PassPorter.com
Award-winning travel guidebooks
Home Florida - Walt Disney World Caribbean - Disney Cruise Line California - Disneyland Resort Anywhere and Everywhere! Travelers Store Message Boards PassPorter's Club Help!
  About Us  |  Customs Office   |   Register Your Book   |   Book Updates   |  Newsletter  |  Articles  |  Photos  |   Follow Us on
       WELCOME
Hi, Guest!
       LINKS
       ARTICLES
Globetrotting Planning Articles

Globetrotting Traveling Articles
52 Hours In the Cairo Airport
A Guided Tour
A Real National Treasure
A San Francisco Treat
A Trip Back In Time
A Trip Back In Time
Adventure to Washington, D.C.
Adventures by Disney
Adventures by Disney
Airline Security
Amish Country
An Insider's Guide
An Insider's Guide
Arlington National Cemetery
Bath, England
Buckingham Palace
Busch Garden Africa's SheiKra
CARES Child Restraint System
Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio
Celebration, Florida
Charleston, South Carolina
Costa Rica Adventures by Disney
Discovering "America's Finest City"
Disney's Vero Beach
Disneyland
Dover Castle
Driving Through The Night
Escape Into Alcatraz
Eurostar
Explore Alaska (From The Comfort of Your RV!)
Explore Alaska (From The Comfort of Your RV!)
Flying Upper Class
Flying with Kids
Fort Sumter
Greeter Programs
Harry Potter's
Helsinki, Finland
Hershey, Pennsylvania
Hilton Head Island
Hong Kong Disneyland
How to Handle A "Bumpy" Flight
I Dream Of Hawaii
In a New York Minute
iPhone, I Travel
Kapalua, Maui
Keeping Kids Happy on Long Car Rides
Kent, England
King Tut and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs
Las Vegas
Las Vegas for Families
London, UK
Los Angeles
Macau
Madison County, New York
Molto Italia
More Than Bridges
My First NASCAR Experience
Nashville, Tennessee
National Aquarium
New Orleans
New York City
Niagara Falls
Niagara Falls, Ontario
Not Your Average Bus Tour
On the Road to Walt Disney World
Oslo, Norway
Oxford
Paris
Passport Update
Playing the Waiting Game
Port Canaveral, Florida
Prince Edward Island
Redondo Beach, California
Rome
Salem, Massachusetts
Small Is Beautiful
Small Is Beautiful
Southwest and JetBlue
St. Louis
Stockholm, Sweden
Stonehenge
Tahiti
The Amtrak Auto Train
The Emerald Isle
The Globe Theatre
The Grand Canyon
The Great Smoky Mountains
The Great Smoky Mountains
The Other Side of the Falls
The Quest for the West
The World's Loveliest Castle
To Rent or Not To Rent
Tokyo DisneySea
Tokyo DisneySea
Top 10 Frequently Asked Questions
Traveling Carry-On to Walt Disney World
Traveling With Extended Family
Universal
Using Orlando's "Other" Airport
Vermont by Bicycle
Viva Italia!
Viva Italia! Part 1
Viva Italia! Part 2
Viva Las Vegas!
Vive la Difference
Washington D.C.
What To Do While Waiting for a Flight
When to Visit Walt Disney World
Wimbledon
Windsor Castle
Winter Wonderland
Yosemite
Your First Trip to Universal Studios Orlando

Globetrotting Lodging Articles

Globetrotting Touring Articles

Globetrotting Dining Articles

Globetrotting Making Magic Articles

Globetrotting General Travel Articles

View all PassPorter articles
PassPorter's
Article Tools
Print Article
Download PDF
View Photos
Visit Forum
Read Comments on This Article

Tahiti: Home of the Black Pearl(s)

Photo illustrating International Travel - Traveling
by Dianne Cook, PassPorter Message Board Guide (Moderator)
Last modified 01/22/2010
  

Cool Tip: Click here to get a FREE PDF version of this article, fully formatted to print and put into your PassPorter Deluxe Binder!


