The island of Taha’a, is the second in our island blog series. We have a special fondness for Taha’a, as this island has been our home for the last year. We adore Tahaa for many reasons, but mainly, we love that when our feet hit the ground here after being away for any length of time, we feel a palpable sense of peace and tranquility.
Taha’a lies just across the lagoon (approx. 2.4 miles) from its sister island Raiatea. These two islands are surrounded by the same coral reef, so they share the same, drop dead gorgeous lagoon. Sailing this lagoon, between the two islands is perfect for our charters, and offers guests a million opportunities to discover the magic of French Polynesia.
Taha’a does not have an airport on the island, so the only way to arrive in Taha’a is by boat. This is part of the reason that Taha’a remains quite untouched, and is the perfect refuge for people seeking a “simpler way of life”, or for travelers to get a real feel for what life in Polynesia is really all about.
Taha’a is known as the “Vanilla Island”, as approximately 80% of French Polynesia’s precious vanilla beans are grown here. We love bringing our guests to one of the island’s family run farms, to see how vanilla is grown. After experiencing this, everyone can appreciate how this labor- intensive little treasure is grown.
Tahaa’s waters are strewn with numerous motus (islets) with white sand beaches, and great places to snorkel. While sailing Tahaa’s lagoon, we are always amazed by seeing the deep, beautiful fertile valleys and bays that make Tahaa’s scenery so beautiful. From the north side of Taha’a, you can see famous Bora Bora off in the distance…just 10 miles away. This is the perfect place to watch the sunset in total tranquility, all the while knowing you’ve found a little slice of heaven.