ABOARD THE OCEANIA SIRENA – Now I know why there was a mutiny on the Bounty. After sailors saw Tahiti, they didn’t want to leave. Can’t say that I blame them.
Shaped like a turtle, the island of Tahiti is the largest of the 118 islands that make up the archipelago of French Polynesia. Created millions of years ago by volcanic eruptions, Tahiti really is two islands – Tahiti Nui (the larger part) and Tahiti Iti (the peninsula) – joined by an isthmus
Since it is winter at my home, my first sights of Tahiti are dazzling to my eyes. Colors are so vibrant they don’t look real. The clear tranquil water is impossibly blue and emerald and turquoise, surrounded by pristine beaches. The island is lush and vibrant, fragrant with flowers seeming to bloom wild everywhere.
Weather is balmy with cool breezes at night. Folks are friendly, often smiling and saying “hello” or “la orana” in Tahitian. I have noticed a distinct absence of beggars and hardcore hawkers on our shore stops unlike many islands in the Caribbean. Markets and stands do sell local crafts and souvenirs but I have had no one try to persuade me to buy anything or to give them money. Tahiti has a low crime rate but as a solo traveler, I know it is always wise to be aware of surroundings and belongings.
Aboard the Sirena, guest lecturer Nick Glakas has already presented an interesting program on the tantalizing history of Tahiti. He will give three more lectures. That is a plus, in my opinion, because part of the joy of traveling is to learn more about the world and different people.
“Papeete, the capital of Tahiti, is where most people visit,” Nick said. Meaning the “water basket,” Papeete was once a gathering place where Tahitians came to draw fresh water. On my 10-day cruise aboard the Oceania Sirena, we are cruising round trip from Papeete and will be visiting seven islands in French Polynesia.
With a population of about 190,000, Tahiti is circled by majestic peaks and has a mountainous interior with deep valleys, clear streams and high waterfalls. Tahiti’s rugged coastline is where most people live.
The general theory, Nick said, is that Polynesians first settled in the Pacific around 4,000 years ago. Expert sailors, the early Polynesians used wooden double-hulled canoes that they lashed together with natural fibers to find their new home.
Marlon Brando’s private island
Although my cruise has just started, one name that seems synonymous with Tahiti is actor Marlon Brando. He came to Tahiti to film the 1962 movie “Mutiny on the Bounty.” His jet is said to be one of the first to land on Tahiti.
“He fell in love with Tahiti and with his Tahitian leading lady in the movie,” Nick said. “He married her and had children and bought a private island.”
Located about 30 miles north of Paquette, Tetiaroa is an atoll that Brando wanted to preserve as his personal paradise. For centuries, it had been a retreat for Tahitian royalty and was said to be a place where time stood still. Wanting to escape the rat race of Hollywood, Brando often headed to Tetiaroa.
However, when he died in 2004 at age 80, Brando hadn’t left any provisions in his will for Tetiaroa. In 2014, a luxury resort was opened to the public on the island. The Brando Estate and several of his children are involved in the project.
We won’t get to visit Tetiaroa on our cruise. The atoll has no reef opening, making it nearly impossible to access the island by boat. Guests arrive on a private plane in about a 20-minute flight from Tahiti. A guide told me that the ultra-luxury resort named The Brando has 35 villas with rooms starting at about $3,000 a night.
The island also has an eco-station where research is being conducted by scientists from visiting universities. Brando had developed a keen interest in the environment and wanted to preserve the natural treasures of his private island.
Brando once described his island as a comfort even in his thoughts when he couldn’t be there in person.
“My mind is always soothed when I imagine myself sitting on my South Sea island at night,” he said. “If I have my way, Tetiaroa will remain forever a place that reminds Tahitians of what they are and what they were centuries ago.”
Photos and video by Jackie Sheckler Finch