Filed in Articles > International Travel > Traveling  

Do you just love the quiet, relaxing tropical atmosphere of Disney's Polynesian Resort? Does the idea of romantic sunsets, turquoise coral reefs, bright sapphire lagoons, fragrant intoxicating aromas of native flowers and the feel of white coral sand beaches beneath your toes appeal to you? Then perhaps a vacation to the beautiful islands of French Polynesia is in order. With their magnificent waterfalls and lush landscape, Tahiti and the other, smaller islands that make up French Polynesia are as picturesque and breathtaking as you can imagine.


In our "BK" days, (before kids), my husband and I had the pleasure of spending three weeks on the beautiful islands of Tahiti, Bora Bora, and Moorea. Each island is unique in its own right, but I will focus on the main island of Tahiti here. Tahiti was actually the inspiration for the fictitious island in the movie "South Pacific."

The islands are believed to have been formed by underwater volcanic action in the Pacific, which created lava flows that eventually reached the surface to become lush tropical islands, such as Tahiti and Moorea. Other islands gradually sank, leaving huge lagoons surrounded by coral barrier reefs called atolls, such as Rangiroa and Manihi. The Polynesian Islands are truly a paradise for snorkeling, scuba diving, glass-bottom boats and many other activities.

Very little is known about the origins of the Polynesian people. However, the most common belief is that their ancestors came from Asia and ventured throughout the Pacific hundreds of years B.C. It is certain that they were a great seafaring people with extraordinary navigational abilities to guide them to their eventual settlements in Tahiti, New Zealand and Hawaii. The influence of the early Polynesians in language, music and dance can be seen throughout the South Seas, even today. The Polynesians are a calm, generous and loving people. As a matter of fact, tipping is not general accepted, as it is contrary to Tahitian customs of hospitality. The official languages of Tahiti are Tahitian and French; however English is widely spoke throughout the islands.

Tahiti is more than 1,000 miles below the equator and about 3,500 miles east of Australia as well as 4,000 miles from Los Angeles (about a seven and a half hour flight). The tropical weather is pleasant year round, averaging about 80 degrees. The average ocean water temperature is in the low 80s as well. Majestic peaks encircle the entire exterior of the island. The mountainous interior shelters deep valleys, clear streams and incredible waterfalls. The interior has very little population, as the flat coastline is home to the fields of tropical flowers Tahiti is known for and most of the population, as well. The capital, Papeete, means, “water basket”, as it is where Tahitians came to fill their calabashes with water. (A calabash is a gourd that is dried and used as a bottle.) Now Papeete hosts world-class resorts, spas, fine restaurants, nightclubs, and endless shopping!



Speaking of shopping, Tahiti is a shopper’s paradise! We all know the name of Captain Jack Sparrow’s ship, the Black Pearl. As magnificent a ship as it is, you really need to see Tahitian black pearls to understand the significance of the name. My husband and I spent hours just looking for the “perfect” pearls to bring home. Tahitian black pearls are black because the pearl is created in the womb of the black-lipped mollusk found in French Polynesian waters known as the “Pinctada Margaritifera”, or black-lip mother-of-pearl, for short. This mollusk naturally secretes a black pigment, which, depending on the quantity, gives the resulting pearl a basic color ranging from black to gray. Their color is not tinted, but is natural. Generally, the darker the pearl, the more valuable it is.

So, if you really love Disney's Polynesian Resort, think about experiencing the splendor of the actual Polynesian Islands. You will fall in love with the people, the customs and the lush landscape. Venture inland to see the most magnificent waterfalls and tropical paradise. And of course, don’t forget about those Black Pearls!







About the Author:
Dianne Cook is a PassPorter Message Board Guide and is an RN specializing in Diabetes Education. She lives in the New England with her husband and two sons.

Related Links:
Traveling Carry-On to Walt Disney World - Avoid Those Baggage Fees last updated 3/2/2011
New York City - Something Old, Something New last updated 01/02/2009
On the Road to Walt Disney World - Doing "The Drive" last updated 01/20/2009
Airline Security - 10 Important Tips and Reminders last updated 1/21/2009
Sick at Sea - (But Not Sea Sick!) last updated 5/14/2009




Reader Comments:


View all comments in forum thread

So what do you think? Click here to share your comments, feedback, and experiences on this article and topic!

