7 Things To Do At Hotel Le Mahana
7 Things To Do At Hotel Le Mahana, Parea, Huahine, French Polynesia
Hotel Le Mahana, Parea, Huahine - © Diane Macdonald - All Rights Reserved
1) Just enjoy your bungalow and the view
Hotel Le Mahana near the village of Parea doesn't have over water bungalows, but we stayed in a premium beach bungalow with a small walled garden. The name of our bungalow was Tiare Vanira or Vanilla Flower.The view over the lagoon was spectacular at any time of day, and we could just sit on the deck and read or chat or just step off the deck onto the gorgeous white sand. The shower was indoor/outdoor, so we could just walk through the garden gate into the garden and enter the shower from outside without having to traipse sand through our bungalow. luckily no one ever dropped by to visit while we were showering, as all there was between the inside and outside was a clear glass shower door!
Beach Bungalow at Hotel Le Mahana, Parea, Huahine - © Diane Macdonald - All Rights Reserved
The bungalow shower, looking out, Hotel Le Mahana, Parea, Huahine - © Diane Macdonald - All Rights Reserved
The bungalow shower, looking in, Hotel Le Mahana, Parea, Huahine - © Diane Macdonald - All Rights Reserved
One of the bungalow front doors, Hotel Le Mahana, Parea, Huahine - © Diane Macdonald - All Rights Reserved
Sculpture of coconut shells in the bungalow garden, Hotel Le Mahana, Parea, Huahine - © Diane Macdonald - All Rights Reserved
View from the bungalow, Hotel Le Mahana, Parea, Huahine - © Diane Macdonald - All Rights Reserved
View from the bungalow, Hotel Le Mahana, Parea, Huahine - © Diane Macdonald - All Rights Reserved
View from the beach, Hotel Le Mahana, Parea, Huahine - © Diane Macdonald - All Rights Reserved
View from the beach as rains storm approaches, Hotel Le Mahana, Parea, Huahine - © Diane Macdonald - All Rights Reserved
2)Snorkel right from the beach
It was such a treat to be able to walk right into the lagoon to snorkel! I don't like to be out of my depth in sea water, so it suited me just fine. There was a small coral garden just offshore where I could snorkel with ease. The resort provides all the gear, but we brought our own snorkels and masks, using only the fins the resort provided.
Jim ready to snorkel, Hotel Le Mahana, Parea, Huahine - © Diane Macdonald - All Rights Reserved
Fish and coral, Hotel Le Mahana, Parea, Huahine - © Diane Macdonald - All Rights Reserved
3)Take a spin in the small glass bottom motor boat
There really was not much to see from the glass at the bottom of the boat as it was just a tiny patch of glass, but it was quite interesting to ride out into the lagoon and see things from another perspective. Jim had never used a motor boat before, but it turned out not to be too difficult for him after he got instructions before we set out. Apart from a little bump into the dock upon our return, he did a grand job!
Glass bottom boat without motor attached, Hotel Le Mahana, Parea, Huahine - © Diane Macdonald - All Rights Reserved
Jim getting operation instructions, Hotel Le Mahana, Parea, Huahine - © Diane Macdonald - All Rights Reserved
View of the resort from the boat, Hotel Le Mahana, Parea, Huahine - © Diane Macdonald - All Rights Reserved
View of the lagoon from the boat, Hotel Le Mahana, Parea, Huahine - © Diane Macdonald - All Rights Reserved
4)Go paddle boarding
I had intended to have a go at paddle boarding just close to shore, but I kept waiting for the water to get a completely calm, which it never really did! The paddle boards were provided at no extra charge.
Paddle boards on the beach, Hotel Le Mahana, Parea, Huahine - © Diane Macdonald - All Rights Reserved
5)Go kayaking
Kayaks were also provided at the resort at no extra charge. We didn't kayak this time, but enjoyed watching those who did! Jim was not too keen on it, and the only single kayak always seemed to be in use when I was ready to take a turn!
Kayaks on the beach by a tree, Hotel Le Mahana, Parea, Huahine - © Diane Macdonald - All Rights Reserved
6)Swim in or laze by the pool
There was no infinity pool at this tiny resort, just a cozy swimming pool tucked away between the garden bungalows. As we had our own deck and beach front to enjoy, we never did spend time at the pool. But I guess for those in the garden bungalows it was a bit more of an interesting prospect. In any case, we have a swimming pool in our community here in Florida, so lazing by a pool is something I can do any day.
