FRENCH POLYNESIA, — The island of Raiatea in French Polynesia is known as the sacred island. And if you travel off the beaten path, you'll discover how it earned that title.
NIU Shack is a guesthouse located deep in the heart of the island up an impossibly bumpy road covered in mud. It's not an easy trek, but one well worth the effort.
"The way we treat you, it's like you're rewarded for stepping out from your comfort zone," said co-owner Teua Rangi Bourgeois.
Teua Rangi and her mother Vicki own and operate the off-the-grid property. Their family has been in this valley for a thousand years and it's here they reconnect with their ancestors.
"When you arrive in this valley, you feel it in your body," said Teua Rangi. "It's a different atmosphere."
They recently opened up their home sharing their lifestyle with visitors.
"We just want to connect people to nature so they get inspired and live a more sustainable life," Teau Rangi said.
NIU Shack is powered by solar energy and the water comes from the river that runs through the valley. The food is plant-based using mostly fruit and flora foraged from the land. Vicki prepares all of the meals in a bamboo kitchen that's open to the elements which inspires her to create new recipes and flavor combinations.
"She's not just cooking," said Teau Rangi. "She's making art."
Guests can also experience Tahitian beauty rituals like a coconut salt scrub with coconut grown on the property. Teau Rangi will even get you involved by having you shred the coconut.
Once the ingredients are gathered, you'll make your way down to the bank of the river where the treatment begins with a meditative breathing exercise. Then the scrub is mixed and massaged into your arms and legs. It's then rinsed off in the river revealing silky smooth skin.
It's an experience that leaves you renewed both inside and out. It also reveals a deeper connection to this place and this planet.
"My intention when people come here is that they feel something new," said Teau Rangi. "At the same time, other people see hope. Hope in the future, hope for a better planet and hope for themselves."
Sponsored by Air Tahiti Nui
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