Evening explores Tahiti - KING 5 Evening | Full Episode
[Music] Yana and Maya hello and welcome to the islands of tahi May on this special episode of evening we're exploring the beauty the culture and the traditions of this Tropical Paradise the best place in the world from Once in a-lifetime experiences to Unforgettable scenery and people at the end they become our friends our family [Music] 118 Islands across five archipelagos make up French Polynesia in the South Pacific and while it seems like it's a world away because it is getting here is a lot easier than you think we got here on Air Tahiti Nei Which flies direct from Seattle right to the capital of Papeete and your Polynesian adventure begins the moment you step on that plane the flights reflect the warm and welcoming Spirit you'll experience on the islands TI flowers are given to each passenger even the designs on the planes themselves showcase traditional tattoos and just like that in under 10 hours you're in Paradise now I'm on the island of rangiroa in the archipelago of tuamotu it's known for its beaches its diving and its pearls but as I found out on an unforgettable Adventure it's it's also a place of many surprises rangira is in a class all its own 50 mil from end to end this ring of islands is the second largest atall in the world I am noo the captain for you today Captain noo takes us on a highe journey across the Lagoon that is some Blue Water a body of water so massive it feels more like the Open [Music] Sea our first destination is a lagoon within the Lagoon the Blue Lagoon getting to lagon Blue requires a bit of a hike through highly populated water I hope the residents don't mind if you want to take a dip here you have to be okay with swimming with sharks we've been aure they don't [Music] bite the adjoining Coral Garden is a great place for a swim if I'm not back in 5 minutes call [Music] 911 the giant clams here are called pahua locals love to eat them raw fresh from the see it's very chewy and those who Feast upon them can sometimes assume great power for the king of the Blue Lagoon the king of the Blue Lagoon I'm the king of you today I'm the king of the blue this is this is the best day of my life sir our next stop requires noo to do some fancy driving through a potentially boat killing obstacle course of reefs look Jimmy it looks like another planet exactly the fossilized coral structures create an otherworldly landscape and they're as sharp as razors this spot we call the reef Island Reef island has stood guard against the sea protecting rangiroa for thousands of years if we don't have this Reef all island is broken we head back across French Polynesia largest Lagoon to cap our adventure at a place known as tiputa pass swim with the fishes no wonder they call this spot the aquarium that's a lot of fish it's a freeway of sea life moving between ocean and Lagoon fishing is not allowed here because that would be just two too easy it's been an unforgettable day of Adventure in this wild and ancient corner of paradise a Polynesian Jewel called rangiroa a truly mindblowing experience and sharing the island with visitors has been in NoHo's family for Generations in fact he says his grandfather was the first person to take tourists out to the Blue Lagoon well I capped off my day of adventure with a stay at the luxurious Motu Fara Private Island there's only two Villas on the property and a full-time staff to attend to your every need from five-star Cuisine to concierge service and boat transportation to take you wherever you need to go the rooms are spacious and modern and the views are not to be missed especially at Sunset another private Resort across from the island of Tah haa is a playground for the Rich and Famous vah Private Island Resort and Spa features over-the-water Bungalows with glass tables to take in the fishy view below or you can stay in the Royal Villa with single rooms larger than a typical Seattle home and a pool that takes you from the building's interior to The Great Outdoors amazing places but if you want a truly authentic local way to stay you might want to check out a tahan guest house for visitors looking to live like a local the islands of Tahiti have a unique way to stay it's called the guest house it's really different from hotel guest houses are essentially mini Resorts usually featuring a few Bungalows operated by a single family the people really love to take care of tourist of people coming in French poesia and I think it begin with the guest house there are nearly 300 guest houses spread across 38 Islands each one has a character all its own if you come to anahata it's a real experience HEI Gerard and his wife Patricia built and operate the anahata guest house on the island of tahaa the only way to get here from the neighboring airport is by sea so hry personally gives guests a lift first travel is with the boat and that's just the start of a beautiful friendship really happy to give happiness to people conversations flow over authentic Island dishes all prepared by Patricia we love to speak with the people we eat with the people they eat what we eat also lovely fresh fish and things like that really local food the dinner is really perfect because of uh Patricia of course the meals are mindblowing and so so are the views it's a good experience the water here is Crystal Clear perfect for spotting the 3,000 lb Turtle sculpture haly commissioned as a fish friendly Reef for the ocean floor consider at a treasured new acquaintance waiting for your next visit we are proud to say that people want to come back here at the end they become our friends our family it's the way that the tan people people receive people like family you know there's growing movement on the islands especially at some guest houses to practice a more sustainable lifestyle and we found a mother and daughter who are leading the way by getting back to their Roots up an impossibly bumpy road covered in mud it's like you have to deserve to be here you know deep in the heart of Rota a unique experience awaits in a small guest house when you get here the way we treat you it's like you're rewarding for stepping out from your comfort zone bour oh mer new this is new Shack an off- theeg grid property run by tewa rangi bouris and her mother Vicki their family has lived in this Valley for a thousand years and it's here they reconnect with their ancestors when you arrive in this Valley and obviously you feel it in your body it's a different atmosphere here is the shack they recently opened up their home sharing their lifestyle with visitors we just want to connect people to Nature so that they get inspired and live a more sustainable life first thing about this place is we try to just adapt ourself to the environment like we put our house in a place where there was already and we used the local material to build the bangalow we have in the garden the guest house is powered by solar energy the water comes from the river that runs through the valley the meals are plant-based using mostly fruit and Flora foraged from the land so your mom's quite a cook she's a chef she's the just cooking she's making art in this Bamboo Kitchen while Vicki prepares all of the meals teaya rangi treats guests to tahan Beauty rituals today we're making a coconut salt