Talk
pp. 133-134 · Read in the full issue
Travel
"Pacific Islands Monthly" is a member of the Australian National Travel Association and the Pacific Area Travel Association.
Some 10 years ago, an American yachtsman who cruised through the islands of French Polynesia, described Moorea, Tahiti’s craggy, picturesque sister island, as just part of the Tahiti sunset, nothing more”.
“ A LTHOUGH Moorea is the only A land in sight of Tahiti,” he said, “it is an isolated and forgotten land.”
Nowadays, with thousands of tourists flocking to Tahiti each year, those words are no longer true. But it is a fact that only a small fraction of them make the 12-mile excursion from Papeete to Moorea, and those who do seldom stay longer than over night.
Because of this and because it has only a tenth (4,200) of Tahiti’s population and a sixtieth (300) of its vehicles, Moorea still has much of the unhurried, uncosmopolitan, away from-it-all charm that travellers used to find in Tahiti a century ago.
To get there, once you have reached Tahiti, is not difficult. A diesel launch, about the size of a small Sydney Harbour ferry, leaves Papeete every day except Tuesdays at about 9 a.m., and returns to Papeete about 6 p.m. The crossing takes about two hours.
Those wishing to stay on Moorea overnight or longer have a choice of three hostelries —the Hotel Aimeo on Paopao Bay, the Bali Hai (formerly the Matiehani) at Maharepa, and the Tohivea Inn at Afareaitu. All these hotels have bungalow-style accom modation. Their approximate rates Hotel Aimeo —2,000 to 2,500 Pacific francs for single rooms; 2,950 to 3,500 francs, double (American Pl Hotel Bali Hai—6oo to 900 francs (European plan). .
Tohivea Inn—4oo francs, single;
500 francs, double (European plan).
Exchange rates are roughly 196 francs to the Australian <£, and 96.5 to the U.S. $.
The Hotel Aimeo, which stands in sight of some of the most romantic scenery in the world, is run by a Frenchwoman, Mri. Christa Winkelstroeter, who settled on the island with her German husband about 35 years ago. Mrs. Winkel stoeter is assisted by her daughter Jeanne. Both speak excellent Eng lish, but the hotel also employs an
Donald McCallum, of the Hotel Bali Hai, demonstrates three carefree ways of spending the time on Moorea— dancing the "Tamure", messing about with a boat, and talking to the Bali Hai's tame albatross.
American “host,” Jim Smith, especi ally for the benefit of English-speak ing people.
The hotel is noted for its Tahitianr feasts ( tamaraa ) which are held onr Wednesday and Friday nights to thee accompaniment of Polynesian music..
After the feasts, open-air dancing by’ torchlight is staged by dancers fromi the village of Temae.
The hotel Bali Hai, which is a* mile or so from the Aimeo and faces; the open sea, is run by three lively young Americans, Hugh Kelley, , Donald McCallum and Jay Carlisle, , who decided to go into the hotel 1 business after Kelley discovered Moorea’s charm during a yacht trip four or five years ago.
Kelley was formerly a lawyer in Los Angles, McCallum was a manu facturer’s representative, and Carlisle was a stockbroker in southern Cali fornia. They have built much of their hotel with their own hands; and they grow many of their own vege tables.
The Tohivea Inn is run by a Tahitian woman, Pauline, and is also known as Chez Pauline.
Package Tours
Tahiti Tours, a tourist agency situ ated on the waterfront at Papeete, sells several package tours to Moorea.
One, lasting 24 hours, covers the launch trip over and back, meals and overnight accommodation at the Hotel Aimeo, and a visit to neighbour ing Papetoai Bay. One of the in teresting sights at Papetoai is the eight-sided Protestant church, which was built by the LMS missionaries and opened for worship in 1829. It is the oldest church in the South Pacific.
A 48-hour package tour sold by Tahiti Tours is the same as the fore going on the first day. On the second day, there is a tour around the island by jeep or local bus, with lunch at Afareaitu at the Tohivea Inn.
On Sundays, the Bali Hai offers a package tour for $lB, which begins in Papeete at 8.30 a.m. and gets you back there at 11 p.m.
For your $lB, you get a snack of fresh fruit after your arrival by launch; then you can relax, swim or go for a canoe ride until lunch is served at noon. After that, a pro gramme of dancing is staged especi ally for the benefit of photographers.
This is followed by a sightseeing trip to Paopao Bay, and a visit to a vanilla plantation. In the evening, there’s a tamaraa and a singing dancing exhibition by the Temae dancers.