#52673 - 11/22/04 08:29 PM
What is special about Huahine?
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TahitiSweetie
Junior Member
Registered: 11/21/04
Posts: 7
Loc: New York City, USA
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I've heard great things generally, but I'm trying to determine whether Huahine is a "must see" on my first trip to French Polynesia. We are planning on visiting three islands, and we are pretty set on Bora Bora, and are leaning towards Taha'a as well. Should Huahine be our #3?
In case this fact influences your decision, the trip will be our honeymoon....
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#52674 - 11/23/04 04:46 AM
Re: What is special about Huahine?
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ld
Member
Registered: 03/12/04
Posts: 67
Loc: UK
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What was special about Huahine for us was that it felt the most polynesian. Only a few hotels and whilst there are things for tourists to do on the island, it is not really geared up for the scale of tourism in the likes of Moorea and Bora Bora. The island itself was absolutely pristine, full of history and what I would call the perfect mix of beautiful island and ocean. The people were extraordinarily gracious as well. Its a difficult thing to descibe really and in terms of a must see, I'm not sure it is and its probably true what you don't know you don't miss. However, it will always be the most enduring memory of my trip across 4 islands and was definitely the "must experience" of the trip. Watching the sunrise and the local fisherman from the empty beach steps from our room is something we didn't find elsewhere.
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#52675 - 11/23/04 05:43 AM
Re: What is special about Huahine?
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Zoe
Senior Advisor
Registered: 12/14/03
Posts: 801
Loc: Walnut Creek, CA
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My husband also loved Huahine and would go back there in a heartbeat; for me, personally, I was glad to have visited but would not make it a point to return. For me, the most magical island was Manihi: for the sheer beauty of an atoll, the sound of the waves breaking on the reef, the amazing snorkelling and marine life right underneath our bungalow, and a quality to the sun that I still remember.
Huahine absolutely has a different feel than,say,Moorea or Bora Bora. There are the marae, the blue eyed eels, some amazing beach walks on the oceanside of the island, Fare and its roulottes, and some really wonderful lagoon excursions.
I would suspect that which island you choose for your third might depend on what activities you are thinking of, pricing, flight schedules, and all those good things. You truly can't go wrong 
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#52676 - 11/23/04 05:56 AM
Re: What is special about Huahine?
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indiana
Member
Registered: 10/17/04
Posts: 138
Loc: europe
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Conde Nast traveller called Huahine one of the most unspoilt islands in French Polynesia.
Id's comments ring true about the beautiful mix of island and ocean....
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#52677 - 11/23/04 08:07 AM
Re: What is special about Huahine?
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Pacific Andy
Supreme Advisor
Registered: 10/16/01
Posts: 4278
Loc: Los Angeles, CA
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For my first trip I would do Moorea and Bora Bora. The gems of FP. If you have time Huahine is a great island. Its different because you feel like your in a true South Seas island. The People are friendly and the island life is very laid back and relaxing. Not too much happens in Huahine and its perfect. A great island
_________________________
Once You Go You Get It
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#52679 - 11/23/04 01:49 PM
Re: What is special about Huahine?
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Jake
Member
Registered: 08/29/03
Posts: 311
Loc: Phoenix AZ
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We've been to 8 of the islands in FP. Huahine was our favorite of the "high" islands. It all depends on what you are looking for though. We like getting away from it all. Huahine has the level of comfort we like and the activities, but is so much more laid back than Tahiti, Moorea or BB. It is difficult to verbalize, but, for us,Huahine combines the beauty & activities of the Society Islands with the feeling of relaxed remoteness of the Tuamotos.
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#52680 - 11/23/04 03:09 PM
Re: What is special about Huahine?
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scfphoto
Member
Registered: 05/20/04
Posts: 63
Loc: San Luis Obispo CA USA
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We just returned from our third trip to FP and we have gone to Huahine all 3 times. It is the only island other than Tahiti that we have returned to and plan to do so again and again. For us it is the best combination of all the islands. It has the great scenery of a high island maybe not as spectacular as Moorea or Bora, but close and a lot less people. The town is accessible and lets you not be trapped at the resort. The people are very kind and genuine and the isalnds main money makers are not tourism so the people are not tourist weary. Te Tiare resort is a class act and probably the best overall resort we have been to in FP. A great combination of location, service, food, huge bungalows and the best swimming from the DOW bungalows of any resort in FP that we have experienced so far. My wife always jokes that we should not tell anyone about Te Tiare so it won't get too popular. Like Yogi Berra said "No one goes there anymore it's too crowded." We are past the age of wanting a lot of exciting excursions so Huahine's laid back atmosphere is perfect. If you want to do things they are there but the isalnd is not dominated by tourism. The diving on Huahine is excellent and very underrated, I thought my Huahine dives were better than what I saw on my dives in Manihi one of the atolls hyped for its diving. So go to Huahine but don't tell anyone else.
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#52681 - 11/23/04 10:05 PM
Re: What is special about Huahine?
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holte
Expert Advisor
Registered: 11/19/04
Posts: 2417
Loc: Duluth, Minnesota
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We are going back to Huahine, the most perfect to us. It depends on what you want. It's like going back in time 50 years. We loved sitting on the terrace at the Chez Guynette in "downtown" Fare and meeting cool people from all over the world. We loved renting a boat from Maneva in "downtown" Fare and jumping in and snorkeling wherever in clear water. We loved eating in the roulettes at night. We loved buying fresh food in the markets in the morning. We liked Eden Parc ,the organic garden preserve. I hate chuch music, but I cannot tell you how haunting the singing is in the churches. In that dark star filled warm night, it is unbelieveable. The natives in Moorea told us that they vacationed in Huahine. We could hardly believe it. A vacation from Moorea? We took a chance and the minute we landed we knew it was for us. But then we aren't looking for Las Vegas or Disneyland-we are looking for a real experience with real people.
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#52682 - 11/24/04 11:06 AM
Re: What is special about Huahine?
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Gitbox_dan
Member
Registered: 03/09/04
Posts: 103
Loc: Sacramento, CA
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If you love laid back, then Huahine is for you. It's not exciting, but it is truly relaxing & a great place to get away from it all. If your idea of vacation is to walk hand in hand on a secluded beach, then Huahine will delight. But if you're looking for a lots to do - if activity is a way of life - then Huahine will be too boring. It all comes down to your idea of enjoyment.
Think downtime... think peaceful... think serenity... and with a big smile on my face, I'm thinking of my lovely wife & I sitting on the beach in Huahine again. Ahhhhhhh....
_________________________
Remember that happiness is a way of travel - not a destination (Roy Goodman)
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#52683 - 11/25/04 01:14 PM
Re: What is special about Huahine?
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TahitiSweetie
Junior Member
Registered: 11/21/04
Posts: 7
Loc: New York City, USA
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Thanks everyone for your helpful input. We still haven't made a final decision, but Huahine is currently high on our list. We now think we'd like to include an atoll, so we may do Bora Bora, Huahine and an atoll. Our trip is still a work in progress, but when we finally get to French Polynesia, we will owe a lot to the advice we've gotten on this board!!!
Happy Thanksgiving....
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