Polinesia - Presentazione turistica

Presentation of Polynesia

Good morning everybody. Thank you for inviting me to talk about Polynesia.

Today I will speak about: its position, the origin of its name, the type of climate, the typical handicrafts, its food, Le Meridien Tahiti Resort.

Position and languages

I would like to begin telling you about its position: Polynesia is one of the regions which divide Oceania and is roughly comprised of a triangle between New Zealand, Easter Island and the island of Hawaii.

The official languages are French and Tahitian, but English is also spoken.

The name

The name is derived from the ancient Greek words (polys, "many") and (nesos, "island"), meaning "many islands."

In fact, it is made up of 118 islands.

The climate

The climate is tropical and very sunny, with rainfall concentrated in our winter months (November to March). The temperature is pleasant (gradevole) and the average (la media) is around 27° (degree) Celsius.

Flora

Typical plants of the landscape (panorama) are coconut palms, Australian pines, breadfruit trees and giant bamboo.

Fauna

Different species of animals: giant turtles, dolphins, manta rays, colored fish of any kind and colorful corals.

Typical handicrafts

For those who want to visit the stores or go shopping, there are some special handicrafts like the “TAPA”, derived from the tree of paper and painted with traditional decorations, the “TIKI”, wood carvings of ancient gods, mother-of-pearl jewelry, worked shells.

The kitchen in Polynesia

And last but not least important is the kitchen in Polynesia, which is made up of simple products.

The Polynesian cuisine turns out to be light and tasty: the result of a cross between the French culinary tradition, Chinese and, even if minimally, Italian.

Among the specialties not to be missed are the Tahitian raw fish and the Po’e and a fruit compote served with creamy coconut milk.

In the Polynesian islands, certainly the fruit doesn’t fail. We can, in fact, enjoy, in addition to the variety of exotic fruits, a local produce almost impossible to find in the West. The most famous is the legendary breadfruit.

For those who love fishing, a picnic can be arranged on the beach, enjoying freshly caught fish roasted on fire, so enjoy a tasty dinner in a magical atmosphere.

Hotel Le Meridien Tahiti ****

This hotel is situated in Papeete, which is the capital of Polynesia.

Set in tropical gardens near the beach. This beautiful resort offers a pool with sandy bottom. Le Meridien Resort Tahiti allows choosing between soundproofed rooms (all with garden or lagoon view) and bungalows set directly on the water of the lagoon. All rooms have all comfort, while in the bungalows there is also an outdoor patio.

There are also tennis courts, beach volleyball, canoeing, diving and in-room massages. Le Meridian Tahiti organizes tours to the cave of the Marae, the Gauguin Museum and the Seashell Museum, and then organizes special evenings with dances and shows representing the Tahitian traditions. The price varies depending on the type of room, but a room for 2 nights ranges from € 400 to € 1.009 (the prices include IVA 10% and service charges 4%).

Transport

Finally, I would like to talk about the transport: the best means of transport is certainly the plane.

The international airport is Faa’a, located in Tahiti.

Leaving Italy, in about 15 hours you can arrive in America and generally, after a stopover, take the direction to Papeete, the capital of French Polynesia (it takes about 9 hours).

Once in Papeete, you choose a local flight direct to the island selected. The duration of the flights can vary from 15 to 90 minutes, depending on the destination where you are directed.

If you want to move around the island, you can choose between: traditional panoramic buses, ships/ferries operating on a daily basis on the Tahiti-Moorea route. And finally, you can also rent cars, bicycles and motorcycles.

The real voyage of discovery doesn’t consist in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.

(Marcel Proust)

Thank you all for listening and I hope that you enjoyed it.