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Let Tahiti Take You By Surprise
Discover Tahiti
Mention Tahiti to your friends and family, and guaranteed two thoughts immediately come to mind: "Bora Bora" and "Honeymooners." Yes, Bora Bora is a popular Tahitian island, and sure, plenty of honeymooners vacation there every year, but why write off this beautiful, otherworldly South Pacific collective as just being one destination with one purpose? With 118 islands spread over five archipelagos, the islands of Tahiti have a little something for everyone.
Up Next: Nuku Hiva
Up Next: Nuku Hiva
Nuku Hiva
Where to Stay: The Keikahanui Nuku Hiva Pearl Lodge is a stunning hotel featuring gorgeous bungalows nestled into the hillside overlooking the bay.
Where to Eat: Chez Yvonne's is a hotel and restaurant run by the island's resident mayor and home of the best breadfruit you'll ever ingest.
Details: Nuku Hiva isn't your typical beach destination. Certainly the island's attitude is just as laid back as the others, but Nuku Hiva actually has very few beaches nestled against its mountainous mass. An island tour is the best way to get the lay of the land.
Up Next: Nuku Hiva Adventures
Where to Eat: Chez Yvonne's is a hotel and restaurant run by the island's resident mayor and home of the best breadfruit you'll ever ingest.
Details: Nuku Hiva isn't your typical beach destination. Certainly the island's attitude is just as laid back as the others, but Nuku Hiva actually has very few beaches nestled against its mountainous mass. An island tour is the best way to get the lay of the land.
Up Next: Nuku Hiva Adventures
Nuku Hiva Adventures
Must-see: Every December there's a dance competition that nearly everyone gets involved with. Twenty drummers pound out a tribal rhythm that sounds like the island's heartbeat as both the men and women throw their all into singing and dancing the traditional Tahitian way.
Must-do: Hike to the waterfalls of Hakaui. After hopping on a boat that takes you to the other side of the island, take a jaw-dropping walk through lush tropical forests that have to be seen to be believed. Swimming in the fresh water and floating in and out of caves is an experience that's hard to beat.
Up Next: Huahine
Must-do: Hike to the waterfalls of Hakaui. After hopping on a boat that takes you to the other side of the island, take a jaw-dropping walk through lush tropical forests that have to be seen to be believed. Swimming in the fresh water and floating in and out of caves is an experience that's hard to beat.
Up Next: Huahine
Huahine
Where to Stay: Nab an over-water bungalow at the Te Tiare Beach Resort.
Where to Eat: Ari'i Restaurant at the Te Tiare, where you'll have the best poisson cru -- raw fish marinated in coconut milk and lime -- known to man.
Details: Blending the best of both worlds, Huahine is rich with mountainous vegetation and boasts the white sand beaches and crystal clear blue water that you crave, complete with tropical fish.
Up Next: Huahine Adventures
Where to Eat: Ari'i Restaurant at the Te Tiare, where you'll have the best poisson cru -- raw fish marinated in coconut milk and lime -- known to man.
Details: Blending the best of both worlds, Huahine is rich with mountainous vegetation and boasts the white sand beaches and crystal clear blue water that you crave, complete with tropical fish.
Up Next: Huahine Adventures
Huahine Adventures
Must-see: An afternoon boat ride takes you out into the ocean, where you slip on your snorkeling gear and get in the water to watch your boat captain feed the sharks, right in front of your face! Don't worry -- they're not the least bit interested in you (i.e., they're not the human eating kind.)
Must-do: A road trip through the islands will net you the chance to see old-school fishing Tahitian methods, vanilla plantations and sacred eels that go crazy for canned fish.
Up Next: Raiatea
Must-do: A road trip through the islands will net you the chance to see old-school fishing Tahitian methods, vanilla plantations and sacred eels that go crazy for canned fish.
Up Next: Raiatea
Raiatea
Where to Stay: Stay in an over-water bungalow at the Raiatea Hawaiki Nui Hotel
Where to Eat: Book a motu picnic with Oliver for a real treat that will find you frolicking on an island with handfuls of other guests as your lunch is cooked in underground pits, then served buffet-style as live island music accompanies your munching
Up Next: Raiatea Adventures
Where to Eat: Book a motu picnic with Oliver for a real treat that will find you frolicking on an island with handfuls of other guests as your lunch is cooked in underground pits, then served buffet-style as live island music accompanies your munching
Up Next: Raiatea Adventures
Raiatea Adventures
Must-see: After your lunch, Oliver acts as your official guide to the coral gardens, a densely-populated stretch of sea life that will leave you feeling as though you've wandered into a live-action version of Finding Nemo.
