Tahiti is a steep-sloped, mountainous island with deep valleys, giant waterfalls, and prehistoric jungle-fauna. The entire island is ringed by perfect, surfable waves and a plunging coral wall. The wall breaks the waves, creating a mellow, coral-filled shallow lagoon that comes right to the shore.
Fakarava's charm is entirely different. It's a coral reef atoll - in a sea others just like it - that rises no more than 6 feet out of the ocean. Nothing remains of the Tahiti-like island that once stood there - all that is left after millions of years of erosion is the coral wall that ringed the ancient island. Where once stood terra-firma is now a vast, bluer than blue lagoon. The diving is spectacular.
We didn't do a whole lot on either island - but that was the point. Still I managed to snap nearly 1,500 pictures, some of which I think convey the richness of the colors and culture we experienced.
OUR DIGS
Tahiti
The Taaroa Lodge - our place right on the water
our beach shack and view
view of lagoon and Mo'orea from our place; you can see the thin white-line of waves breaking on the outer reef wall
Fakarava
Pension Kiria - nope, its not Disneyland. Our hut is on the left.
home
view out the front door
WHAT WE DID
Tahiti
a visit to the Grotto Marie - caves, ferns, and tropical fauna galore. BTW, this is where Home Depot gets all their indoor plants
Tahitian religious site, a Marae
gliding over the corals while kayaking in the coral-lagoon
Fakarava
biking along the only road on the whole island
another kayaking tour
feeding frigates
OUR FRIENDS
Tahiti
AJ in the garden with Canelle and Ici - they visited often
always the geckos
Canelle and J on the porch
Fakarava
THE SUNSETS
Tahiti
Fakarava
FLOWERING FAUNA
JUST SOME COOL SHOTS
AND A FEW PICS OF US...
