Trip to Raiatea Island in French Polynesia
More articles about French Polynesia: Tours and vacation on Bora Bora | Trip to Tahiti | Moorea | Trip to Taha'a Island | Nuku Hiva Island
The island of Raiatea in French Polynesia is one of the "Society Islands" chain of French Polynesia and is located near the island Taha'a and both are surrounded by one large reef.
Raiatea is considered the homeland of the Polynesians, as it was the first island where the Polynesians arrived, settled, and built their first temple. It is a green and wild island with an area of 175 sq. km. where about 12,000 residents live. It has green cliffs, rich tropical vegetation, waterfalls and rivers.
The cruise ships arriving at this island dock at the small port pier on the island and from there tours depart to both islands, Taha'a and Raiatea:
Sometimes the ships do not tie up at the pier but drop anchor in a quiet lagoon near the island next to a settlement called Uturoa, which also houses the island's small airport. In such a case, the descent to the shore from the cruise ships is done in the ship's lifeboats in a journey of about ten minutes. The small main street and the marina are adjacent to the pier.
Recommended Hotels
For those planning a land trip to Raiatea and not on a ship, it is recommended to stay on the nearby island of Taha'a and arrive by boat for a day trip to Raiatea because Raiatea does not have exciting hotels and there are also no good beaches for swimming.
Accommodation recommendations in Taha'a:
A 5-star resort located on a small island named Motu Tautau, 16 km from the shore (about a 7-minute boat ride from the nearest area in Taha'a). Most rooms and suites are overwater, some are beach villas. All have a balcony with views of the ocean or mountains, and some have a private pool. All rooms, in addition to a private bathroom, also have an outdoor shower. The resort has a swimming pool, gym, spa, restaurants and bars. The price includes breakfast and free use of kayaks, snorkeling equipment, and paddleboards. Free internet. The hotel belongs to the world's luxury hotels and is one of the Relais & Châteaux hotels.
A 4-star resort located on a private island near Taha'a. The resort features beach and overwater bungalows, as well as villas with a bedroom and living room on the beach. The resort offers its guests use of water sports facilities, snorkeling equipment, mini-golf, children's play facilities, entertainment evenings, guided tours and other activities. The hotel has a bar, restaurant and spa. Free internet.
A guesthouse with air-conditioned double rooms, located in the south of the island in Vaitoare near the sea. The accommodation price includes a continental breakfast. The site includes a restaurant, picnic area and garden. Beach chairs, snorkeling equipment and bicycles are available for free to guests. Free internet.
Guided Tours on Raiatea Island
Tours in Raiatea and Taha'a to book from Viator:
♦ Scenic flight over Raiatea Island in a light plane:
Private flight, in a light plane over the Polynesian motus from Raiatea
To travel on this island, it is recommended to book a guided tour in advance where you will see the best the island has to offer.
I booked a private tour with a guide named Eric who waited for us at the pier and took us for a tour in an open jeep for about four and a half hours.
We drove between cliffs and valleys, waterfalls and houses surrounded by fruit trees, with wild roosters running everywhere
We stopped at several impressive viewpoints.
We drove along the river and the bay to their sacred site, Marae of Taputapuatea, which is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Offerings from the residents on the sacred rocks:
Eric stopped for us along the way by various fruit trees, including the Noni tree with its smelly fruits, the Ati tree with fruits used to produce a particularly healthy oil for the skin, papaya trees, mango, masses of coconuts, spice plants and more.
He told us about local Polynesian customs, their foods, beliefs, their traditional tattoos and more.
A fascinating and educational tour with a guide full of humor, an "authentic" Polynesian whose smile never left his face.
From this island, tours also depart to the neighboring island of Taha’a, which you can read about in my article: Trip to Taha'a Island.
Video about a trip to Taha'a Island: