stunning,withdramaticmountainsandtheclearest
turquoisewaters.AndthentherearetheInstagram
shotsofstingraysglidingoverpeople,sharks
circlinginthebackground.
Wegetthechancetoexperiencethisthrillfor
ourselvesona snorkellingtourwithCaptainTaina.
MaiauTainahasbeenguidingtouristsaround
Mo’orea’slagoonsfor 16 yearsandispassionate
aboutlookingaftertheoceananditsinhabitants.
Sherescuesturtlesandreleasestheminthe
protectedmarinereservenearherland,andspends
hourscleaningthenearbysacredunderwater
sculptures,allthebetterforvisitorviewing.After
showingusthesightsinherglass-bottomedboat
anddemonstratinghowtoharvestgiantclams,she
whipsupa deliciousbarbecuelunchbefore
teachingushowtomakepoissoncru.
TitouanBernicotisanotherMo’orealocal
workingtoprotecthisislandhome.The21-year-old
grewupona remotepearlfarmandishappiest
whenfishing,divingorsurfing.Afterwitnessing
bleachedcoralforthefirsttime,Titouandecidedto
dosomethingtohelppreservethereefs.His
non-profit organisation, Coral Gardeners, was
launchedtwoyearsagofromhisparents’home.By
replantingdeadpiecesofcoralontonurserytables,
thensuccessfullytransplantingthemontodamaged
reefsincollaborationwithlocalscientists,this
initiativeisslowlybringinglifebacktothereefs.
Titouannowtravelstheworldraisingawareness
ofreefpreservation,andisabouttolauncha
HawaiianchapterofCoralGardeners.Hehasa new
officeinMo’oreawitha dozenfull-timestaff,where
touristscanadopta pieceofcoralorplanttheirown
(they’vehad 3000 coraladoptionssofar,witha
90 percenttransplantsuccessrate).
Althoughtherearefivearchipelagosand 118
islandsinFrenchPolynesia,wespendthemajority
ofourtimeonjustone,Mo’orea,a 45-minuteferry
ridefromthemainislandofTahiti.WhileTahiti,
BoraBoraandMo’oreahavea numberof
internationalresorts,manyofthesmallerislands
aremorecharminglylaid-back.
Huahine,northwestofMo’oreaanda 40-minute
flightfromTahiti,wherewespendtwonightslater
intheweek,hasa magical,farawayfeelingwith
windingroadsdrapedina canopyoftrees.Saidto
be named for the pregnant lady that the island’sIslandfeastCasse-croûtechowmein,andmape,a kindofchestnut,soldherebyMarie-ClaireTeiho,arejustsomeoftheediblepitstopsona
Mo’oreaFoodAdventurestour,runbyHeimataHall(oppositetop).OppositepageFreshfish,pineappleandcreammakea uniquepizzatoppingat
AlloPizza,anotherstoponthetour,followedbyMozCafefortunatartare,poissoncruandpo’e,andSnackRotuifordumplings;Huahineis best
explored on a four-wheel drive trip with Poe Island Tour (bottom left), which includes stops at several historic maraes (above jeep picture).