Must-do: Go on an island excursion with Eric Pelle that starts at Taputapuatea Marae, the largest archaeological site in Eastern Polynesia, followed by a hike deep in the hillside forests of Raiatea. Pelle is an incredible guide, with an encyclopedic knowledge of vegetation and trails that will leave your head spinning, but make you glad that you're following him.
Up Next: Manihi
Must-do: Go on an island excursion with Eric Pelle that starts at Taputapuatea Marae, the largest archaeological site in Eastern Polynesia, followed by a hike deep in the hillside forests of Raiatea. Pelle is an incredible guide, with an encyclopedic knowledge of vegetation and trails that will leave your head spinning, but make you glad that you're following him.
Up Next: Manihi
Manihi
Where to Stay: Book a room at the incredible Manihi Pearl Beach Resort, and they'll pick you up at the airport in a golf cart and whisk you away to their island hideaway.
Where to Eat: Don't miss out on the Pearl's true motu picnic experience. Boating out to a true deserted isle to have lunch is really an authentic Tahitian event - especially when you catch and kill your own lunch.
Details: Manihi really is a world away from everything that you're used to. You have no choice but to let your stress melt away the moment you step off the plane and set foot on this flat, four mile-wide island.
Up Next: Manihi Adventures
Where to Eat: Don't miss out on the Pearl's true motu picnic experience. Boating out to a true deserted isle to have lunch is really an authentic Tahitian event - especially when you catch and kill your own lunch.
Details: Manihi really is a world away from everything that you're used to. You have no choice but to let your stress melt away the moment you step off the plane and set foot on this flat, four mile-wide island.
Up Next: Manihi Adventures
Manihi Adventures
Must-see: Book a snorkeling - or diving - excursion to the Drop Off, where a stunning array of sea life wander around before a giant drop that reminds you just how massive, expansive and deep the ocean is.
Must-do: The resort has bikes available to guests who want to take a ride around the island, and there's mini-golf and volleyball for the adventurous set. But why not book a treatment at the Manea Spa? A Monoi Rae Fenua massage treatment will suck the stress right out the top of your head and soles of your feet.
Up Next: More Sunny Destinations
Must-do: The resort has bikes available to guests who want to take a ride around the island, and there's mini-golf and volleyball for the adventurous set. But why not book a treatment at the Manea Spa? A Monoi Rae Fenua massage treatment will suck the stress right out the top of your head and soles of your feet.
Up Next: More Sunny Destinations
North Shore
Location: Oahu, HI
Details: Encompassing the ultimate beach for the active family, the North Shore of Hawaii's Oahu Island has everything from the big surfing breaks at Waimea Bay and Banzai Pipeline at Ehukai Beach, to the gentle cove at Kuilima. Wrapped around the North Shore is Turtle Bay Resort, which features three of the best beaches on the island plus horseback riding, surf camp and other activities.
Up Next: Kiptopeke State Park
Details: Encompassing the ultimate beach for the active family, the North Shore of Hawaii's Oahu Island has everything from the big surfing breaks at Waimea Bay and Banzai Pipeline at Ehukai Beach, to the gentle cove at Kuilima. Wrapped around the North Shore is Turtle Bay Resort, which features three of the best beaches on the island plus horseback riding, surf camp and other activities.
Up Next: Kiptopeke State Park
Kiptopeke State Park
Location: Cape Charles, VA
Details: It's a trifecta of fun -- beaches, nature and camping -- at Kiptopke State Park, which lies at the southern tip of Virginia's Eastern Shore. The beachfront hugs a half mile of the Chesapeake Bay and offers a protected swimming area, boat ramp, lighted fishing pier, playground and trails. This park gives families the chance to play on the water or in the woods! Seasonal interpretive programs offer insight into bay ecology, migratory birding and the natural history of the area -- which John Smith himself roamed in the early 1600s.
Up Next: More AOL Travel Features
Details: It's a trifecta of fun -- beaches, nature and camping -- at Kiptopke State Park, which lies at the southern tip of Virginia's Eastern Shore. The beachfront hugs a half mile of the Chesapeake Bay and offers a protected swimming area, boat ramp, lighted fishing pier, playground and trails. This park gives families the chance to play on the water or in the woods! Seasonal interpretive programs offer insight into bay ecology, migratory birding and the natural history of the area -- which John Smith himself roamed in the early 1600s.
Up Next: More AOL Travel Features
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