In December of 2018 my family took a trip to Tahiti. It was one of the last family trips we'll be able to take for a while, and I'm so glad we got to go! My dad was born and raised there, so it's always a special time when we get to go there, visit his family, and enjoy the island. Tahiti is definitely my number one favorite place in the whole world - I am my happiest and most confident self when I am there! Even though I've been to Tahiti before, I was pretty young and wasn't able to appreciate it like I did this time around. My family and I were able to do so many amazing things, and I wanted to share some experiences with you all! If you've been debating whether or not to visit Tahiti, I hope this convinces you to go! You truly won't regret it.
One of the seriously incredible things my brothers and I got to do is go paragliding! It started with the scariest ride up a mountain I think I'll ever experience in my life. Seriously, we had to stand in the back of a pickup for a majority of the way while it drove up a steep, narrow slippery mountain. I won't lie and say I didn't have my doubts of whether we'd actually make it up there, but we did :) When we got to the top the views were incredible and breathtaking. We were literally almost in the clouds. One one side of us there was the greenest mountains, and on another side was the ocean. Running off the mountain and gliding into the wind was one of the most amazing feelings I've ever felt. We were in the air for what felt like so long, gliding through the mountains and over the ocean. My instructor and I saw sharks and turtles from above! The instructors were incredibly nice and it was something I'd definitely recommend to anyone!
Another thing my family and I did in Tahiti was go on the coolest hike I've ever been on. Seriously, when my uncle told us he was going to take us on a hike to a waterfall, I didn't know it'd actually be to a full on waterfall. The hike itself was pretty crazy. We walked through the literal jungle and had to cross the river multiple times. In order to get to the waterfall we had to swim through some deep white water and climb up some slippery rocks. That part was kinda scary! Some people lost their shoes lol. Unfortunately I don't have pictures of the hike or waterfall - I didn't bring my phone because I didn't want it to get wet. But I did take some before we departed! It was beautiful.
Tahiti beaches are obviously a place you must visit when you're there. They have my favorite black sand beach there: Pointe Venus. The sand feels like powder and the water is sooooo warm. In one part of the water it's pretty shallow then there's a sudden dip, so it's a fun place to jump! This was the first beach my little sister has ever been to and she loved it. There are touristy beaches and not-so-busy beaches. Honestly, though, either is worth the visit. A lot of resorts are right on the beach! On Christmas Eve and Christmas day my family went to the Tahiti Pearl Beach Resort & Spa. We enjoyed their pool and their beach! I'd much rather be in the water than in the snow on Christmas, so it was heaven for me.
Mo'orea was another place in Tahiti we got to go and experience. It was so fun there! Right behind our Air Bnb was a river that led straight into the ocean. One of the first things we did was kayak down to see the views. My mom and sister swam with dolphins at a resort here (her special activity since she was too small to para-glide.) It was really cool to just be able to watch! They also had a really nice beach at that resort where my family spent a little time before that. The highlight of going to Mo'orea was the boat tour we went on. It took us all around the island and we got to swim with the fish, sharks and stingrays! The water was the most blue I've ever seen, and it was so warm. The tour went to a motu where we ate lunch, did some traditional Tahitian activities, and spent more time on the beach. This tiny island is so small but has some of the most incredible things to do and see. One of the days we were there we stopped and got some of the best pizza I've ever had, from Allo Pizza. My family and I ate it so fast. It was delicious and the owners were very nice.
Some other things I'd recommend doing when you're in Tahiti is go on a self guided circle-island tour! It's definitely worth taking a day to go to different stops and see the views. I also recommend the market! This is the place to go if you are into touristy trinkets and gifts for yourself or others. I'd recommend going shopping, finding authentic restaurants (they also have reeeeaally good Chinese food in Tahiti because a lot of the population is Chinese), going to every beach you can and shell hunting, visiting different resorts even if it's just to walk around, the list is literally endless. There is something for everyone here.
Of course I can't forget how special it was to just go spend time with family we don't get to see often. Traveling to/from Tahiti isn't easy or cheap, so we were very blessed that year. My siblings and I saw our grandma for the last time before she passed away due to cancer. I got to see other family I haven't seen in years, meet one of my uncles for the first time, and get to visit and know a bunch of family and friends of my dad. Not only were we there for Christmas, but also New Year's and my birthday, so we did a lot of celebrating. This trip was definitely something I will never forget.
Traveling is definitely something I love love love doing. It is so cool to be able to go somewhere you've never been, experience things that are new to you, and live life in a way you never have before. Traveling teaches you things you'd never learn otherwise, and makes you more appreciative of things in your life... at least it does for me.