4 days / 3 nights in the Leeward Islands: Raiatea-Taha'a-Raiatea

Itinerary

Day 1 : RAIATEA Airport welcome and transfer to Apooiti Marina, our home base. Meet the crew and receive briefing. Sail to Uturoa for a visit of the village where you’ll find shops, banks and internet facilities. Lunch on board. Water activities at a little island or motu- kayaking, swimming, snorkeling. Sail on to Faaroa Bay and go upriver with the skipper by dinghy. Afternoon: the yellow flowers of purau end their short life with a graceful immersion in the river. Dinner on board and moor for the night
Day 2 : RAIATEA Breakfast. Sail to Opoa Bay and visit the Taputapuatea Marae, it’s an important site, in the process of being classified as a heritage site by UNESCO, and was the departure point for great Polynesian migrations by ocean-going canoes across the Pacific. Lunch aboard. Kayaking, swimming, snorkeling. Dinner on board and mooring at Nao Nao Motu.
Day 3 : RAIATEA-TAHA’A (2 1/2 hour sailing) Breakfast Sail to Apu Bay and visit a pearl farm, where you can buy direct. Or Hurepiti Bay. Optional extra, in the morning only, a special “bio-ethnique” visit to Taha’a, including an explanation of the fascinating “marriage” of the vanilla flower that results in the vanilla pod. Vanilla Tour by Alain Plantier – telephone +689 65 62 46 or VHF 6. Moorings available. This tour is much more comprehensive than the complimentary one at Faaaha Bay in which only a few vanilla plants are displayed You can buy vanilla. This tour could be one of the highlights of your visit. Lunch aboard Sail to Tautau Motu. Walk and swim, explore the coral garden. If weather conditions are favorable, wonderful sunset over Bora-Bora. Dinner at Le Taha’a Island Resort & Spa, part of the Relais & Châteaux group.
Day 4 : TAHA’A-RAIATEA (approximately 2 hours sailing within the lagoon) Breakfast Sail to the Mahaea Motu/Céran. Swimming, snorkeling, kayaking or, as an optional extra, a visit to the small lagoonarium of Atger Motu. Alternatively complimentary visit to a vanilla plantation, near the Motu Pearl Village.Top quality vanilla on sale. Light lunch and return to TYC home base – 2 hours before your flight or by 3pm at the latest.

Food and Dining

All meals on board are included (continental breakfast, lunch and dinners - drinks in option -) and a dinner or buffet-dinner (excluding drinks) ashore, either at the Vanille restaurant of le Taha’a Island Resort & Spa, Relais & Châteaux, or at the Bora-Bora Pearl Beach Resort or equivalent if the pick up is at le Taha'a.

Onboard Activities/Events

On board, snorkeling gear, sea hammocks, kayak, stand-up paddle board.