We had a very nice dinner at the rooftop bar at our hotel (the idea of trying to go anywhere further was beyond our capacities). A white pizza with goat cheese and honey plus a beer and some water. We managed to stay awake for that, and then went off to bed. I’m confident so was asleep within 30 seconds of turning out my light. Possibly 15 seconds.
We both are a bit off on time zones so we were up before our alarm. Showered and dressed, we sat down for a cup of coffee at 6:10 when we noticed that our 7:50am flight landed at 8:30, despite being 1.5 hours long. That didn’t seem right. Probably because I had transposed a number somewhere along the way and our flight was actually at 7:05! By some miracle, we managed to make it to the airport and board our flight in under 30 minutes. Phew!
After another turbulence-filled flight, we arrived in Huahine. Getting a rental car was tricky. I had emailed the agency, but apparently I didn’t get all the way to a confirmation because nobody was at the airport waiting for us. A baggage handler ended up calling the rental agency for us and we got it sorted out. Must remember…island time.
Today was an on-and-off rainy day, but we decided to make the best of it and so we headed out for Maeva – an archeological sight that resembles a smaller, waterfront Stonehenge.
Next up we’re some fish traps. These were fascinating! Stones were piled up underwater in a strategic manner as to drive fish into a catchment area. This is such a simple yet effective design! We spent a fair amount of time watching the fish and marveling at home we didn’t even have to leave shore to see cool fish.
Further along the road, we came to Marae Manunu, another archaeological site. It was a large rectangular structure with more vertical stones adorning it. They really liked vertical stones, didn’t they???
What was more captivating was the shore and breaking waves just opposite. We spent a while watching the fish dart in and out of the rocks.
Lunch was at the Huahine Yacht Club. To be clear, they do not mean yacht club literally – this place is barely more than a roadside stand – but the food (and scenery) was amazing! Poisson cru au lait de coco (raw fish marinated in coconut milk and lime juice – effectively Polynesian ceviche) is absolutely delicious.
Tropical waters are turquoise. This is something we all know. What we tend to forget is that turquoise is a spectrum of colors, from glassy pale green-blue to a robin’s egg blue to a deep and moody blue. Every one of these shades is present in the waters here.
We wrapped up the day snorkeling at Le Jardin de Corail. This small bay was the former site of the Sofitel hotel until it was destroyed in a monsoon. It’s a little dystopian feeling with the sidewalks, pool, and some decor still present but no hotel. Regardless, the coral reefs are healthy, the fish are gorgeous, and the water is warm, so it was wonderful!
Vacation Days 