Fakarava, Tuamotu

Our first stop on the cruise through French Polynesia is in Fakarava, the second largest lagoon in the Tuamotu Archipelago.  The small villages of the island have bougainvillea-lined roads, colorful homes and churches, and beautiful coral beaches.  Fakarava is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and most of the inhabitants are pearl and copra (coconut) farmers. 

Entering the lagoon

We go ashore, where we are welcomed by a small band, and wander down the main street, admiring the beautiful scenery, both on land and sea.

Going ashore

Looking back at our ship

Walking down the main road along the sea

A little shopping

More views of the sea

Soon we reach the Eglise Notre-Dame-De-Paix (Our Lady of Peace, in Tahaiian: "Tetamanu Maria No te Hau"), the principal Catholic church in the Tuamotu Islands.  Built from coral blocks in 1874, it has recently been beautifully restored.

Notre-Dame-de-Paix

Small chapel outside

Returning along the main street, we pass the pizzeria and the grocery store.

Pizza

Grocery store and guard dog

Building permit 

Many of the houses and yards are decorated with old buoys, lending a colorful nautical theme to the village.

Buoy art

Further along, the walls of the school and town hall sport colorfully painted schools of fish and other tropical scenes.

Municipal buildings

Returning to the dock, we listen to the band while we wait for the next tender back to our ship and depart for the next archipelago to the north.

Back at the dock

Leaving Fakarava

Around our Hotel in Papeete

We originally arrive at our hotel, the Hilton Hotel Tahiti, located between the airport and Papeete, as the sun sets and look across the grounds at Moorea across the channel.

Moorea across the way

Sun setting over Moorea

We wander over to the hotel pool area where a band is playing by the Maeva ("Welcome") sign.  Our first Tahitian word.

Welcome at the hotel

We have a special dinner reservation in Papeete at L'o à la Bouche to celebrate the trip and a birthday:  foie gras à la vanille Tahitienne/confit pommes abricot/brioche toastée, carpaccio de thon rouge, and escargot to start, followed by margret de canard au miel, mahi mahi à la vanille Tahitienne/coco, and thon mi cuit/sésame/salsa exotique/caramel de soja.  All really good, but large portions.

Dinner

The next day, we explore our hotel before heading over to the port to find our ship.

Moorea in the distance

Around the hotel

One last look from our room and then we're off to the ship to depart toward our first stop in Fakarava, in the Tuamotu Archipelago north of our current location in the Society Islands (Tahiti, Moorea, Raiatea, Bora Bora, Huahine).

Last look from the hotel