houndlady
After visiting Ra'iātea five times and living there for a short while, I feel it is safe to say, I love the place! If you should visit, you must make the climb to Tapaoi Hill. The views are amazing! (Ra'iātea happens to be the second largest of the Society Islands, second to Tahiti.)There is something for everyone! If you love to explore, it's yours! You can rent a car, take a day trip by boat or book a tour by vehicle and oh so much fun! You can also go by foot! You can snorkel or dive till your heart is content and I promise, you will enjoy some of the best underwater sight seeing in the world! Of course you can explore the vanilla plantations while making the purchase of a life time! The vanilla is the best! I am still using mine and it is over ten years old! You can also shop for your perfect pearl and so, so much more! If you like to explore, the list is endless!The town of Uturoa is full of little shops, full of treasures well worth their price. After all, you most likely won't be returning on a regular basis so if you shop wisely,you will walk away with a treasure of a lifetime! My advice however is, take your time and visit several shops. You'll be glad you did!Yes, I would go back in a second! To this day it calls! French Polynesia is magical, beautiful and well worth the time it takes to get there! The Polynesians are beautiful people!If you find yourself thinking about taking that dream vacation and you really want to explore first, just Google Raiatea, Bora Bora, or Pape'ete which by the way, is the city you will fly to before you make your way to the other islands. A great hotel in Pape'ete is, Hotel Tiare. I have stayed there every time I visit. The prices are reasonable and I have always been received warmly. One plus too is, it's close to shopping and you can get around by foot! One great place to visit and can be reached by foot is, Le Marche. It is huge and pretty much provides a one stop shopping adventure all it's own! There is food and drink there too! Let me suggest that you visit Le Marche as you make your return home. Assuming of course you have time and that you are staying overnight in Pape'ete ! That way, you can polish off that shopping list!In the evening, across from the hotel along the water front, you will find lined up all the various types of Roulades. The French word roulade means "to roll". Crepes take on a whole new meaning at a Roulade. If you have a sweet tooth, look no further! If on the other hand you need something more substantial, look no further! The prices are very reasonable and you won't walk away hungry!Last bit of advice: If you are thinking about making your way to the islands and this is your first time, Google is your best friend! Trip Advisor is a great place to explore too! Take your time and do your homework! You will be so glad you did! I have included a link for Ra'iātea research. It is perfect, providing more than enough information to help you better understand the island, where to stay and such. Here it is: http://www.raiatea.com/A GREAT place to stay on Ra'iātea is Sunset Raiatea. The owner's speak several languages, one of which is English: http://www.sunset-raiatea.pf/And remember! "All who wander, are not lost!" Happy travels!
