HOLIDAY HOUSE IN TAHITI PAEA BEACH FRONT

We spent a week in the Gecko House before a trip to the Marquesas. Although we come from Maui and already enjoy magnificent sunsets, fresh fruit, and a very short travel distance to Tahiti, the week in this house was not to be missed! One hears the water lapping at the edge of the lagoon and the waves breaking farther out on the reef at the same time! Like everyone, we kept trying for the postcard picture of the sunset over Moorea, but they are all beautiful. Having two outdoor sitting areas, one facing the lagoon, and one covered at the entrance, allowed us to be outside most of the time and out of the sun when we wished to be. We weren't looking for a 2 bedroom place, so it was a pleasant surprise to see that the second bedroom is in an adjacent little house with a separate entrance. The bungalow was a perfect size for just two, but the arrangement easily accommodates a second couple with privacy. Also important, the bed was really comfortable.

Laurence was very helpful with every detail that could have been troublesome. She provided detailed maps for our midnight arrival that we simply showed to the taxi driver, and helped with renting a car locally (their rental car was already rented to the other bungalow). Luckily, her English is better than my French. We only rented a car for a couple of days to look around the island. Most of the time we used the kayaks or bicycles to explore locally and simply relaxed and enjoyed ourselves. We found the waterfall pool Laurence recommended and the grotto a few miles the other direction to be the best ways to cool off during our stay. The store across the street made things very simple. We never fished in the lagoon because the fish came into the store fresh everyday just like the bread. My husband said he heard traffic noise some early mornings, but I never noticed it over the distant surf.