Signpost for the swimming pool, Hotel Le Mahana, Parea, Huahine - © Diane Macdonald - All Rights Reserved
7)Enjoy your meals outdoors on the beach
Because it was often so windy during our stay, the outdoors part of the restaurant was sometimes closed. In fact we were scheduled for a beach dinner to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary, but instead we enjoyed it in an intimate corner of the restaurant by a window overlooking the beach. I was provided with a beautiful hei (a head garland or crown) of flowers to wear, and we sat in big chairs like thrones! We felt like royalty!
Dining tables on the beach, Hotel Le Mahana, Parea, Huahine - © Diane Macdonald - All Rights Reserved
Imagine our surprise a couple of days later though, when one of the staff members led us out to the beach and provided me with yet another flower hei! We got to celebrate our anniversary twice, as well as celebrating it again privately on our actual anniversary! We were also given (as we were every evening) a tiare flower bud each to wear. Wearing it behind the left ear is a sign that the person wearing it is married or otherwise spoken for!
Anniversary dinner on the beach, Hotel Le Mahana, Parea, Huahine - © Diane Macdonald - All Rights Reserved
All the meals were gourmet. We ate only breakfast and dinner there, as we were usually somewhere else on the island at lunchtime. Besides, the buffet breakfast provided enough food to keep us going until dinner time! The only thing I didn't like for dinner was the wahoo, but that was not the fault of the chef! I'm not fond of many types of fish anyway, but I do like to try new things in case I might enjoy them! The sauce which came with it, a sweet pepper sauce, was absolutely delicious, so it made the fish more palatable. And the desserts...... !! Enough said!
Wahoo meal, Hotel Le Mahana, Parea, Huahine - © Diane Macdonald - All Rights Reserved
Dessert on one evening when I could not choose, Hotel Le Mahana, Parea, Huahine - © Diane Macdonald - All Rights Reserved
Sometimes I just took my camera and macro lens and went for a walk around the property to photograph the flowers. In fact, I was so impressed by all the tropical flowers I encountered in French Polynesia, I will be writing a post dedicated to just the flowers, so be looking out for it!
I coudn't resist this delicately colored hibiscus flower, Hotel Le Mahana, Parea, Huahine - © Diane Macdonald - All Rights Reserved
Staying at Hotel Le Mahana, Huahine then was a great suggestion by our travel agent at _Tahiti Legends-, as the memories we made there are priceless! The friendly agents at Tahiti Legends really know the places they recommend, and Joe (our travel agent) has visited the islands of Tahiti many times. So a big shout-out to Tahiti Legends is in order!
If you would love to visit Huahine, but think you can't afford to stay at a resort there (resort stays are quite pricey) don't worry! You can still do it on a budget! In order to enjoy Huahine, you don't have to stay at one of the four expensive island resorts. There are many pensions (B&Bs) which give good value for your money!
And if you enjoy camping, you could camp at Hiva Plage which is next door to the resort where we stayed. So I can vouch for the location, although I didn't see the camp site. If the camp site is full, I heard that some pensions will also allow you to camp on their property if you contact them and make arrangements! What a great way that would be to experience real Tahitian hospitality!
Signpost to Hiva Plage campsite, Hotel Le Mahana, Parea, Huahine - © Diane Macdonald - All Rights Reserved
There are not too many restaurants on Huahine-Iti (small Huahine) the southern less populated island where Hotel Le Mahana is located, although there is one on the opposite side of the resort which is very popular with the the locals. The main restaurants are on the northern island of Huahine-Nui (big Huahine) near the village of Fare, so there are more pensions around that area to choose from, but Hiva Plage appears to be the only official campsite.
Whatever you can afford though, if it's on your bucket list do it soon! Huahine is still pretty unspoiled and natural, but who knows what changes could come twenty years from now!
If you have enjoyed reading about our stay at Hotel Le Mahana, Huahine on Huahine, you may want to check out my other posts in this series:
Thanks Pixie! :-)
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Ive never been on a vacation to a place like this but it looks fantastic!! Lovely photos! I hope someday I make it to a place like that to relax. :)
I hope so too. It was definitely worth the long trip to get there. We did break it up a bit though.
