Ra'iatea

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  • Daily Expedition Reports
  • 02 May 2022

Ra'iatea, 5/2/2022, National Geographic Orion

  • Aboard the National Geographic Orion
  • French Polynesia & Pacific Islands

As dawn broke this morning, National Geographic Orion approached the island of Ra'iatea via a pass through the barrier reef. First up was a visit to Marae Taputapuatea, designated as a World Heritage Site. This cultural site on the coast was fascinating, with the added bonus of a thirty-minute hike to a viewpoint above the site. In the afternoon, we visited a privately owned motu (small coral island) near the island of Taha’a. We had the opportunity to snorkel and enjoyed plenty of time for relaxation amongst the coconut trees–but NOT beneath them! Coconut trees are far more dangerous than anything one might encounter in the ocean in French Polynesia!

Article by

Andrew Peacock, Naturalist/Certified Photo Instructor

Andrew was born in Adelaide, South Australia and (mis)spent his youth surfing and kayaking in the ocean, as is the case for many Aussies! After graduating from medical school, he spent a year working as a surgical resident in Santa Barbara, Californi...

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