#74959 - 07/17/08 05:32 PM
Tikehau/Raiatea/Manihi
|
FP Couple
Junior Member
Registered: 08/04/06
Posts: 39
Loc: New York
|
Well we are planning our 2nd trip to FP for our 10 year wedding anniversary. We are planning to go to Huahine (Te Tiare Resort), Fakarave (Raimiti Pension), and undecided. We can not decide between Tikehau (Pearl), Raiatea (Vahine Island Resort), and Manihi (Pearl). Our trip in '07 was to Moorea, Bora Bora, and Rangiroa. Any input on which one to choose would be great.
Thanks...
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#74962 - 07/17/08 08:04 PM
Re: Tikehau/Raiatea/Manihi
[Re: FP Couple]
|
Justine2
Expert Advisor
Registered: 02/12/07
Posts: 1911
Loc: Minneapolis, MN
|
Depends on what you are looking for at the resort. Manihi is snorkeling without taking a trip. Tikehau has the traditional wide (as wide as FP gets anyway) look about it. Snorkeling is more of a trip from the resort. Vahine looks nice, but relatively few people have written on how the resort has been fairing in the last couple of years.
Edited by Justine2 (07/17/08 08:04 PM)
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#74971 - 07/18/08 07:44 AM
Re: Tikehau/Raiatea/Manihi
[Re: Justine2]
|
islandboyatheart
Expert Advisor
Registered: 07/19/05
Posts: 1376
Loc: Florida
|
When are you leaving FP Couple? I will be visiting both Manihi and Vahine in September so I can give you some opinions when I return the end of September, early October. Finley is going to Vahine this month I believe and hopefully they will post a report when they return.
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#74972 - 07/18/08 07:54 AM
Re: Tikehau/Raiatea/Manihi
[Re: islandboyatheart]
|
Jake
Member
Registered: 08/29/03
Posts: 311
Loc: Phoenix AZ
|
We've been to both the Pearl resorts on Manihi(3 yrs ago) and Tikehau(2 yrs ago) and liked both. Rooms at both are the same layout with the exception of the newer overwater suites at Tikehau which are more like those at Le Tahaa. The downside of those suites is they are in the windiest area of the resort and at times you could barely stay on the deck. Their older OWBs are in a different area and don't get nearly as much wind. Snokeling at Manihi was excellent and we also found good snokeling around the overwater suites at Tikehau. At Tikehau you can wade to several small motus. We thought the food was better at Manihi.
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#74977 - 07/18/08 10:55 AM
Re: Tikehau/Raiatea/Manihi
[Re: Jake]
|
ryo-oh-ki
Member
Registered: 01/27/08
Posts: 109
Loc: Los Angeles, CA
|
From what I've seen on the Google satellite pictures. Tikehau is completely cut off from everything else. Is it like Pearl Bora Bora where you have to use the boat for everything?
The idea of wading off to a nearby motu to spend a day on "your own private paradise" sounds like a lot of fun. Disclaimer: We haven't been to Tikehau yet. But my agent says they are very similar. The main difference is the sea floor. Tikehau has the sandy bottom. Where as Manihi has lot of coral rocks. Not good for wadding though the water.
But we did stay in Manihi Jan 2007 ... So here's my info.
The Local: The resort is located on the same motu as the airstrip. Just a short walk (golf cart ride) to the resort itself. There's a snack bar at the air terminal. And if the weather is good, you can watch the sunset here as well. The motu is large enough that you can spend half a day exploring on a bike (bike rentals are free). The village itself is located on a different motu and requires water taxi (also free). The village is the best (ok it's the only) place to purchase supplies, snacks, drinks, etc. The wind was great for cooling down our overwater bungalow. But we never used the deck, too windy out on the deck.
The Resort: Very small and intimate. All bungalows, no shared walls. Very friendly staff and a lot of multi-tasking going on here. Resort staff with multiple duties, the bar is also the main lobby, etc. The pool is pretty small and nothing spectacular other than the fact it's never crowded. The food varies from day-today. Suffice to say, the the staff does their very best with what limited resources have.
My obligatory must-do's: The village trip mentioned above. On-site snorkeling, and the drift snorkel excursion.
Hope this is of some help.
_________________________
Tahiti Check List
x Manihi (12/2006)
x Moorea (1/2007)
_ Tahaa
_ Rangiroa
_ Tikehau
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#74987 - 07/18/08 08:39 PM
Re: Tikehau/Raiatea/Manihi
[Re: ryo-oh-ki]
|
Jake
Member
Registered: 08/29/03
Posts: 311
Loc: Phoenix AZ
|
The Pearl Tikehau is located on its own small motu and is the only thing on the motu. You have to take the shuttle boat to the village and airport.
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#74991 - 07/19/08 11:57 AM
Re: Tikehau/Raiatea/Manihi
[Re: Jake]
|
FP Couple
Junior Member
Registered: 08/04/06
Posts: 39
Loc: New York
|
Thanks for all the information. Islandboyatheart, we are planning to go either May or July 2009. We have not really decided yet. We can't wait to read your trip reports. Any other info would be great! Thanks!
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#75033 - 07/21/08 08:22 PM
Re: Tikehau/Raiatea/Manihi
[Re: FP Couple]
|
Gary & Cath
Expert Advisor
Registered: 04/01/06
Posts: 1284
Loc: Wollongong, Australia
|
Hi Jake
We were just wondering what time of year you were at Manihi and Tikehau (just regarding the strong winds). We found it to be windier in June at BB than Nov, Dec, Jan so were trying to work out the best time to travel to the Tuamotus. Thanks
_________________________
Is there anything better than a sipping a Tahitian Mai Tai on an Overwater Bungalow in FP?
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#75039 - 07/22/08 05:43 AM
Re: Tikehau/Raiatea/Manihi
[Re: Gary & Cath]
|
DenverJoe
Expert Advisor
Registered: 09/10/02
Posts: 1878
Loc: Denver, Co.
|
We were on Manihi in early November and the winds wern't bad. They blew almost constantly, but not very hard. We kept the deck and front doors open when in the OTW and the breeze going through was great. Especially at night for sleeping, as there was no A/C when we were there.
_________________________
Nothing better than a Hinano in hand and toes in the sand.
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#75042 - 07/22/08 07:38 AM
Re: Tikehau/Raiatea/Manihi
[Re: DenverJoe]
|
Jake
Member
Registered: 08/29/03
Posts: 311
Loc: Phoenix AZ
|
Gary & Cath
We were at Manihi and Tikehau during August. One of the other posters was at Tikehau in April of the same year we were there and she posted that it was very windy then as well. The winds were much less a factor once you got away from the overwater suites at Tikehau. The rest of the resort is more protected from the wind but those suites jut right out into it with nothing to block the breeze.
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
Moderator: BarbiJKM, hamara, DenverJoe, Poehere
|
6922 Members
15 Forums
10259 Topics
91469 Posts
Max Online: 118 @ 04/08/12 01:59 PM
|
|
|