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Ohhh how dreamy you've made me... lol! From that lovely front door, to the idea of stepping off the deck straight onto beach sand and that sea.... 😮 What a colour! That B&W stormy scene is wonderful too... Totally enjoyed your post! Thank you!! 🌺
It was pure heaven! I am still in the clouds. Lol!
Lol, I can imagine... :D
Many places that make an impact stay with us forever... :)
And this is definitely one of them for me!
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Hiya, @itchyfeetdonica here, just swinging by to let you know that this post made into our Top 3 in Daily Travel Digest #584.
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Thank you so much. I am honored indeed. I will have to check out those Snax Tokens.
What an experience it must have been so relaxing there and the color of the water is amazing
Thanks for being an active member of SteemUSA !tip
It keeps me writing! Thanks for the tip. You are so kind. Buy the way, do you have any idea why all my points are number 1? They are all clearly numbered in the text! I went back in and number them like this 3) etc., but they all still came out at 1. Technology drives me crazy at times!
Its good to have things to do for a post, sorry I am not sure why it is doing that with your numbers
It’s really weird the numbers I wrote are clearly there!
It may be something to do with the markdown formatting something I only know the basics about
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It looks absolutely fabulous! The color of the water alone is superb! Happy Anniversary - belated! My husband and I just celebrated 31 years a couple of weeks ago.
Thanks! Congratulations on your 31st. Time just flies!
Quiet, secluded with brilliant blue sea, dazzling white beaches what a lovely descriptive travel post, a wonderful place to celebrate an anniversary.
Congratulations on your 25 years as well as being selected in @steemitworldmap Travel Digest #584
Fabulous place! You wrote an amazing review! Happy late 25th wedding anniversary!
<3
@->--
Your post make me think that, if I'd live so long, that is an excellent idea for celebrating! ))
Happy Anniversary beautiful couple!
The beach is always a good anniversary getaway idea!
So relaxing beach resort!
Beautiful piece of Paradise, happy belated anniversary. That shower is awesome 😉
Thanks! Yes, we soon got over its openness to the outside!
Hello @dmcamera
His contribution was found in the Curie list.
Happy 25th anniversary celebration.
Your documentary is wonderful.
I think more than seven things. LOL
Not only about the hotel.
It is all over the place.
The spectacular catches.
And your diving must have been good.
Stay great!
I use a translator.
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What a fabulous post!
Difficult to select one favorite picture here, as they are all serene and so lovely.
Looks like you guys really enjoyed the stay.
Blessings!
Thanks! Yes, it was truly very special!
Congratulations! Your high-quality travel content was selected by @travelfeed curator @smeralda and earned you a reward, in form of a 100% upvote and a resteem. Your work really stands out! Your article now has a chance to get featured under the appropriate daily topic on our TravelFeed blog.
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Thanks to @smerslda and to @travelfeed for the resteem!
The least we can do :)
Every little goes a looooong way! :-)
Congratulations on the anniversary! What a great way to celebrate it! It looks like this resort offers so many complimentary things. I have never seen it before. I think I would spend all day in the resort using all those free treats, lol.
You had an amazing bungalow with perfect view. And so close to the beach! It must have been cool to wake up in the morning with such views.
Thank you for sharing and have a good day!
Thanks for stopping by to comment! Yes, it was worth spending the extra on this vacation to be right at the water!
What a spectacular blog @dmcamera and oh what an idyllic spot. I want to go there NOW! Your photos are brilliant and you've provided us with such a wealth of information. A truly superb post. (U & R )
Thanks so much. It was idyllic!
This place looks fabulous, I particularly love the blue ocean shot - it’s dream making. You always take such incredible photos - it’s a joy to read through your description of each one and take this journey with you. !COFFEEA 15
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Thanks so much and for the tokens too. I must say that I need to figure out what they are for. Do I pass them on to others? If so, what fun!!
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What a beautiful place. I just commented on a post from Ukraine that the pastoral view of hills and sheep made it look like a paradise on earth. This is also a different kind of paradise. I loved what they did with this place. Looks like a perfect combinatin of natural and man-made beauties.
I am guessing the country has a good tourism policy and regulations to preserve the environment.
It looks just fantastic.
How hard to storms hit these islands? what time of the year?
Thanks for dropping by. It’s winter in the Southern Hemisphere just now, so it’s the dry season, although we did experience some heavy showers.
Summer cyclones are rare, but are possible from November to April.
