The dinner last night was at the Kaveka resort, not far up the road and they come and pick you up. We had read in the Lonely Planet that it was pretty ordinary, but I went on trip advisor and found contrasting comments. So off we went. What a great place, our table was on a large and long balcony the protruded for many meters out onto the water. Once again the crystal clear water gave us a fantastic view of the fish swarming below us. The staff were top notch and extremely attentive without being annoying, the food was great.
Today we have been out on a tour with Moorea Boat Tours booked at Alberts. For the equivalent of around $70 we had one of the best tours that we have ever experienced anywhere in the world that we have been.
Sitting at our resort restaurant people from other resorts started to gather. We felt slightly smug because we had watched this tour begin each day from our balcony so we didn't display the nervous tension of the new arrivals who were wondering what they needed to do. Our tour guide Siki arrived and organised us on to a shallow hull covered twin outboard boats and off we went. Before I go any further I need to describe Siki. He is a man small of stature with greying dreadlocks and initially quite a stern look about him. He looked like he would fit nicely into Ruatoria NZ. Well he ran a tight tour, and was very entertaining and knowledgeable switching from perfect English to French with ease. A bit of a show man but also humble, he was attentive to everyone's needs and even though he has probably done this a thousand times nothing seemed boring to him. Even when he got the captain to stop the boat so that he could spot a large conch shell and dive in, scoop it up and bring it for us all to look at.
Our people on the our were a mixed bunch from two tour boats. A sprinkling of Americans, French, New Zealanders and Others, there was a large Tongan group who were family living In Hawaii and the United States and also a high school group from Hawaii.
We whizzed out from our bay to the reef and the aqua colour was almost dazzling being so close, Siki talked to us about the mountains and beliefs in the area and that all of the pacific had been Cannibals a long time ago. He told us about Captain Cook and how the Tahitians killed him (maybe ate him).
Finally we arrived at the Intercontinental Hotel, and just a little bit further on to the shark and stingray area. These creatures were free in the ocean but obviously knew that there would be an easy meal for the, at this spot (hopefully not my chubby thighs). Slipping into the water I did wonder why I was doing this, but when the first stingray came up to me he did seem oddly friendly and he felt so soft and velvety. When his slippery body started to climb up mine I got a glimpse of his cute face and gobbley mouth. We could see the sharks but is wasn't until we went under water to look that it felt real. Even at first I felt a bit like I was viewing them in a glass fronted aquarium, until they turned and started swimming straight towards you! Lance and I were fascinated with the closeness and Lance held some tuna to feed a stingray and as I said before, it was really cute.
The hour speed by and we were herded back on the boat and headed off to a Motu (island) for lunch. Expecting a touristy place I was surprised to find a deserted island, food was taken off the boat and in covered area they worked at BBQ fish and chicken, rice and Siki showed us how to make poissen cru, raw fish. I have made this myself many times but he did many things differently and I will take this on board for the future. Lunch was superb!
Siki also showed us how to tie a sarong in many different ways and got some men from tha audience to husk coconuts. This was all done in such a friendly and entertaining way. The island, he said, was his home and his house was further in. There were flushing toilets as well, the whole day was very special and you would be mad to come to Tahiti and not take this tour.
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