Suggestion on what to do in Raiatea??

I have never been to Raiatea before.

So I was wondering if anyone here has been to Raiatea before??

If so what did you do there??

I have heard from friends that the snorkelling is meant to be good here?, also they said you can go drift snorkelling here? :confused:

Check out excursion blue with Bruno

https://www.tahaa.net/index.php/en/

You need to find a guide an go to the Raiatea Taputapuatea Marae, which is, by tradition, the most sacred place for Polynesian (Tahiti, Hawaii, Easter Island). It is now a UNESCO protected site.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taputapuatea_marae

You need to find a guide an go to the Raiatea Taputapuatea Marae, which is, by tradition, the most sacred place for Polynesian (Tahiti, Hawaii, Easter Island). It is now a UNESCO protected site.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taputapuatea_marae

Do you have a guide you would recommend? Or just find one at the pier?

Well, we had a wonderful time with this guy. His name is Giovani (not italian I assure you). This is the information I have.

With pleasure, I propose my service as a taxi driver and tourist guide in Raiatea Island (Leeward Island) :

Direct contact :taxiraiatea@gmail.com

He' s got a FB page also.

Cheers

Well, we had a wonderful time with this guy. His name is Giovani (not italian I assure you). This is the information I have.

 

 

With pleasure, I propose my service as a taxi driver and tourist guide in Raiatea Island (Leeward Island) :

Direct contact :taxiraiatea@gmail.com

 

He' s got a FB page also.

Cheers

Thank you!

Check out excursion blue with Bruno

 

https://www.tahaa.net/index.php/en/

My recent experience with Bruno of Excursion Blueu

I’ve been to Tahiti before - around 10 years ago - but not to Raiatea. I was looking forward to returning to the pristine waters, so I organised a tour for 16-18 people who would be calling into Raiatea on a ship.

Our day in Raiatea was saved ONLY because of Eric the boat owner, and Tama, our guide, who really did their best to ensure we had a great day … and we did, but that was no thanks to Bruno.

In all honesty I cannot recommend anyone use Bruno … however if Eric and Tama are organising and running the tour, I would go again in a heart beat.

What was so difficult about dealing with Bruno ?

The bottom line is this - communicating with Bruno is difficult - perhaps because English is his second language however it was made more complicated by changes to itinerary which we agreed to AFTER paying our deposit last year due to the fact that we had to be back on board by 4.30 pm.

A few days prior to arriving in Raiatea when I wrote to him asking if we could add another 2 people, he agreed to that and told me he wanted “cash xpf, credit card, cash USD”. In earlier emails (prior to us boarding the ship) he told me he wanted EURO or CC and that XFP was “complicated” ... I had also specifically asked if he would take USD and he said no !!.

At this late stage, Bruno also changed the itinerary yet again (deleting snorkelling in the coral gardens) without discussing it with me - the organiser - and then deciding to charge more for what he offered to me at a fixed price when I first contacted him last year !

I had several emails back and forth - anyone sending emails on a ship knows this can be costly - I used approximately 100 hours sending and receiving emails from him from early September until we docked on 10th September..yes it was that bad trying to get back what he had agreed to provide and clarifying everything time and time again !!

Eventually he agreed we could do all on our original itinerary.

When we arrived on the meeting spot, Bruno’s attitude was rude and arrogant - a few members of our group who witnessed this were shocked by his behaviour.

On the dock I made sure to over the itinerary with him to ensure we got snorkelling in the coral gardens included … he seemed reluctant to include it but did agree in the end.

About 3 days before arrival Bruno had quoted $US 110 for those who had previously paid their deposit … now he wanted XFP …which none of us had based on his early emails confirming our tour and my questions in emails to him as to how he wanted to be paid.

At the dock he demanded $USD 120 pp. I told him he said $110 a couple of days … Bruno then turned around to walk away, looked back at me and said if I don’t like it, get a tour elsewhere then walked away saying that’s the exchange rate today - funny thing is that the Pearl Farm and the Vanilla Bean Farm as well as the shops in port, the exchange rate was 1,000 xfp = $US 10 as it was in Papeete the previous day.

To make matters worse, there was another couple waiting to pay the balance of their tour. I told them this tour did not include them - it was a private tour and was full. I told this lady that she needed to speak to Bruno.

The woman stood her ground and eventually Bruno came over. The woman showed him proof that she had paid a deposit and then Bruno told them the “boat’s broken” shrugged his shoulders and walked off - the couple left - I felt badly for them but very shocked again at his attitude.