Thanks. That's good then that the summer break is cyclone-free
An excellent review of a hotel or a picnic place with some wonderful photos. There is no chance that I may visit this but really fell in love with few of the planning the hotel has made, The shower room is one of those. Is it some traditional way of hut making. What type of leaves Hat they used for making the roof.
The photos of the sea, especially with the blue sky in the background and a single tree in the front looks really excellent and also the underwater picture. You have the special knack of framing a photo which makes it a real difference in the perspective look. The last photo with Coconut leaves with the blue sky is an example of it. I too loves taking such snaps and attaching one.
Overall this is one of the best post I came across recently and you have rightly rewarded by many curators. Congratulations.
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Thanks for your kind words, and such a detailed comment. I am glad you enjoyed the post and the photos.
Wow what an awesome choice of things to do! The first option of chilling out and doing nothing on the beach sounds like a great way to spend time to me to recharge and then off to the kayaks!
Great pictures, love the colours there and the dessert... Mmm 😋
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Yes, we were so torn between just chilling out and enjoying what was there and going further afield to enjoy the culture. Luckily, the island is small enough to do both! There were plenty of places within a 5k radius to walk to, also. One day we hired a car and drove around the whole two islands, but that’s a post for another day.
It's handy to have all of that to do in such a small area as well! 5km is nothing!
For some reason your numbered bullet points stayed at 1 in your blog rather than continuing on. I guess it was an issue with steempress?
But congratulations on the curie!
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Thanks! Yes. I knew about the numbering thing. No, I did it right there on Steemit - copied over from Open Office. I did get some explanation over on the travelfeed forum on discord, but haven't had the chance to try to fix it.
OK! It's fixed now by manually placing the numbers inside the markdown code! Thanks to @mrprofessor for that workaround tip!
When I go into the text for editing, the numbers are all there, so it's bizarre!.
Awesome! Nicely done, yep it looks good now 😀💪
I've never understood Mr Mark Down, he's a tricky character
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Yep! I ended up making the numbers just part of the text by making sure they were inside the markdown code following them!
Aha yea I know that torment lol! Not sure what all the code means but you don't have a choice to learn it being a blogger sometimes!
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I was a computer programmer in one of my past careers, so it does make some sense to me. I like to use the bold headers and the bold and italic codes. The numbers came in front of the code I had used, so putting them inside, they were safe from being changed into ones for whatever reason.
Aha that does help with your background then! It should be a walk in the park all this html stuff then 😁
It turns into a game of "where's the code" when I've had some issues with steempress converting my WordPress blogs on to steem. There'd be a dreaded non-centre or line break missing and it would make me a little twitchy if I couldn't find it haha
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No, it’s very different from COBAL, so I don’t know it at all. I can just understand sometimes why something is the way it is, but only after someone knowledgeable in the code points it out.
Yea it's knowing where to look isn't it? I use the find feature to look for some coding indescrepencies but Steempress has been flawless since the update
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I have not used Steempress. Too many new things to learn! I have stuck with using Steemit, but I did use Busy for a while last year when Steemit was choking and no one could post!
Do you have your own website? If it's WordPress then it will be worth looking at. It's a bit easier than using steemit to post anyway. Or steempress is another front end which is a lot easier if you don't have your own WordPress site 🙂
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No, I gave up my domain names a long time ago. I did use Wordpress way back when! Since most of what I do is for stock and I also sell some fine art stuff, I have a portfolio web page on Adobe where everything is together in one place - all the links to agencies and fine art companies. The link is on my profile page. Hopefully it works. LOL!
Hmmm I have been jostling the idea of whether or not I keep my website but I quite like having my own space although it is always needing updates and I would rather be writing blogs haha. At least if one of these companies goes down, I always have my own music site 🙂
I'll have a look at your portfolio and prepare myself to be amazed!
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I could add other images to it, but I just add all my Adobe stock images to it automatically from my contributor site as they are all clickable back to Adobe Stock! I did have a couple of other folders of images, but I deleted them - just leaving my Adobe stock as the main portfolio for now.
Hello @dmcamera, thank you for sharing this creative work! We just stopped by to say that you've been upvoted by the @creativecrypto magazine. The Creative Crypto is all about art on the blockchain and learning from creatives like you. Looking forward to crossing paths again soon. Steem on!
Thanks very much. That’s quite an honor!