Tahiti & Her Islands, the Inspiration for Moana Beauty
At Moana Beauty, we love Tahiti, so we thought we'd share some of our favorite Tahiti resources with you...
Tahiti covers over two million square miles of the South Pacific Ocean and is comprised of 118 islands spread over five great archipelagos. Many islands are crowned with jagged peaks while others appear to barely float above the breaking waves. Spread over an area as large as Western Europe, the total land mass of all the islands adds up to an area only slightly larger than the tiny state of Rhode Island. The three archipelagos most sought by visitors are the Society Islands, comprised of Tahiti, Moorea, Bora Bora, Huahine, Raiatea and Taha'a; The Tuamotu Atolls or "Tahiti's Strand of Pearls", include the atolls of Rangiroa, Manihi, Tikehau, and Fakarava; and the Marquesas, or "The Mysterious Islands." The two other archipelagos, the Austral Islands and the Gambier Islands, lie to the south and the southeast, respectively, of the Society Islands. While very few travelers venture to these remote islands, those that do are not disappointed by the pristine environment. To learn more about this amazing corner of the world, visit Tahiti Tourisme North America
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| Te Nunoa, Private Garden Bungalow |
Favorite Tahiti Travel Agent, True Tahiti Vacation
Moana Beauty's favorite travel agent to Tahiti is Laurel Samuela of True Tahiti Vacation. An American expat married to Polynesian tattoo artist James Samuela, they live, work and raise their family on the spectacular island of Moorea.
Favorite Guesthouse, Te Nunoa Private Garden Bungalow
Haapiti-Varari, Moorea
The Samuelas also run a lovely guesthouse on their property called Te Nunoa, Private Garden Bungalow, which provides travelers with a more authentic experience outside of the big hotels and resorts. Te Nunoa and the Samuela Family were recently featured in Arthur Frommer's Budget Travel Magazine.
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| James Samuela Photo by Macduff Everton |
Favorite Polynesian Tattoo Artist, Moorea Tattoo
Haapiti-Varari, Moorea
A native Tahitian whose ancestors were among the first tattoo artists in Tahiti, James Samuela started tattooing professionally in 1996. While he enjoys bringing a fresh perspective to the ancient tattoo symbols of his ancestors, he remains one of the few tattoo artists in Tahiti still practicing traditional Polynesian tattoo.
Best Tahiti Travel Guide: Tahiti & French Polynesia Guide, by Jan Prince
Hardcore Tahiti-lovers know that anyone planning a trip to French Polynesia needs this indispensible guidebook by Jan Prince.
Favorite Tahiti Photographer, Danee Hazama
Tahiti, French Polynesia
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| Vahine Island, Private Island Resort |
Our favorite Tahiti photographer is Danee Hazama. A California native residing on Tahiti, his images of the islands and its people are simply stunning. View his work here: http://www.daneehazama.com
Favorite Island Escape, Vahine Island Private Island Resort
Motu tu Vahine, Taha'a
This private island hotel in Tahaa is situated in a tropical paradise, a private little island of 23 acres, in the middle of the lagoon of Taha'a. Ranked number one among Condé Nast Traveler's "The World's Top 25 Escapes," it truly is a special place.
More to come...
