No not our Patrick. :lol: http://www.maohinui.net/index.php?optio ... 21&Itemid=
Patrick Tairua runs independent tours of Bora Bora which have been favorably reviewed on http://cruisecritic.com. With just one day there 5 of us on Paul Gauguin opted for this comprehensive tour. In the morning Patrick drives us into the rugged hills for panoramic views. Don't try this in a rental car; check out the road, and this was dry season.
The US chose Bora Bora to establish a military presence in French Polynesia during WWII. Here's one of the guns overlooking the lagoon entrance and the Paul Gauguin.
More lagoon views from the hills.
Bora Bora has large motus on its outer reef and there are several luxury hotels on the motus as well as on the main island.
Vanilla beans drying.
About noon we transfer to a boat and head out to a motu for lunch. They have cooked a whole pig in the ground with other traditional Polynesian dishes. Our lunch table is in shallow water with a view of the main island.
The afternoon is spent circling most of the lagoon with 3 snorkel stops. The first stop was outside the reef where snorkelers could see the blacktip and lemon sharks. The second stop was a shallow area where we could feed the stingrays.
Many of the luxury hotels are near the south tip of Bora Bora. Multiple story overwater bungalows at the Intercontinental here:
Bora Bora Beach Resort with mountain backdrop:
These places are extremely (read heliski level once you include food and excursions) expensive. The Paul Gauguin is not cheap, but I think it's the best way to see these islands. If you want a land based resort in the South Pacific, Fiji is a better value IMHO.
We had a 3rd snorkel stop with the typical degraded coral but an abundance of colorful fish and other sea life. Our guide brought us back to the dock, playing his ukulele and steering the boat with his feet.
This was a great way to see Bora Bora. I got back to the ship and was soon off to my night dive.
Patrick Tairua runs independent tours of Bora Bora which have been favorably reviewed on http://cruisecritic.com. With just one day there 5 of us on Paul Gauguin opted for this comprehensive tour. In the morning Patrick drives us into the rugged hills for panoramic views. Don't try this in a rental car; check out the road, and this was dry season.
The US chose Bora Bora to establish a military presence in French Polynesia during WWII. Here's one of the guns overlooking the lagoon entrance and the Paul Gauguin.
More lagoon views from the hills.
Bora Bora has large motus on its outer reef and there are several luxury hotels on the motus as well as on the main island.
Vanilla beans drying.
About noon we transfer to a boat and head out to a motu for lunch. They have cooked a whole pig in the ground with other traditional Polynesian dishes. Our lunch table is in shallow water with a view of the main island.
The afternoon is spent circling most of the lagoon with 3 snorkel stops. The first stop was outside the reef where snorkelers could see the blacktip and lemon sharks. The second stop was a shallow area where we could feed the stingrays.
Many of the luxury hotels are near the south tip of Bora Bora. Multiple story overwater bungalows at the Intercontinental here:
Bora Bora Beach Resort with mountain backdrop:
These places are extremely (read heliski level once you include food and excursions) expensive. The Paul Gauguin is not cheap, but I think it's the best way to see these islands. If you want a land based resort in the South Pacific, Fiji is a better value IMHO.
We had a 3rd snorkel stop with the typical degraded coral but an abundance of colorful fish and other sea life. Our guide brought us back to the dock, playing his ukulele and steering the boat with his feet.
This was a great way to see Bora Bora. I got back to the ship and was soon off to my night dive.
