Traveling to French Polynesia - Part II (Huahine)

Huahine, pronounced as "whoo-a-hee-nay", is a hidden gem reachable with just 40 minutes of flight from Tahiti. It is a less traveled island with immense tropical jungle, with a population of approximately just 6,300 people.

Arriving Huahine on a rainy morning

Travel to French Polynesia (Part 1)

Traveling to French Polynesia is like a dream come true. Bora Bora has been at the top of my bucket list since I was a primary student (thanks to one of the earliest K-drama I started watching). And never have I thought that I'd be able to tick it off of my list that soon. It's a destination which feels very much like at the other end of the world. Which, indeed is.

The first step is to figure out the routes to Papeete, Tahiti. Flying from Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) has rather limited routes; either transiting in Auckland or Tokyo before another flight to Papeete. Auckland was a much better route in my opinion since the airfare to Papeete from Auckland was way cheaper than Tokyo. Kuala Lumpur to Auckland is a 10-hour flight; while Auckland to Papeete takes 5 hours (via Air Tahiti Nui/ Air New Zealand). My return flight for Papeete, Tahiti costs NZD299.

Second step in planning is the hardest in my opinion - deciding which islands to discover. The thing about French Polynesia is... I haven't had any friends who have been and thus I relied solely on the Google search results. French Polynesia has a whooping total of 118 islands and atolls, not just Tahiti and Bora Bora. Air Tahiti operates the inter-island flights and there are a few passes available so if you're considering doing more than just one island, the passes can be purchased at a very much bargained rate. A return flight for Bora Bora costs approximately USD300; with the multi-islands passes, discovering a few islands can be done from almost the same price onwards. I got a Bora Bora pass at USD480, which permits you to travel to a total of 5 islands (Moorea, Huahine, Raiatea, Bora Bora, and Maupiti). I did not do all islands, only Huahine and Bora Bora.
*More information can be found here.

I spent a night in Auckland before my flight to Papeete, Tahiti to avoid any unforeseen circumstances. It was winter during my time of visit, so it was rainy in Auckland but breezy and dry in the French Polynesia, which made it the perfect weather for islands hopping!

Photos to summarize this post:

 Arriving in Auckland on a cloudy morning. 

On Ne Sait Jamais - Seoul, South Korea

After a couple of visits to different cafes, I've concluded that cafes in Seoul have very distinctive characters, and this cafe might top the list with its unique interior - what used to be a bath house is now turned into a cafe tucked in one of the many small alleys in Itaewon.

Namusairo - Seoul, South Korea

Namusairo, a hidden cafe with traditional Korean house setting located on Sajik-ro 8-gil in Gwanghwamun, approximately 10 minutes walk from Gwanghwamun Station. A perfect spot to stop by for a (really) good cup of coffee when you're tired of the traditional sites around the area.

Sra Bua by Kiin Kiin - Bangkok, Thailand

Located in Siam Kempinski Hotel, Sra Bua by Kiin Kiin is a sister restaurant to Kiin Kiin in Copenhagen by Henrik Yde-Andersen, the second restaurant in the world to earn a Michelin star cooking Thai food (after Nahm). Sra Bua introduces us to authentic Thai food with modern flair, which turned out to be quite a remarkable dining experience.

 

Bo.lan - Bangkok, Thailand

Located on Sukhumvit Soi 35 (approx. 10mins walk from BTS Thong Lo Stn) nestled Bo.lan, a chic Thai restaurant ranking at no.37 on San Pellegrino's Asia's 50 Best Restaurant 2015 list. Headed by chefs Bo and Dylan, Bo.lan serves authentic Thai food in a traditional Thai-houses-inspired interior.

Hands and Heart - Bangkok, Thailand

Tucked in the corner at the ground floor of Ascella Apartment in Sukhumvit Soi 38, Hands and Heart is a minimalist black-and-white space where the baristas take their coffee very seriously.

* 3-5 mins walk from BTS Thong Lo Stn.

Muharam Cafe - Melbourne, Australia

Instagram seems to be a more efficient research base to me nowadays! I came across the very pretty red velvet pancakes by Muharam Cafe while I was searching for #pancakes. Located in Hawthorn, Muharam Cafe is a less crowded brunch place (to my surprise!). Given the overall experience in this cafe, I personally think it's a bit underrated!

Meeting the Snow Monkeys! - Jigokudani Monkey Park, Nagano, Japan

Last December, I was scrolling through Facebook and came across a photo of a friend with the snow monkeys; an old image reappeared - I know these monkeys, I've seen it before - a photo captured by a professional nature photographer - Marsel Van Oosten, which competed in Wildlife Photographer of The Year (2014):

Read on the interesting story behind this image!