Koningsdam adventure, Papeete, Tahiti, French Polynesia...

This morning, I was out way before sunrise for the sail-in to Papeete, Tahiti, our first stop in French Polynesia. Lisa, Jim, Ann, Cathy, and I left the ship and met Heifara Spector, a tour operator/owner we have used in the past. Fara assigned Benny to drive us around the island of Tahiti.  We left Papeete the modern heartbeat of the French Polynesian Islands to explore the majestic, water and mountainous views.  We were so fortunate to have sunny blue skies today as it is the rainy season in Tahiti and rainy weather is normal for the time of year. Our first stop on the West Coast was the PK 18 white sand beach. Our next stop was the Grottos of Maraa, the picturesque cave. Next, we visited Vaipahi Gardens, and had a very pleasant walk through the tropical garden with water springs and ponds with lilies and lotuses. As a surprise, and a first for me, we were treated to a trip to Tahiti Iti or the little island. We climbed up Mount Moirenui to the Taravao Beledere Park for a spectacular view of the Tahiti Nui or Big Island of Tahiti. We continued to Faaone waterfalls enjoying the lush scenery along the way.  Our next stop was the Faarumai Waterfall…this is one of Tahiti’s most majestic waterfalls 80 meters, set in a tranquil valley. Next, we stopped at for a snack at Venus Point to explore this historic explorer landing site with the island’s only Lighthouse, monuments, and breathtaking ocean views. Our last photo stop was Tahara’a Point viewpoint overlooking the city and the island of Moorea. We made a brief stop at a fabric shop and Lisa got some local treasures for her granddaughters. Once back in Papeete, Benny dropped us at the Central Market where shopped and then walked back to the ship. We had a great tour today…This was my sister and her husband’s first trip to French Polynesia, and they were very pleased with this beautiful island paradise.