Tahaa

Tahaa sits inside the same reef as Raiatea and is often called the vanilla island: a substantial share of Tahitian vanilla is grown here on small plantations, hand-pollinated because the pollinating insect does not exist in the Pacific, and the smell carries in the valleys at curing time. The lagoon holds motu with pearl farms and a coral garden between two islets where the current carries snorkellers through.

Background

Tahaa belongs to the Leeward Islands, the western group of the Society Islands. It shares a coral reef with Raiatea, its neighbour to the south, and the two may once have formed one island. Tahaa covers 90 square kilometres and rises to 590 metres at Mount Ohiri. The 2022 census counted 5,296 people. The island grows about 80% of all Polynesian vanilla. Captain Cook called in 1769 and 1773. The Archdiocese of Papeete has two churches here, Saint Clement at Patio in the far north and Saint Peter Celestine at Poutoru in the far south. Tahaa is also one of the four islands that host the Hawaiki Nui Va'a, an international Polynesian canoe competition.

Source: Wikipedia, "Tahaʻa"

Highlights

• The vanilla plantations - small farms growing and curing Tahitian vanilla.
• The hand pollination - the work every flower requires, done by hand.
• The coral garden - the drift snorkel between two motu on the reef.
• The pearl farms - the black pearl operations in the lagoon.

When to go

May to October is the dry season. Vanilla curing runs through the middle of the year. Cyclone season is November to April.

Before you go

There is no airport and access is by boat from Raiatea. The coral garden is crowded when several boats arrive together. Plantation visits should be arranged rather than dropped in on.

Nearby

Raiatea is south across the lagoon, and Bora Bora is west.