scrub and she puts me to work could this could get ugly not it's not so much for a beauty [Music] ritual we make our way down to the river where the treatment begins with a meditative breathing exercise [Music] then the scrub is mixed together this is so natural you could eat it I won't massaged into our arms and rinsed off in the river revealing silky smooth skin how it feel on your skin baby soft it's an experience that will leave you renewed inside and out revealing a deeper connection to this place and this place Planet my intention when people come here is that they feel something new here they see hope hope in the future hope for a better Planet hope for themselves for Better Health that's what we want we want something new awesome experience and mama Vicki told us she plans to release a cookbook soon I want to get my hands on that one still to come it's the finest of the flavors see where they grow the best vanilla in the World Plus a mailbox for bread and later the art of tahan tattoos evenings tahan Adventure sponsored by Air Tahiti newe welcome back to the islands of Tahiti where music and dancing seems to be everywhere bringing people together everyone is welcome to join in no matter what their age or unfort fortunately their skill level and the air is filled with the sweet Aroma of vanilla on the island of tahaa Welcome to my mobile no one loves the island of tahaa more than TAA ABS the best place in the world this experienced guide can tell you about everything that grows here that is a sensitive plant he knows which plants like their privacy if you touch like that he's clothes he knows which ones make great musical instruments after six beer I can play everything and after six beers it'll sound better to me too but mostly TAA knows vanilla oh I show you the flower inside less than 1% of the world's vanilla crop is grown into haa that part becomes the bean exactly that part but Islanders say once you taste it you'll forget about the other 99 % the best in the world the best in the world the plants are grown in a bed of coconut shells to prevent rotting vinegar fumes repel insects and baking soda is used as a fungicide all organic all organic TAA says the spices name is actually derived from a certain body part do you know the word vanilla is a oh this is going to have to be a private conversation each flower is individually cultivated every day every morning workers carefully pollinate each Orchid by hand take the pollen on the top then let nature work its magic one down 1 million to go exactly once the mature beans are harvested they're dried in the sun 2 hours every day for 2 months and they get a spa treatment three times a week massage the beans massage the beans slowly yeah are people surprised when they find out how much work goes into the vanilla yes yes is a long process the end result is the finest of the flavors this must be the best vanilla in the world yes the best from one of the most spectacular places on Earth the best they don't just grow vanilla here it's also a key ingredient in French Polynesian Cuisine where the plates are filled with locally sourced deliciousness while the views across French Polynesia are breathtaking nothing here leaves you speechless quite like the food whether it's the national dish pan crew we have um tuna ccum onion and lemon or ice cream made with the world famous tahaa vanilla it's a very very very good better than borbone from from another country the flavors are a marriage of local ingredients and French techniques no one represents that relationship quite like restaurant tour and Chef TVA galopin Tera was born in Tahiti to a French father and Polynesian mother at age 20 he traveled to Paris to study art but decided he preferred creating masterpieces on the plate I prefer go in the kitchen then uh in art his passion is to put a Twist on both cultures elevating the food found on the island into a fine dining experience a recipe that would leave anyone satisfied Bona now tahan residents are officially citizens of France and boy did they love their baguettes on tahaa you won't find any mailboxes those containers along the road are actually bread boxes used for daily early morning deliveries coming up it's really yourself you're putting in your tattoos the meaningful art of tattoos welcome back you know tattooing has a long history here in French Polynesia in fact the earliest traces of the art form date back more than 2,000 years my buddy Jose is here with me along for this adventure and and he takes a look at the deep meaning behind tattoos here on the islands it started as a rainy day in paradise same day I was going to get my first pollination tattoo the word tattoo comes from the tahan word tatau Asians poian people didn't have written words so tattoos was the only way to communicate their status Family Ties and even their passions what I have here for example is a necklace this necklace represents his family tree protection and fatherhood it's really yourself you're putting in your tatto if you have a shark on yourself means protection also you might be a fisherman an emblem from the island we're coming from today Tattooing in French Polynesia is done a little different after a couple of questions about my own life experiences it was up to my tat tour to create an image that will fit me the tattoo man said that he can do a beautiful tooll a symbol that represents long life Union Harmony and wellness more the chill Vibe of French Pia the animal who was traveling all around the world and he is the one who's bringing Peace So when you have a tural on yourself it means that you are someone who is open-minded looking for exchanges with people there's even even more meaning to this tattoo like the symbol of Mana he wanted to have a protection of as a traveler so every places you're going to go next you will have that protection on yourself yeah it's very meanful a peaceful process that took about an hour it's finished my friend now it's time to say it I am honored to have an image that would tell my own story means a lot to me and it means a lot to my experience that I have here in Island and is protecting me for future travels one way or another I will always feel connected to this part of the world you can feel the vibe of the Mana the real Mana nicely done you know every culture here in the South Pacific has a different style of tattoo for instance if you get a traditional Hawaiian tattoo that's going to look a little different than the tattoo that you get here on the islands of Tahiti floral traditions of Tahiti when evening [Music] returns Beautiful You Know music is a long held tradition here on the islands of Tahiti another cherish tradition is the flower crown it's worn by women on special occasions making these natural accessories is a skill passed on from mother to daughter another tradition is lays visitors are given flower lays when they arrive these are made with bright fragrant flowers welcoming you with the scent of the islands when you leave it's a lay made with shells so you can take apart of French Polynesia home with you Mal Ruru to all of the wonderful people that we've met here on the islands of Tahiti oh thank you so much and also to you ah Maru one moreu another one thanks for watching everyone [Music] na oh
2024-10-28 01:25
