After my first four days at a wonderful guesthouse in a quiet village on the west side of Tahiti, I took the ferry to the next island over, Moorea, where I continued my adventures. I also, for better or worse, traded the sound of roosters for waves, homemade meals for hotel restaurants, and friendly villagers and the occasional French person for hotel staff and mostly American honeymooners. All so I could stay in an overwater bungalow at one of three major resorts on the island. I mean… I couldn’t go to Tahiti and not stay in an overwater bungalow, right?! Full transparency: I’m not really that fancy, I don’t have a sugar daddy, and I’m not a professional blogger who receives nice things for free. I did, however, have a lot of points from work travel that allowed me to afford this option.
I spent six incredible days in Moorea and nearly cried on the ferry back to Tahiti when I left… and again in the airport when I flew home… I really did not want to leave. This place is actual paradise on earth. And sure the island is mostly used to hosting honeymooners, but I had an amazing time by myself. Even if it meant suffering through a few awkwardly entertaining conversations about my single status…
Hostess on the phone: For two, Lady?
Me: No, for one.
Hostess: Just one person, Lady?
Me: Yes, one person. It’s just me. I’m alone.
Hostess: No, Lady, you AND me. So we are two people.
Waiter: Just you, Madame?
Me: Yes, just me.
Waiter: No husband, Madame?
Me: Nope, it’s just me.
Waiter: You mean I have a chance, Madame?
That last waiter gave me a free glass of wine so, you know, pros and cons. Anyway, since I was alone I could do crazy things like spend my vacation waking up at 5:30 a.m. every day to watch the sunrise. Admittedly, this habit started in Tahiti where the roosters gave me no choice about my wake-up time, but in Moorea I often rushed out of bed on my own because I couldn’t bear to miss a single minute of the day in such a beautiful place. I would slip down to the little dock attached to my bungalow and watch the ocean come to life around me. Some mornings I got straight in the water for a pre-breakfast snorkel while other mornings I would simply sit on the edge of my dock, feet swinging over the colorful fish and coral below, practicing my own form of meditation before my usual 6:30 a.m. breakfast.
I would close my eyes and smell the saltwater breeze and the occasional agricultural fire in the distance, feel the warm island air and the intermittent rain shower on my skin. I could hear the waves crashing on the reef and the chorus of birds starting their day, the sporadic splash in the lagoon, and the wind rustling the edges of my bungalow’s thatch roof. And of course I would open my eyes and appreciate the stunning view in front of me. Even on rainy mornings, I couldn’t stop smiling at Mother Nature’s work. I tried not to take my phone with me first thing in the mornings but here’s some photos of the view from later in the day:
While I probably could’ve spent six whole days just sitting on my balcony or dock enjoying the view, I also wanted to explore the island so I spent many days asking my local driver, T, “What else should I see?” and driving him crazy (in a fun way?) by having no clear plan and making him help create my itinerary. He taught me about the islands and recommended local companies (instead of French ones) for activities and tours. He took me to the Rotui Juice Factory and Distillery where we saw the pineapple fields, walked around the factory, and stayed for a tasting. I tried pineapple rum, pineapple wine, a blue and red island punch called Tahiti Drink, and pineapple juice. The rum was a bit strong for me but the rest was delicious. They make pineapple champagne too, but sadly I did not get to try it. I also need to take a second here to appreciate that this is what a pineapple plant looks like…!
We also visited Tropical Garden Moorea where we took in the fantastic view, tasted delicious confitures, and wandered around the garden looking at the different plants (such as noni and vanilla bean, pictured below) and flowers. I became a local flower expert during my stay as T often stopped to pick a tiaré or hibiscus flower for me to wear in my hair like the locals.
Another day, he took me to a private drive that reminded me of the Hollywood Hills with its big beautiful houses overlooking the island and the jaw-droppingly beautiful array of colors in the lagoon.
I visited Belvedere Lookout a few times to take in the view of ‘Ōpūnohu Bay and Cooks Bay, and to go on another hike. After my hiking experience in Tahiti, I repeatedly asked T if the trails were clearly marked and he said I would probably be fine. So of course I lost the trail a few times. But this time it was because I couldn’t tell which trail was which not because I lost the trail completely. So technically I was still on a trail, just not the one I wanted. Anyway, I eventually found my way onto the correct path and made it to the very top of a 357m (nearly 1,200 foot) ascent ending in a panoramic view of the island and beyond. The refreshing breeze at the top was a welcome respite from the damp jungle below and the view was… out of this world. And unimpeded. I was completely alone up there with Mother Nature’s artistry. It was stunning.
When I finally made it back through the wet jungle to Belvedere Lookout, I took off my muddy shoes and laid down on a bench to wait for T. Realizing I had finished my water supply, I wandered over to the man selling coconuts and paid ~$2 in local currency for a refreshing drink. He chopped off the top and noted I should drink straight from the coconut. No straws to avoid creating additional plastic waste. So I sat back and enjoyed my coconut water straight from the coconut with a phenomenal view.
In addition to wandering around the island with T, getting mildly lost on hikes, and drinking local refreshments, I tried to maximize my time on the water in Moorea. One company was full up for snorkel tours but they emailed me one afternoon saying they had space on a sunset cruise that evening. Sure, I thought, why not? (Travel Adrienne’s answer to everything)
Per usual, I was the only single person, playing fifth wheel to two couples’ romantic evenings together. They were all dressed up and I was wearing shorts and a tank top over a bathing suit. It was comical. But I didn’t care. I laid down in the net at the front of the catamaran while the couples got drunk on mai tais and gossiped about who was rumored to own the six-story yacht with the water slide and helipad that we saw in Cooks Bay. I got soaked in the net of course, because the ocean swells are huge, but I was so happy to be out on the water that I didn’t mind.
Oh, and you may have noticed some new artwork on my arm in some of the above photos. That’s because I got a tattoo in Moorea! Full story in another blog post here. I also went on an incredible whale-watching excursion, which was such an adventure it needed its own separate blog post here.
There’s so much more I could say but the truth is any number of words cannot describe how much I enjoyed my time in Moorea and Tahiti. Every single day, even the rainy ones, I felt so grateful to be surrounded by such stunning scenery, fresh food straight from the earth and the ocean, and the most welcoming and fun-loving people I’ve ever met. And how could they not be? They get to wake up in paradise every day.
Part of me wanted to “accidentally” miss my ferry and/or flight home and find a way to stay. I told my boat driver I didn’t want to leave and he provided a very tempting offer to find me a Tahitian husband. Alas, I had to return to “reality.” But I return with a renewed sense of self and knowledge of the importance of maintaining a stronger connection with nature and the things that make me feel joy. Because without an appreciation for Mother Nature’s gifts, without experiences that make us smile from ear to ear, characters who make us laugh so much it hurts, and people who make us feel beautiful inside and out, what’s the point, really?
Handstands & Hostels 
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