Pointe Pati

While this resort does have a few roosters, they did not seem determined to assert their dominance throughout the night, and we both slept well. We enjoyed a buffet style breakfast, but honestly I would have paid the full fare simply for the two cups of strong coffee. It rained for just a minute, which was enough to produce a rainbow that we took as a good omen for the day to come. The weather forecast called for rain all day, but we decided not to believe it and booked a bicycle rental to see what this island had to offer. I raked a razor over my face for about 20m in hopes that it would allow a more secure snorkel mask fit and it was time to head out.

The first stop was the grocery store to stock up on some water, pack a lunch, and secure a bottle of wine for later. We dropped off the wine in the room minibar and headed out around the island.

Our first stop was Maeva ("Welcome") Marea Complex, housing the Fare Poree ("Oval House"), a reconstruction of a traditional Tahitian meeting house, now a small museum on the lake. We read the history of the island and its people, and checked out the artifacts before backtracking a little bit to reach the Matairea Hill hike trailhead.

It was an easy hike, though it branched off regularly enough to have us doubting our choices as to whether or not we were going the correct way. along the way we encountered our first Marea (temples) that had been overtaken by a massive tree. Either by our magnificent wayfinding or sheer dumb luck, we made all the correct choices and popped out at another Marea with a great view of the island. Satisfied, we wound our way back to the main road and continued biking to the Jardin de Corail.

We stashed our bikes and donned our snorkeling gear. By this point we were both sweaty and ready for a swim, and it didn't disappoint. My baby's-bottom-smooth face did in fact prevent water from flooding my mask, so we both got to enjoy the coral and many aquatic creatures. There was a strong tide at points, but we exercised appropriate care and had a blast snorkeling for a while.

Feeling refreshed, we threw our towel down and snarfed some prosciutto and toast along with some fruit (and plenty more water). Refueled, we biked along the outer part of the island back to the hotel and beyond to see some sailboats in another bay before calling it and enjoying some downtime and a glass or two of wine. It was a smart call, as the skies opened up just a little while later.

We prepared for dinner, and more importantly, the 10m walk to dinner. Laura donned the rain jacket, and we made use of the bungalow's umbrella, but still arrived somewhat damp due to the ongoing monsoon. We both had tuna tartar and some great swordfish (Laura's again with coconut, mine with green pepper sauce), before making the journey back -- somehow it was raining even harder. We had to dodge a few crabs on the walk back (no joke), but all in all counted it another great day.Read more