(Note: You must be a member of our PassPorter Message Board Community to leave comments. Join today for free!)




Updated 01/22/2010 - Article #408 



Read additional articles from PassPorter.com

Subscribe to our free e-mail newsletter, PassPorter News, published for more than 50,000 opt-in subscribers worldwide. As an added bonus for subscribing, you will receive a 20% discount coupon for the PassPorter Store -- no catch!

E-mail Address:

First Name:

E-mail Format:
-Text/Don't Know  

-HTML

 
 

We respect your privacy and never sell or rent our subscriber list. Subscribing will not result in more spam! We guarantee it.

AddThis Social Bookmark Button

Copyright 1999-2011
by PassPorter Travel Press, an imprint of MediaMarx, Inc.

       SEARCH
       LEARN MORE
Learn More With Our Award-Winning Guidebooks


 

RSS General PassPorter Community - Boards & Forums on Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel - Globetrotting: General Travel Planning
PassPorter Community - Boards & Forums on Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disn...
Planning a trip around the globe, or just away for the weekend? Ask questions and share experiences! Forum Sponsored by CruisingCo.com


Cruising Questions??
by kingfamily1129
31 Jan 2012 at 8:31pm
Hello everyone!! So, my DH just surprised me by telling me we are going on a 3 day cruise to the Bahamas for our Anniversary in June!! YAY!!!...
(click title above to view replies)

DC's Chinatown
by Carousel96
31 Jan 2012 at 10:09am
This may be the narrowest, most specific question ever, but I know my PP'r friends can help. DD and I will be in DC this summer. She wants to go...
(click title above to view replies)

Gatlinburg in April
by Wendyismyname
17 Jan 2012 at 7:11pm
We are heading down to Gatlinburg for our first time, finally! We have put this off for so many years and I am looking forward to it. We have...
(click title above to view replies)

Kid friendly Philly?
by Suzie&Jay
16 Jan 2012 at 12:16pm
DH and I are planning a log weekend road trip to Philadelphia, stopping at the Crayola factory on the way :) we have 3 kids; DD 5, DS 3 and DD 18...
(click title above to view replies)

Where in the U.S. is it nice in September?
by Disneybine
14 Jan 2012 at 3:50pm
If we were to travel anywhere in the (continental) U.S. in September, where would we find the best weather? We like sunshine, temperatures in the...
(click title above to view replies)

A trip to D.C.
by pago
13 Jan 2012 at 12:17pm
I would love any suggestions on where to stay in Washington DC with two kids ages 11 and 17. Thanks in advance.
(click title above to view replies)

grand canyon
by cburke
10 Jan 2012 at 4:24pm
We would like to go to the grand canyon but not sure where we like to stay. Our budget is tight and I was thinking of a cabin but not sure how their...
(click title above to view replies)

DC off the beaten path
by Carousel96
10 Jan 2012 at 10:47am
I've gone to DC for a conference every year since 1990 and my roommates and I manage to fit in some sightseeing every year. So we've seen all the...
(click title above to view replies)



Total Visits: 1198


PassPorter ~ 1999-2012 ~ A Dozen Plus Years of Making Dreams Come True!
Publishers of bestselling travel guidebooks and proud recipients of 12 national book awards
About PassPorter
About Us
Press
Privacy Policy
Images & Artwork
Guidebooks
About
Previews
Buy
Reviews
Updates
Features
News & Updates
Articles
Podcasts
Photos
Message Boards
Newsletter
Concierge Desk
Desktop
Trips
Books & E-Books
Tips
Settings
Customs Office
Register Books
Book Updates
Contests
Checklists
Help & Info
Finding Answers to Questions
Help Desk
Using Your PassPorter Forum
Store Customer Service
E-Mail Us
Follow Us
PassPorter.com Front Page (Updated Daily!)
PassPorter Newsletter (weekly and free)
Latest Posts
Facebook
YouTube Channel
Questions? Please visit our Help Desk to learn how to contact us online, by e-mail, and by phone.
Please feel free to link to this page so that other vacationers can find it.