Hibiscus Bark, Banana Bread, and Blue Lagoon Bliss in Tubuai
Location: Tubuai, Austral Islands
️ Voyage: Aranui 5 – Austral & Society Islands Expedition
** Day 5: November 5 – Tubuai
Welcome to Tubuai — Island of Surprises
By now, our family of four has become well-trained in the “up at dawn, eat fast, get ready for something incredible” rhythm of life aboard the Aranui 5. So at 6:30 a.m., we were once again powering through fresh fruit, pancakes, and island jam before boarding the barge for our next destination: Tubuai — an island of fertile valleys, dancing history, and one jaw-dropping lagoon.
At 8 a.m., we arrived at Tavana Beach in Bloody Bay, greeted by warm sunshine, live music, and local ladies draped in flowers. If this is how you start your day on Tubuai, we thought, we’re in for something special.
Bark Costumes and Backyard Fruit Snacks
What made today different from the previous islands was how personally involved the locals were. Everyone was assigned to a different local vehicle, and our guide — cheerful, talkative, and full of great stories — immediately welcomed us into his car like long-lost cousins.
Our first stop was at the Heiva Festival site, a big tented facility used for celebrations and community gatherings. There, we watched a live demonstration of how traditional costumes are made using wild hibiscus bark — fibers that are stripped, dried, and transformed into stunning garments used in Tahitian dance and ceremony.
While we watched, we browsed local handicrafts for sale, everything from woven baskets to carved shell jewelry. Teyauna, found some earrings and Kirsten eyed up the hand woven hats — not from a factory.”
A Drive Around Paradise
Afterward, our guide took us on a slow drive through the island’s interior, pointing out crops, homesteads, and fruit trees bursting with lychee (almost ripe), tamarind, taro, and more. At one point, he pulled over and picked a few sweet tamarind pods for us to taste — the kids loved the zingy flavor and sticky fingers. It’s the kind of snack you just don’t get at a resort buffet.
And in a moment that felt less like a tour and more like visiting a friend, our guide took us to his own home for a quick bathroom break before finishing the morning tour. It was such a real, welcoming moment that stuck with us all.
Back on Board… Then Off Again
We returned to the ship around 11 a.m. for lunch and a breather, which for the first time had became a mid-day reset. The kids chilled in the cabin, Kirsten had a nap, and I double-checked our plans for the afternoon: an optional motu excursion I had been especially looking forward to.
️ Narii’s Motu: Coconut Banana Bread & Snorkel Dreams
At 1:30, we met up with Narii, a local I’d met on a previous trip, who runs a laid-back, unforgettable excursion to his private motu — a tiny islet surrounded by some of the most surreal shades of blue I’ve ever seen.
Narii greeted us like old friends and ferried us across the lagoon to his slice of paradise. While the kids jumped off the boat into the turquoise shallows and Kirsten snapped a hundred photos, Narii disappeared into the trees… and came back with a fresh coconuts and bananas to make some bread, made on-site using the fruit from his island.
Soft, warm, and just the right amount of sweet, it was hands-down the best banana coconut bread of our lives. And somehow, out here on a quiet motu, it felt like we’d found something most travelers miss — the quiet joy of being welcomed into someone’s real world.
We snorkeled around the coral shallows, spotting butterflyfish, and then stopped on our way back at a tiny sand island — just a sandbar, really — for one last swim. No trees. No footprints. Just us and the sea.
Dinner, Rocking Waves, and Early Bedtime
We got back to the ship just in time for another dinner — a hearty mix of roasted meats, vegetables, and (yes!) dessert again. But the sea was starting to roll a bit as we pulled away from Tubuai, and by evening, things were gently swaying side to side.
Kirsten, who had been a total champ the whole trip so far, decided to turn in early. “I’m just going to let the ocean rock me to sleep,” she said — and it really did.
The rest of us made use of the free Wi-Fi from 3 pm to 9 pm in the Sky Bar.
Family Reflections: Real Island Life, Real Connection
Tubuai gave us something different — not just beauty, but generosity. The kind of island that lets you peek behind the curtain. Where guides share not just facts, but fruit. Where local kids play near the same beaches their great-grandparents swam.
This wasn’t just a “tour stop.” It was a reminder that travel with family doesn’t have to be all structure and show — it can be quiet moments, shared snacks, unexpected kindnesses.
And banana coconut bread on a private island.
