Tahiti is exactly as you imagine it. Seriously. The coconut palms reaching up from the volcanic sandy beaches, the tuna hanging from rope on the side of the road being sold by smiling locals, and afternoon rain showers cascading down the verdant peaks. As far as your eye can see, there is a postcard image in every direction. I was lucky enough to visit here with some friends for a sailing adventure.
The first thing which surprised me was the incredible foliage. Blooms of every kind adorned the low hanging branches and vines down streets and sidewalks, even in the main city of Pape’ete. The whole experience is pretty spectacular. Flowers which I’d previously only seen in photos of far off places were pretty much everywhere, and the smell was sweet and cheerful. On hikes, I would sometimes have to stop just to gently touch the different flowers which appeared to beautiful to be real.
The second thing which surprised me was just how incredible every view was in every direction. Green peaks stood high above the deep blue water in every direction. Most interesting of all were the gray clouds that layer upon layer were piled up high, as all clouds choose the loftiest peaks to pile themselves upon. (bonus points for you if you recognized this snippet from Moby Dick.)
Sailing was easy from the winds, and the passages short and simple. Most islands are within 15nm of each other making island hopping a very low impact day. There are some wonderful atolls further away called “Fakarava,” but we didn’t want to steal a boat, and frankly, we didn’t think we’d get away with out theft, so we stayed around the Society Islands and enjoy every bit of it.
Hilariously, we caught exactly one fish the entire trip, a nice Trevally which was released. Despite going to great lengths to have three fishing rods there and having all the tuna catching rigs we could manage, not a single tuna made it to the table. Apparently, the fishing there is done quite close to the island, who knew?
As we made our way around the different islands, we noticed something which has become commonplace in my travels. The areas where the locals are, where the most beautiful and authentic parts of a country reside, are not on the well worn path of internet booking sites. Infact, many of these places seem hidden from the visitor as if the reality of a place is a blemish on the land. We saw this primarily in Bora Bora. Load after load of tourists boarded well-equipped boats made to look like an outrigger canoe. The jetlagged visitors are expeditiously shuttled off to a bungalow whose interior looks suspiciously similar to the interior of their house which they just came from. While there is no shame in taking an easy trip to a country you’ve never visited before, I have to wonder if people are aware of the natural beauty which is easily obscured by the flashy brochures of manufactured experiences.
My goal is not to criticize, or diminish the easy resort vacation. My goal is to point out there is an alternative which offers a more authentic experience of whatever place you choose to visit. Not only will this save you money, but you will more directly contribute to the local economy. Since we all get to choose with our dollars (see post about getting my clothes made in Shanghai) we might as well choose something of quality and depth. With the advent of Air BNB, there is almost no place on earth you cannot book a room with ease and save some money along the way. Once you’ve found your place to stay, a quick internet search will reveal a treasure trove of local operators who can offer tours of all manners. Are you a foodie like me? Then get a local market tour, or take a cooking class! Artist? Take an art class learning a local technique. Hell, even if you say, “all I wanna do is relax and drink,” I promise you will be able to find a local guide to take you on a bar hop of the most authentic local brews/liquors available.
Does it take more time? Yes. BUT, you’ll save money, and you’ll be getting the real deal (or as real as a foreigner can)
As of writing this (a while after the fact) I’ve been full time traveling for about 14 months and can assure you, there are spectacular thing out there to see. You don’t have to be young, adventurous, or rich. You just need to have some curiosity and give it a shot.
The next time you think of going somewhere, make sure you at least take a peek at what is behind the flashy booking websites and give the local scene a try.
