Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Dreaming of Moorea

The island of Moorea, French Polynesia

We were fortunate to take two trips to Tahiti during the 18 months we were in New Zealand.  We had never heard of the tiny island of Moorea, just a short ferry ride from Tahiti.  We had heard of Bora Bora, but the locals told us that Bora Bora is very 'touristy', flat, and not as beautiful as Moorea.  We never got to see Bora Bora, but we can attest to the fact that Moorea is the most beautiful tropical place we have ever seen, (and that includes, Hawaii, Tahiti, Samoa, Fiji, Belize, Mexico, and Costa Rica).  This is where we stayed.  (Our missionary experiences in this part of the world were rough, but someone had to do it!!!!!  haha)

This photo was taken well after sunset when the water was a deep, rich combination of turquoise, aqua and coral pinks. 

12 comments:

Ruth Hiebert said...

That is spectacular.

John @ Beans and I on the Loose said...

This photo should be on a tourist brochure but don't! A place as beautiful as this needs to be kept a secret.

Here I Am Carrie said...

Your missionary work has certainly taken you to some very beautiful places. This is picture perfect.

Andy said...

You did a great job in capturing the beauty of Moorea.

diane b said...

It looks a magical place. Tough job!

diane b said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
MadSnapper said...

oh wow, I am speechless, stunning

Suzanne said...

Karen, I was in Moorea and Bora Bora just a couple of months ago. The atol at Bora Bora is the most spectacular I have ever seen. I'm sorry you missed it. Life clearly revolves around the water and tourism, but ah, the water....

Moorea is vastly more diverse both in geography and culture. Belvedere and Magic mountains offer majestic views of the coves while the temples give us a great sense of history. The vanilla bean and pineapple farms, alone with the agricultural center taught us that Moorea is more than just a beautiful island.

By far, my favorite of all the islands we visited during that trip was Fanning. It is a very small atol with a population of about 2,000. There is no electricity or running water. The island received visits from cruise ships only twice a year. Otherwise, they are dependent on a "trade ship" that brings supplies in exchange for their crop - seaweed, once per month.

Magnificent photo. Thanks for taking me back to heaven on earth today.

What Karen Sees said...

Suzanne,
We visited Fanning Island about 5-6 years ago on a cruise ship. It was indeed one of the most remote places we have ever visited, and that beautiful lagoon was to die for. Although I must admit, I kept thinking that if they ever had a tsunami or serious typhoon, the entire population could be wiped out because the land mass is so small and virtually flat as a pancake....at least the part where the cruise ship took us. I'll find one of my photos from there to post for you.

Suzanne said...

Without a doubt a tsunami would destroy the island. I think we were told that the highest point above sea level was 5 feet. Just can't imagine.

I'd love to see your photos from Fanning. Thanks

janc@mac.com said...

What a sweet memory captured in a spectacular photo.

Unknown said...

Karen, another wondrous place!
Great shot!