A self-described cultural life coach, Tahiarii Pariente founded his own adventure-tourism outfit, Polynesian Escape, as a way to show intrepid travelers the real French Polynesia
This interview is part of The World Made Local, a global collaboration between the seven international editions of Condé Nast Traveler in which 100 people in 100 countries tell us why their home turf should be your next destination.
Think of your islands. Describe your connection.
This island of Raiatea has just about everything you might want but the snow. It has mountains, waterfalls, and lagoons. You can go surfing, fishing, and hiking in the forest. We even have a little bit of urban life here—good restaurants and a few shops. But what really sets Raiatea apart is the high quality of life you can have here. You have access to almost every sort of outdoor experience, and you can still drink champagne and eat excellent French cheese! Best of both worlds, and there are no crowds on Raiatea.
Where should we go if we only have a couple of days?
There are five archipelagoes in French Polynesia. People often focus on the Society Islands—Tahiti and the other nearby ones. But for me, the Marquesas Islands are truly special. Of the Society Islands, Tahiti, Moorea, and Bora Bora are crowded, but Raitea and Maupiti are out of the mainstream and are truly magical. I like to tell people to visit a few of the different archipelagoes in order to really get a sense of French Polynesia, because each chain is really different—different scenery, language, and food. Visitors should go to one of the mountain islands like Huahine or Raiatea in the Society Islands. They should go to one of the super-flat atolls in the Tuamotu Islands, like Fakarava, and then to an island in the Marquesas.
If you try one dish in French Polynesia…
It has to be poisson cru, or raw fish. Coconut milk and raw fish is a super-traditional dish here. Of course coconut and raw fish have always been here, and then you add a bit of citrus juice, lime, or grapefruit—citrus came over with James Cook. Those are the building blocks, and then everyone puts their own touch on the dish. Some add tomatoes, others onions. There are as many raw-fish recipes as there are people. But the main ingredients are the same. It’s a simple but extremely delicious dish.
And what is your all-time-favorite place?
Definitely the Marquesas. Everywhere in French Polynesia is beautiful, but there is something mystical about the Marquesas. It’s a journey to get there. And finally you are there. And that’s part of it. And then it’s a bit harsh. The landscape is rugged; it’s not the turquoise lagoons and white sand beaches that might spring to mind when you think about French Polynesia. The Marquesas have always had this sort of undefinable allure. That’s why the French writers went there, and Gauguin went there. It’s a moving, inspiring place.
Tell us a secret about your home country/city we might not know…
I think our ancestors, the ancient Polynesians, were smarter than history makes them out to be. They lived in peace and made choices that the Western world did not make. Polynesians made choices that are illogical for Westerners. Westerners define logic as being mathematical, precise, as having certain kinds of knowledge. But here, “logic” takes into account other things—emotion and sensation. And we’re still that way. If I want to really show guests the islands, I show them emotion and sensation.
Follow Tahiarii Pariente on Instagram @tahiariiyorampariente