As I said, had it not been for Eric and Tama, our day could have been a total disaster if we had to rely on Bruno to take us around in a boat.

As it turned out, we did not get a cultural show at the motu - as listed in the itinerary that Bruno provided to me - and as I found out later, some of our group were not offered drinks.

We shared the motu with a large group on a shore excursion from the ship and although the food was lovely, IMO there was not enough cut fruit to go around some 60 or so people.

Furthermore, none of the toilets on the island flushed and did not look as clean as expected.

Having said that the motu was beautiful - definitely picture postcard beautiful. The Vanilla Bean Farm, swimming with sharks was great. We went to one coral garden (not two coral gardens) and then headed back to the Pearl Farm (East side) - as there was insufficient time to go back to the ship, and visit a pearl farm on the way via the west side of the island.

Is the tour worthwhile doing? Yes but find a different operator ... hopefully Eric and/ or Tama will do their own tours one day and if they do, I very much doubt you would have the drama and the rudeness we experienced with Bruno.

I can only say we've taken Bruno's tour several times over the years and have a a wonderful time. Yes Bruno is a bit 'dry' but he is knowledgeable and made sure everyone had a great time. His photos that he takes for free are first rate stuff.

Every time we've gone with Bruno the drift snorkel was on the itinerary and every time he made sure everyone went as many times as they wanted plus he purposely made sure we went down a different 'channel' every time we made the run.

We've found Bruno to be very honest and delivered what was promised at the price quoted each and every time. I believe we've taken Bruno a total of 4 different times over the years.

Just our experience with Bruno ;)... taken on his tour.

I can only say we've taken Bruno's tour several times over the years and have a a wonderful time. Yes Bruno is a bit 'dry' but he is knowledgeable and made sure everyone had a great time. His photos that he takes for free are first rate stuff.

 

Every time we've gone with Bruno the drift snorkel was on the itinerary and every time he made sure everyone went as many times as they wanted plus he purposely made sure we went down a different 'channel' every time we made the run.

 

We've found Bruno to be very honest and delivered what was promised at the price quoted each and every time. I believe we've taken Bruno a total of 4 different times over the years.

 

Just our experience with Bruno ;)... taken on his tour.

I'm glad you had a good experience ... however I can assure you he was not "dry" - he was rude, arrogant and did not provide everything he said he would.

Also, my experience may be completely different to yours but that does not make my experience invalid or one that should be dismissed as a one off ... certainly there were two groups on the dock that day who were treated with contempt by Bruno IMO and in the opinion of others who were there.

There were 20 people on my tour and not one of them said they would use him again ... that's a lot of people to tick off who will no doubt suggest that people find someone else to take them around.

I have been organising shore excursions for many years and never have I experienced anything like the attitude, continual chopping and changing of the itinerary etc etc as I have with this tour operator.

In addition, Bruno did not accompany us on our tour - we had Eric as the boat driver and Tama as the guide - both of whom were excellent and actually made our day. Their interactions with us were completely the opposite to what we experienced as a group on the dock with Bruno.

The first and last we saw of Bruno was at the dock where presumably he stayed all day because he certainly was not at any venues we went. Quite frankly, our group was very glad he did not accompany us after our treatment we received on the dock.

I booked with him because of the recommendations on this site ... I think people have a right to know that they may not get what they ask for, and like us, may be charged a "Bruno FOREX rate" which is different to the "norm" ... I feel for the couple who were left stranded and treated so offhandedly by Bruno at the dock when he told them "boat is broken" ... he walked away and they had no choice but to walk away... how disappointing for them.

Good luck on your next tour with him.

You are correct ... I'll book with him again .... 4 trips, 4 fantastic memories and every time exactly for the correct price/itinerary, couldn't ask for more.

Just sharing my personal experience, 4 for 4, nothing more.

I'm scheduled for Bruno's tour next month. Glad to hear that Tahitianbigkahuna had such a great experience multiple times. That photo is stunning- looks like the impressionist painter Monet's work. Have to say though that Dougoinoz's experience does concern me some. Bruno has been wonderful in his communication, and with very few exceptions his recent Tripadvisor ratings have been very good. So sorry that things turned out so sour for you Douginoz- it does sound like your day was a bit of a disaster. I've verified twice our balance and form of payment and all seems in order. Will be sure to report on our experience.