Guestbook

An Moonen

Raimiti -- wow, where do I start? Maybe just at the beginning... My flight to Fakarava was delayed, so I arrived in Rotoava well after dark. While waiting for the luggage to be delivered, a woman approached me and asked if I was going to Raimiti. When I said yes, she said she'd be the one to drive me to the boat. At the dock, Patea was waiting with the Raimiti III, and off we went. In the dark. With thunderstorms on three sides. It was great! What a show — a fitting arrival at the end of the world. Patea gave me a raincoat to wear "just in case" and when it did in fact begin to rain, he told me the best place to sit to stay dry. When we got to Raimiti, the rain was so heavy even Patea had trouble finding the dock. Maluha still came out to greet us but the canine welcoming committee wisely chose to stay indoors! Despite my late arrival, I was served a wonderful three-course dinner, chicken curry as the main course and a delicious banana dish for dessert. Patea took my luggage to the bungalow, and Maluha gave me the kerosene lamp demonstration, then took me to my bungalow and bathroom and showed me around. After a good night sleep, I awoke to the wonderful sight of the lagoon in the daytime. I did the same excursions as Adam & Heather, except for bird island, and had just as wonderful a time as they did. Snorkeling in the Tumakohua Pass was an experience to remember, as was the picnic on the deserted motu. And when Maluha says picnic, she doesn't mean a piece of bread with some cheese slapped on it. No, we had deliciously seasoned fish kebabs that Patea grilled on the spot, pasta salad with olives and asparagus, and an onion-bacon quiche that was still warm. Also, bread and mineral water à volonté, and Hinano beer. I have to say that I am an extremely picky eater, but the whole time I was at Raimiti, Maluha never once put something in front of me that I did not like — or completely finish, for that matter. Well, except for the last day when I mist

Saturday, 25 July 2009 04:33

Michaela and Alexander

We booked five days, stayed ten days and would have never left... As we stayed at the same time as Adam and Heather it is very hard to add something to the most comprehensive guestbook entry ever written by mankind ;-) We can only say: They are absolutely right! Raimiti is the perfect island paradise and we will definitely come back...

Saturday, 25 July 2009 04:32

Patti and Paul Robitaille

We returned from Raimiti almost 2 weeks ago….every night I have gone to bed thinking about our stay at Raimiti…every morning I awake from a dream about Raimiti. Will this ever end? :-) After 2 weeks I still can not find the words to accurately describe Raimiti. I just don’t think the words exist. Raimiti quite simply has to be experienced to be understood. I can’t thank Rod June enough for finding this gem. It was his review that first got our attention. And as more and more guests returned with such fantastic reviews, we knew we had to experience Raimiti for ourselves. Part of me wants to shout out to the entire world what an amazing place Raimiti is….but part of me wants to keep it a secret….only to be shared by the select few of us who can truly appreciate what Raimiti is all about. Hopefully the future success of Raimiti won’t spoil what makes it so special. Thank you, Maluha and Patea, for making our stay so enjoyable. Your hospitality, warmth, and amazing cooking made for a most memorable vacation. Easily our best vacation ever. We feel so privileged for having had the experience. Raimiti has truly touched our soul. Thank you also to Eric, Florian, Junior and Elvina for having such a crazy dream to build Raimiti. All of the hard work and attention to detail shows in every aspect of Raimiti. And a special thank you to Florian for answering all my questions, for being so kind and so funny in your emails. I really enjoyed our conversations. We hope to return next year, for a longer stay. In the meantime, I will continue to dream of Raimiti…every night!

Saturday, 25 July 2009 04:32

Keith and Tracey

We spent 6 nights at Raimiti in November and we wish we could have stayed forever. Maluha, Eric, and Patea are wonderful hosts who know when to entertain you & when to leave you alone. I can't say enough about the wonderful food, snorkelling, and the attention to detail at Raimiti itself. We were blessed with being the only guests for over 4 days and enjoyed sharing Raimiti with just one other couple at the beginning and end of our stay. I celebrated my 50th birthday at Raimiti and it was everything I wanted it to be. Good luck with your resort and save us a place in the future!

Saturday, 25 July 2009 04:31

Adam and Heather

Raimiti was not only the highlight of our French Polynesia vacation – it was the favorite of ALL of our vacations. Our travel agent recommended Linareva in Moorea and Raimiti in Fakarava after we told him, “We want beauty, simplicity, and relaxation AWAY from noise, cruise ships, crowds, and resorts” [we live in Los Angeles – getting away from the ‘high maintenance’ patrons is important!]. We were a little hesitant about Raimiti – it seemed so remote, expensive… we even worried we would get bored with so much isolation. We couldn’t have been more wrong – it was worth every penny. We arrived to the Fakarava Atoll in the late afternoon. The twin-engine turboprop left the international airport in Papette early and the flight was smooth, lasting just under 1 hour. The approach over the atoll was unreal – just like those postcards that are hard to believe. The Fakarava airport could be considered the opposite of LAX – beautiful, small, and efficient. Basically, it’s a landing strip with a pavilion to wait/collect luggage. [By the way, luggage allowance on domestic flights on Air Tahiti is much less than on the international flights – check ahead.] A pickup truck collected us and our luggage, along with others heading to Raimiti, and drove us 5 minutes down the palm tree lined road to the boat dock. Waiting at the dock was one of our hosts, Patea, and the “Raimiti III,” a new, covered boat that easily accommodated the group (including our excess baggage). The ride was smooth, 90 minutes over the blue lagoon, complete with a beautiful sunset! The sun had set when we arrived to Raimiti. Patea pulled us alongside the dock and Junior and Elvina (more of our hosts), helped us out of the boat. A few feet ahead was the restaurant, beautifully decorated with gas lamps and candles. The island décor was simple but elegant. Dinner was promptly served, consisting of three wonderful courses. As a vegetarian, I wanted for not the entire week – with a

Saturday, 25 July 2009 04:31

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