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Raiatea
Ancient
cultural, religious and royal heart of Polynesia, Raiatea was,
according to legend, the birthplace of the gods. From here the
great canoes set out for Hawaii and New Zealand, entire tribes
sailing off to colonize new shores. Long ago the people called the
island Havai'i ("the homeland") and believed it was the place
where spirits live on after death. And it is only here, on the
slopes of sacred Mount Temehani, that one can glimpse the rare
tiare apetahi, a flower found nowhere else on earth.
Taha'a
Taha'a
is so named for its numerous plantations of this fragrant plant,
whose sweet aroma lingers in the air, seeping into every nook and
cranny of the island. While fishing and farming are its main
livelihoods, what seduces visitors are its pretty beaches, coral
gardens, and the sandy motus which pepper the lagoon it shares
with Raiatea.
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