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For
the past 10 years, Sané Richmond and his wife Annabelle have
run a small B&B located at the inner edge of the south pass, in
a beautiful area near some charming remnants of a bygone Polynesian
village. There sits the oldest church in the Tuamotu, with the date
of 1875 above the door. There are only about 10 local people living
in this area, and there is no road, no shop, just pristine nature and
a stunning lagoon.
Being there
is overwhelming, like stepping into one of those old South Seas novels,
where adventure and discovery is mixed with breathtaking scenery, romance,
and the warm, sensual trade winds in the coconut palms. If you need
to de-stress, this is the place.
Sané
and Annabelle's guesthouse consists of 6 small beach bungalows
at the edge of the water, a few feet from a pristine coral garden. They
are built in local style, with 1 double bed and 1 regular bed, a wardrobe,
a sink, their own shower and toilet. There is only cool water, but it
is often welcome in this warm environment.
The "restaurant"
is built on stilts on the reef at the edge of the coral pass and serves
excellent family-style fare, with lots of freshly caught fish barbecued
or prepared in delicious Tahitian recipes. Meals are served on a long
communal table in the shaded terrace overlooking the pass and the lagoon.
Lunch time is show timewhen you will be amazed by every type
of fish - from 6 foot moray eels to groupers to small sharks - fighting
for the scraps of food from your plate.
 Snorkeling there
is the best of anywhere, and Scuba diving in this tropical aquarium
couldn't be easier: when the tide is even, simply jump off the restaurant
deck into this purple dream, sit yourself at the bottom ( 80" )
of the pass, and watch the crowd go by, just like in a Paris cafe. in
80 degree water with 150' visibility. And the crowd is made-up
of a profusion of tropical fish including huge napoleon wrasses, white-tip,
black-tip and (harmless) grey sharks, and sometimes manta rays.
Tetamanu
offers a professional dive center with a licensed instructor/divemaster
to guide you to the best spots in the pass and the outer reef. A custom
30' dive boat will take you in comfort and safety to all the best dive
spots. Dive gear is available for rentals or loaners.
Fishing is also available from the pontoon, or from the boat
for tuna, marlin, mahi-mahi or wahoo, etc... A half day charter is $300
for the boat and skipper (no gear).
Included in your stay are many excursions (conditions permitting) to
explore virgin beaches and desert islands full of nesting birds.
Sané's wife, Annabelle has lived in Santa Monica, CA,
and speaks perfect English. She is a charming and outstanding hostess
by all accounts.
Our
Review: Better than ever!
Another visit
to Tetamanu - and we were again amazed at the beauty of this spot.
This is still the only accommodation in all Polynesia actually
located on a coral garden in a lagoon pass. Truly amazing!
Recent
improvements made to the accommodation and boat transport have substantially
raised the level of amenities and services offered by this micro-resort.
Accommodation
is above basic, clean, offering privacy and adequate amenities. But
his is still a family style "pension" located in a remote
atoll, with all that implies. There are only 10 guests at most, which
means you will bring back extraordinary memories of a South Pacific
that only few people have seen.
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Large Photos
Your hostess
and host, Annabelle
and Sané (Sanae)
In front of the
Beach Bungalows
A view from
the
Dinning Room
Interior of
one
of the bungalows
The pass
and the restaurant
Manta ray
The only 2 bungalows
with bathroom
The pass seen
from the terrace
All
Photos ©Tahiti Travel 2003 |