French Polynesia Islands - Passports Overloaded

Rangiroa, French Polynesia

March 3, 2025 – March 3, 2025

Wetraveled to one of Rangiroa’s renowned black pearl farms, learn how these lustrous treasures are produced and graded, and browse for unset pearls at the onsite shop. It’s certainly very much a hands-on operation, too, as you’ll soon see as the farm staff provides some background on the evolution of the industry and on how these special black-lipped pearl oysters are selected, grown and grafted for production. After hearing it described, you’ll see the process underway as you tour the work sheds and observe a grafter skillfully plying his trade. After a time, you’ll have the opportunity to view a selection of unset black pearls available for purchase. Shape and luster are both key components of the pearl grading scale, and your guide will demonstrate the criteria used.

If you would like to see where and what we ate while visiting Rangiroa

Nuku Hiva, French Polynesia

March 1, 2025 – March 1, 2025

Take a guided group drive by 4WD caravan into the lush valley described by Herman Melville and survived by 2001’s intrepid Survivor contestants. A famously rugged paradise, Taipivai Valley spectacularly beautiful, rich in archeological sites, and yours to discover during this adventurous excursion. Melville was first to bring this place to the attention of the outside world in his 1846 bestseller, Typee. Part novel, part real-life travelogue, the book recounts Melville’s month spent living as guest and captive of the exotic – and reputedly savage – locals after deserted his whaling ship here on Nuku Hiva. The fact that the Survivor TV series chose to base their 2001 competition here indicates how little things have changed in Taipivai Valley in the intervening years.

If you would like to see where and what we ate while visiting Nuku Hiva

Fakarava, French Polynesia

February 27, 2025 – February 27, 2025

Pure, pristine and dreamlike, the ecosystem of this gorgeous island is home to extremely rare birds, plants and crustaceans. Quaint villages, old coral churches and welcoming people are intertwined with a spectacular lagoon creating a paradise like none other in the world.

If you would like to see where and what we ate while visiting Fakarava

Moorea, French Polynesia

February 26, 2025 – February 26, 2025

Enjoy a scenic orientation drive around Moorea’s ring road, see the views from high Belvedere Lookout, and visit galleries showcasing island artwork. The distance around this idyllic island is only some 38 miles and the route is loaded with captivating sights and photo opportunities. Ride past fields of pineapples ripening in the sun, visit an ancient Tahitian stone temple, or marae, en route to the Belvedere, where magnificent views of Cook’s Bay, Opunohu Bay and Mt. Rotui await.

If you would like to see where and what we ate while visiting Moorea

Papeete, Tahiti (French Polynesia)

February 24, 2025 – February 26, 2025

Papeete, French Polynesia Hotel

January 24, 2015

We were only at this hotel for one night waiting to catch our flight to Bora Bora the next morning. I don’t remember the name of the hotel.

Four Seasons – Bora Bora, South Pacific

January 21, 2015

We flew to Papeete and caught a connecting flight to Bora Bora and our Four Seasons Hotel boat was there to pick us up and take us to the hotel. Once there we checked in, and we were driven to our hut above the water by a golf cart. We had one of the best huts it was all the way at the end so when we had complete privacy.

The spa at the Four Seasons is by far one of the best I’ve ever been to!

Noumea – New Calendonia

February 06, 2015

We boarded our tour bus and drove along the beautiful coast to the FOL lookout point. En route, we passed the Southern Province Government House, Port Plaisance Shopping Center and the Yacht Club.

The cosmopolitan city of Noumea, which is decidedly French. Noumea is known as the “Paris of the Pacific.” We stopped at the Ouen Toro scenic lookout, where we saw New Caledonia’s barrier reef, which is the world’s second longest, the largest is Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. The lookout is also home to a memorial honoring the Allied troops that protected the French colony of New Caledonia during World War II. Our tour guide told us that they still have US Jeeps on the island from the war and one of the locals favorite food is the hamburger which was introduced to them when our troops were there. The island still has deep ties to France, best expressed with French cuisine and French wines.

We stopped at La Coupole French restaurant. Known for having one of the South Pacific’s finest wine cellars, made the wine and cheese tasting that much sweeter.

After our wine and cheese tasting, we drove back to the pier.

Suva, Fiji

February 04, 2015

Today we drove to Raiwaqa Village where they had a Fijian kava ceremony and showed us how they cook in the ground with banana leaves and the many uses of coconuts. After the show, we had a delicious lunch that the locals in the village prepared for us.

After lunch, we boarded a longboat and cruised on the Navua River for 45 minutes en route to the Magic Waterfall; Navua’s largest waterfall where we went swimming in the chilly water.

Lautoka, Fiji

February 03, 2015 – Garden of the Sleeping Giant

Today we drove through fields of sugar cane en route to the village of Viseisei. The locals greeted us with a Fijian song and dance, and they also had a traditional Yaqona (Kava) ceremony.

Kava is a tranquilizing, non-alcoholic drink which numbs the tongue and lips and comes from the dried roots of the pepper plant. The ceremonial preparation for drinking Kava is the honored rite of the formal life of Fijians, performed for any significant occasion, including births, marriages, deaths, official visits or the installation of a new chief.

After the Kava ceremony, we went to the famous orchid garden called the Garden of the Sleeping Giant which is set within the backdrop of a magnificent mountain (the Sleeping Giant). Walking in the garden was dangerous because the wood walkways had moss and it they were wet, and some were steep. Some of the people from our tour ended up falling. luckily John and I didn’t fall. We also visited an Indian temple called Sri Krishna Kaliya Temple.

Alphabetic Links of Where We’ve Been