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Ian Wright lounges on a Tahiti beach
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The largest of the 118 Polynesia islands, Tahiti is sometimes
known as "the island of love". Tahiti is a water
lover's island paradise, with clear blue skies, tropical rainforests
and plentiful marine life. The open ocean combined with the
shallow lagoons allow a diversity of watersports. It's a playground
for Scuba diving, snorkeling, siling, surfing, swaterskiing,
swimming and kiteboarding. It's a popular haunt
for divers and fish down below to ogle include Napoleon
fish, tuna, barracuda, jackfish, rays, sharks, moray eels
and even rare sea turtles.
But it is the surf for which Tahiti is legendary.
The beaches on Tahiti are pounded by some of the most awesome
surf on the planet. The surfers are attracted by the big waves,
the lush tropical paradise of the island itself makes it an
irresistable destination to any self respecting beach lover.
The Horue contest is one of the biggest surfing event
on the island of Tahiti. It's been going since 1990, and runs
for one week from June 25th at Papara Beach which has around
3ft waves.
The surfing tradition started with Polynesians using wooden
planks, although both the Kiwis and the Hawaiians argue it
is they who invented it. The best surfing spots are at the
"passes" or open ocean entryways into the lagoon
where waves can achieve better sizes.
Tahiti's best surfing spots are the Papenoo break
on the North Coast, Paea break in the South, and the
awesome Teahupoo on the Tahiti-Iti peninsula. The trick
to find the best breaks is to be-friend a local surfer on
the beach or in one of the many surfshops of Papeete and meet
a "dude". Attitude in Tahiti is laid back, but surfers
can be protective over their favourite breaks.
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