we'd seen enough. I'd cut the tour a few hours short, which meant we'd be skipping the motu picnic. He was cool about it and didn't give us any high-pressure sales pitch to buy black pearls, which I thought he would have done. He drove us carefully and safely back to the wharf, which only took 15 minutes since cut through the middle of the island.

Manea Spa

We had some lunch at the hotel pool, went for a snorkel and then booked a Monoï Maitai massage (24,000 CFP = $257 USD for two) at the Manea Spa. It's a small, well-run, beautiful facility that's nestled in the shade of a coconut grove between a small lake and the lagoon. It was built from all natural materials in pure Polynesian style. The tranquil spa offers up a typical menu of services for face, body and hair but many of the treatments use local fruits, flowers and, you guessed it, vanilla for a fragrant and calming effect.

Ocean Side

Le Taha'a could change its name to Fantasy Island because when it's sunny and clear, the place is jaw droppingly beautiful. The colors change with the clouds and position of the sun so the view never gets old. I must have taken a thousand pictures each day. One evening, Natalie and I went exploring and realized that the whole island doesn't belong to the resort. We later learned that the back half (the ocean side) has a couple of modest weekend homes owned by locals. Getting there is about a 12-minute, eerie and quiet walk. You don't hear anything except the sound of the giant land crabs scurrying back into their holes. We went down to see the sunset, which is stunning, but back there can be kind of creepy since there's no one around and the path to get there is deserted. It's so different from the resort because it's not groomed. You almost feel like you are in an episode of Lost and you're the star! I scared the heck out of Natalie when I suddenly "disappeared" on her but reappeared when she went booking down the path! Le Taha'a Private Island & Spa, Tel: (689) 60 84 00. Rack rates begin at 95,000 CFP ($1,012USD) but you can get much better deals by going through a tour operator or my travel agent. I use Jean-Louis Delezenne from FlyTahiti.com. He's basically Mr. Tahiti. He's a French guy who lives in L.A. but has a house in Moorea and knows and loves the islands so much it's contagious. Jean-Louis' email is meherio@yahoo.com.

Tip: Be sure to put bug spray on when the sun goes down.

Note: This trip was sponsored by Tahiti Tourisme.

Johnny Jet has been featured over 1,000 times in major publications, including USA Today, Time, Fortune and The New York Times, and has appeared on ABC, CBS, CNBC, MSNBC, NBC, FOX News Channel, and PBS. JohnnyJet.com has been named "one of the top best money-saving web sites for travel" by Budget Travel Magazine, while the L.A. Times calls it "one of the top 10 essential travel resources on the internet." In the May 2007 issue of Outside Magazine, Johnny Jet was touted for having one of the world's best "dream jobs". Every week Johnny hosts a "travel website of the week" for several radio stations around the country, he writes weekly for Frommers.com and he has written for USA Today, The Boston Herald and Coast Magazine. Sign up today for Johnny Jet's free weekly travel newsletter at www.johnnyjet.com.

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