The dream. Or at least, it always was for me, since I was young. Ever since I poured over travel magazines, with pictures of the islands plastered across the pages- insanely blue water and mystical jungle covered mountains, where whales swim in the deep and coral reefs circle lagoons. And finally, I got to see it all for myself.
It was unsurprisingly, a very long journey. First an 11 hour flight to LA followed by an eight hour one over the Pacific. Somehow though, it was almost the same day when we arrived. 12 hour time difference is wild. We landed in Tahiti, the main island, where the day was getting underway. We got the ferry straight away, to Moorea, the beautiful, wild island just across the water. And already, we were spotting pods of dolphins and the spouts of whales. Moorea loomed ahead; jagged mountains covered with jungle, and bright blue lagoons fringing the shores.
Our Airbnb was adorable. A villa on a hillside with a pool of its own, sea view on one side, the hills on the other. Frangipani everywhere and myna birds singing. We walked around to explore the area. Everyone was friendly; Polynesians are full of life and character, and are often singing and always smiling. We stocked up on supplies (all the same brands as in France, and everyone speaks French. It’s like a little piece of tropical France). And the best place to watch the sun set, we found, was by the pool, as the sky turns orange and paints the sky beneath it the same color.
One of the main reasons I’d come all this way, was because I’d read a long time ago it’s one of the best and few places in the world where you can swim with humpback whales. Each year these majestic animals make the long journey from Antarctica to the warm waters off the coast here, before returning a few months later. And they had just arrived. So I booked a couple of tours with Moorea Moana Tours to hopefully get the chance to experience that. I was picked up early morning, still dark out. We boarded the small boat as dawn was breaking, and puttered out of the lagoon, into the wider ocean as the sun rose. All our eyes were peeled for the whales. Eventually our guide spotted them, their spouts. We observed them for a while, to see if they were going to stick around, and when we decided they were, it was time to get in the water. It was slightly unnerving, out in the middle of the Pacific. Cold, clear blue water, but no whales to be seen. Seemed they were shy and were swimming away. We weren’t going to chase them or bother them, so we got back on the boat. I found out it’s notoriously hard, to actually swim with them, but still felt lucky to have been able to see them so close by from the boat.
The next morning, it was time to try again. This time I brought Maya along too, to stay on the boat but to experience the whales anyway. The waves were large, tossing the little boat. But we persevered, and saw dolphins and a turtle, before the captain spotted the whales. Again, we watched them first, for a while, before entering the water. The waves were even bigger, and it was hard work swimming toward them. But this time, we were rewarded for our efforts. Three of them. Slowly moving through the deep blue, like giant ghosts. A mother, large baby, and a male who had tagged along for company. So graceful, for such giant creatures. The world seemed to slow, for the few moments they were there. Then again, they were gone, swallowed by the endless blue. But you could hear them, their cries to each other. Like nothing else. It was an unforgettable, magical experience, and the crew were amazing- professional yet passionate about the whales, and the ocean in general.
After the whales, there was still much exploring to be done. Like testing all the beaches on the island. Our favorites were Tamae Beach, the largest on the island, with groves of palm trees and the bluest water you’ve ever seen. Then there was Taiahura which was closer to our place. With rocks you could swim to, inhabited by little fish, and places to just chill in the warm water. And if you went a bit further, a secret beach, where we spotted a sting ray and had the clear lagoon almost to ourselves.
We also rented a little car to explore the interior of the island; those moody peaks and mysterious coves, chancing upon wild horses and pineapple plantations. The island was one of the most magical places, and watching it grow smaller from the ferry a week later was definitely harder than I’d expected. Luckily though, we still had a day in Tahiti itself, to explore the main island.
We checked into our new Airbnb, also cute, close to the beach and the hills behind. The roads were busier, but it was interesting to really be part of Polynesian life. The nearby beach was a beauty; long and golden and full of coconut trees. We spent the whole day there, as well as exploring the hills behind our house, complete with little waterfall. That evening we saw a beautiful sunset over the sea, and Moorea, in the distance. And watched as the sky was full of a million stars, and a giant, silver full moon was shining above the hills behind.
Practical Information
Getting here- Tahiti is a bit of a trek to get to, as it is after all in the middle of the Pacific. If coming from Europe, you will most likely have to transfer through Los Angeles. It is quite a journey, but well worth it. From Tahiti, ferries run frequently to Moorea and back again. I booked in advance with Terevau but there are tickets available on the day too.
Where to stay- we really liked both the Airbnbs we stayed in. There are lots of options on the site.
Getting around- a car is recommended to really explore the islands. In Moorea we used Vaiana and they were great. We didn’t rent a car in Tahiti since we were only there a day. Tess’s taxis on Moorea is a friendly local company to use if you don’t have a car.
What to do- the beaches and ocean are the main attraction, of course. If you’re there in season, between mid July and November, make sure to go and look for the whales. Use a reputable company, like Moorea Moana Tours.
When to visit- whale season is mid July to November. This also coincides with the best weather on the islands, but remember these are tropical places so rain can fall at any time. We had a lot of lovely weather when we were there, but be prepared all the same since when it rains, it pours! The Tahiti news website is the best place to look at a detailed weather forecast.
Other tips- French Polynesia is an expensive destination, so keep that in mind. Knowing some French is really helpful! And most of the foods in Europe can be found here too. Also the flights are long so do as we did and take a stopover on the way or way back, in the USA, if you can. You will definitely want to bring a waterproof camera along. I used Diji Osmo and it worked really well!
Thanks to Maya for the photos, company and laughs xx
https://www.terevau.pf/en/schedules/
