Opunohu Bay, Moorea
Known as the "magical island," it has lush natural beauty that seems to appear magically out of the turquoise waters. It was formed by a volcano over a million years ago and geologists have speculated that tbousands of years ago the northern rim of the volcano was either swept into the ocean or was blown away by a volcanic eruption. The result is the heart-shaped island that now makes Moorea, complete with the rest of the volcanic rim, that gives the island its impressive jagged peaks.
The shape is distinguished by two bays on tbe north, Opunohu Bay to the West and Cook's Bay in the East. Wedged between these bays is the Belvedere lookout which offers a South Pacific panorama and Mount Rotui.
With a small population of 16,000, Moorea has become an attractive destination for Westerners and other Tahitians who can easily visit the island on weekends via ferry.
We took a 4x4 truck inland island tour, sat in back of pick-up truck with padded bench seats and cover.
First stop was the Manutea pineapple distillery (juices and liquors) with tastings for visitors - - catering to tourists.
We headed up the mountain to the Belvedere de Opunohu which is a good viewing area for both Opunohu Bay and Cooks Bay. On the way Damien, our driver/guide, pointed out the vegetation and fruits unique to the area. Mangoes, bananas, plantains, papaya, breadfruit, pineapples, avocados were prolific. We sampled some locally-made. breadfruit chips.
On the way back, we stopped at a temple (marae) and looked at the ancient stones which are revered by the islanders.
Moorea is 70% Protestant and 30% Catholic. Speaking of religion, I was puzzled how the missionaries were able to convert the natives to Christianity throughout the South Pacific since the islanders had strong tradtions and tribal beliefs. Once the islands were discovered, missionaries came during the late 1700s and 1800s. It was not always without setbacks, and the proces was complex. The chiefs were the primary targets of conversion since once they were converted they imposed the religion on the rest of the tribe. The chiefs were impressed by the Europeans' big sailing ships, guns, and metal technology. At other times, the missionaries were able to cure the chiefs' relatives who were afflicted with maladies. Eventually, the chiefs came to believe that the missionaries' God had more power than their gods which were symbolized in objects like mountains, forces of nature and rocks.
The shape is distinguished by two bays on tbe north, Opunohu Bay to the West and Cook's Bay in the East. Wedged between these bays is the Belvedere lookout which offers a South Pacific panorama and Mount Rotui.
With a small population of 16,000, Moorea has become an attractive destination for Westerners and other Tahitians who can easily visit the island on weekends via ferry.
We took a 4x4 truck inland island tour, sat in back of pick-up truck with padded bench seats and cover.
First stop was the Manutea pineapple distillery (juices and liquors) with tastings for visitors - - catering to tourists.
We headed up the mountain to the Belvedere de Opunohu which is a good viewing area for both Opunohu Bay and Cooks Bay. On the way Damien, our driver/guide, pointed out the vegetation and fruits unique to the area. Mangoes, bananas, plantains, papaya, breadfruit, pineapples, avocados were prolific. We sampled some locally-made. breadfruit chips.
On the way back, we stopped at a temple (marae) and looked at the ancient stones which are revered by the islanders.
Moorea is 70% Protestant and 30% Catholic. Speaking of religion, I was puzzled how the missionaries were able to convert the natives to Christianity throughout the South Pacific since the islanders had strong tradtions and tribal beliefs. Once the islands were discovered, missionaries came during the late 1700s and 1800s. It was not always without setbacks, and the proces was complex. The chiefs were the primary targets of conversion since once they were converted they imposed the religion on the rest of the tribe. The chiefs were impressed by the Europeans' big sailing ships, guns, and metal technology. At other times, the missionaries were able to cure the chiefs' relatives who were afflicted with maladies. Eventually, the chiefs came to believe that the missionaries' God had more power than their gods which were symbolized in objects like mountains, forces of nature and rocks.
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