For our second trip to Moorea we didn't want to stay in a large resort where we wouldn't be able to experience the rich Polynesian culture. We definitely had our dream vacation at Te Nunoa with James, Laurel, Fiona, and Dushan.
The bungalow was built in the typical Polynesian style with beautiful hardwoods surrounded by lush gardens. The bungalow offered all of the amenities you would find in a luxury resort and was thoroughly cleaned on a daily basis. There was a sitting area, kitchen, large bathroom, extremely comfortable king size bed, and a sleeper sofa. We often found ourselves sitting outside at night in the garden enjoying the fresh air and ocean breezes. There were papaya, mango, and banana trees in the garden that you could pick and eat...right next to the property was a coconut grove with plenty of delicious fresh coconuts. The beach was just across the road and we were usually the only people there. During the evenings we would often go back down to the beach to watch the firey red sunsets and just relax in paradise.
We really felt like a part of their family and enjoyed watching Fiona's Polynesian dance show and playing cards and dice with Dushan and Fiona. It was a true pleasure to be invited to watch a local school event and be exposed to their culture as "normal tourists" may not be. James even told us where and how to get freshly caught fish and showed us how to fillet a bonita and grind one of the coconuts for fresh poisson cru. That was delicous. Laurel was always available to answer any questions and make recommendations which really made our trip personalized.
Since we are dog lovers we also immediately bonded with their very respectful and well behaved puppies. And for any tattoo lovers, James has his studio right on the property. The whole tattoo process was a real experience not to be missed! We even had the opportunity to watch James give someone a traditional tattoo.
There are several very good restaurants in close proximity to Te Nunoa and many will even pick you up for dinner at no extra charge. But, it was also nice to have the option to cook our own meals in the bungalow. Every morning we would ride the bike to the local market to pick up a fresh baguette or delicious pastries and eat in the garden with Puka :)
Staying at Te Nunoa is ideal because you can do as many activities as you wish or just do nothing and relax in the hammock with an ice cold Hinano or two. We stayed at Te Nunoa for 10 nights and will definitely be back during our next trip to Moorea. We can't express say enough to express our gratitude to the Samuela Family!
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