Moorea
Radiance of the Seas left Pepeete at 11pm and sailed out into the Pacific Ocean. Once out in the waters, she sailed around to the North side of the island and into the bay where guests could tender to shore. Feeling the ship slow down and drop anchor, I opened my eyes… WOW! Absolutely gorgeous! The green mountains with clouds hovering created such a great photo op!
With the light continuously changing… clouds floating in the tropical breezes… the view kept changing. It was absolutely magnificent. We made our morning coffee in the French Press we packed. Added a bit of Bailey’s… our vacation routine. Out onto the balcony for a spectacular view to enjoy our java! Definitely what vacation is all about…
After a double dose of caffeine and a bite to eat, we jumped on the tender and headed to port. The plan was to, once again, rent a car. Disembarking the water shuttle, we walked through booths of trinkets. Then past several shore excursion sellers hustling us to go on a touristy trip for the day. We had other plans… or so we thought. While organizing and planning for this trip, I was very careful to plot out the location of the rental agency… unfortunately, the two minute walk to the “pier” was actually the ferry pier on the complete opposite side of the island. For about a second and a half, I attempted to arrange a taxi but quickly lost interest in the intense heat! Instead… back to the ship to enjoy a day with no one at the pool or in the bars!
Once back on the ship, we stayed in our air-conditioned cabin for a bit to cool off. I did a little bit of reading, the hubby took a nap. The restful day flew by and it was time to get ready for Happy Hour in the Diamond Lounge. Once dressed, we decided to get our drinks to go and enjoy them on our balcony. Looking across the bay, we noticed a scar in the mountainside. After doing a deep dive into the island I didn’t really get to visit, I found that the “scar” was actually a road to a tropical garden/restaurant. From what I could gather, guests parked at the bottom of the hill and were driven up in an open-air shuttle. From the pictures I found, the food looked amazing. Definitely something I would like to see next time!
Despite the fact we barely saw any of the island on shore, we sensed a certain vibe that motivates us to return. Next time we will have a better idea of where things are. Our eyes were drawn to a red roof across the bay, on the shoreline. We both imagined lounging by the seaside of the picturesque island. Looking up at the nearby accommodations, I found the splash of red to be Polynesian-style bungalows in a communal living situation. Separate sleeping places with private bathrooms right on the water. Fare Viehere looked to be very charming and very reasonably priced (waterfront 151 Euro/night). Nearby on the water… the most exquisite villas. Robinson’s Cove has three bedroom, two bathroom fancy homes for 2500 Euro a week! Yikes!
But the crème de la crème… my unobtainable vision of the Society Islands… the overwater bungalows! Hilton Moorea Lagoon looks to be everything I’ve ever imagined! With a price tag of $1000/night ($815 paid in advance), the odds of me experiencing the overwater luxury is slim to none. They are beautiful even from my cabin balcony! Tomorrow… Bora Bora! Stay tuned!
