This is the kind of headline we would love to read right now! But unfortunately, it is more about the 60s …
Did you know that through 3 foreigners who invested in Raiatea, our island has changed the face of tourism in Polynesia and even in the world?
No, we did not abuse the Hinano before writing the article, just immersed in the history of a legendary hotel on the island, unfortunately abandoned since …
If you have lived in Raiatea for a long time, you may have known Bali Hai. He is the heart of our mini-report today …
FIND AN IDEA TO REBUILD TOURISM ...
It all started with three Californians (Hugh Kelley, Muk McCallum and Jay Carlisle), young graduates who landed on a sailboat in the early 1960s and fell under the spell of French Polynesia and its wonders.
Without experience in tourism, they opened from 1963 two hotels named Bali Hai, in Moorea then in 1966 in Raiatea.
On our island, a site caught their attention: the bay of Tepua, in the hollow of the lagoon opened by the Teavipiti pass and facing the motus.
In addition to satisfying the curiosity of new tourists who are starting to discover Polynesia, they want to give them an experience and highlight the festive side of the island and its inhabitants. On the program offered by the “Bali Hai Boys”: gastronomy, dancing, Tahitian parties,… all well watered!
But now, before becoming a successful accommodation, you have to face a major problem: the site chosen in Raiatea does not have a sandy beach. And while the Moorea hotel performs well thanks to its exceptional location, beautiful beach and superb diving spot, something is missing here. To satisfy the customers they want to attract, you have to find a way to give customers direct access to the lagoon. And at the same time gain living space …
A brilliant idea then comes to Kelley. One way to immerse yourself in the lagoon: rooms over the water! Thatched roofs made from pandanus leaves, pillars made from the trunk of a coconut tree, why not take inspiration from the traditional Polynesian habitat and fishermen’s huts to raise bungalows on stilts on the water? We could even create a glazed part in the floor to be able to observe the lagoon by transparency (the “Tahitian TV to scan the seabed from his room)! It was the Tahitian architect Gérald Garnier who enabled them to realize this first site of hotel bungalows on the water in 1967. They probably did not know at the time that this style would quickly become the signature of the destination and that it would have a revolutionary impact on the architecture of hotels around the world …
SYMBOL OF EXOTISM AND ABSOLUTE DREAM
From the early years, Marlon Brando frequented the overwater bungalows of the Bali Hai Raiatea before settling permanently in French Polynesia and acquiring the island of Tetiaroa. The concept has been successful, and other hotels are inspired by it, in Polynesia (where there are today more than 800 overwater bungalows) as elsewhere in the world (Maldives, Thailand, Fiji, New Zealand, Caledonia, Belize…). Even today, the Robinson spirit continues to appeal to celebrities who are fond of the concept …
But it’s not just the stars to appreciate the idea: the overwater bungalows evoke exceptional holidays on the lagoons at the end of the world for thousands of tourists or honeymooners on their honeymoon. Of course, there are also detractors, but basically, we can only recognize that they have brought a certain magic and a new impetus to our tourism …
Visitors all want to take pictures of these bungalows to show their indisputable cachet reminiscent of the fare on stilts specific to the ancestral Polynesian coastal habitat and which blend perfectly into the natural beauty of the landscape … Let yourself be lulled by the sound of the waves , glide in the water in complete privacy from the terrace of your bungalow to swim or explore the funds in palm fronds, mask and snorkel, contemplate the sunset with your feet dangling above the water, observe the fish of the lagoon scrolling under the glass floor of his room… The keys to dreams and therefore to success are there. The concept has also evolved with the luxurious suites and villas offering the services of 5-star accommodation, private terraces, infinity pools, hammocks and Jacuzzi, opening roofs to observe the starry sky … Not to mention the breakfast delivered by canoe! It is now more than ever the quintessential icon of paradise for many tourists looking for the perfect trip, a unique experience that must be had at least once in a lifetime …
La continuité avec le Hawaiki Nui
And our Bali Hai who revolutionized all this, what has become of him? Damaged by a fire, it was sold and became the Hawaiki Nui Hotel in the second half of the eighties. Always with the objective of transmitting the festive soul of Polynesia, the heyday of the festival, the heritage of the family tradition with its evenings accompanied by songs, the friendly spirit of good-naturedness that the Bali Hai Boys had been able to understand and maintain. …
The reputation of one of the oldest Polynesian hotels is therefore based on this atmosphere, as well as its blend of good manners and refinement combined with the charm of simplicity …
But we all know it today, this page turned in 2015 with the closure of the Hawaiki Nui hotel… What was supposed to be only temporary lasted and today we can only feel a twinge of heart passing in front of these buildings which are decaying day by day, looted, squatted, which still bear witness to a tourism that seems to be lacking now on our island … No more ballet of taxis which drop tourists off in front of the entrance, over the lively evenings which regularly delighted the locals, no more meals at the water’s edge admiring these famous overwater bungalows … We are talking about demolition … what a shame after having inspired tourism so much!
But rather than focusing on the failure that this tourist project has become, it is better to retain the idea that a handful of men knew how to start from a problem and turn it into an asset… Like what from a difficulty, we can bounce back by calling on creativity to come up with something different!
In this period when tourism has stalled, perhaps it is also the time to reinvent ourselves to imagine a different type of tourism that will appeal to our next visitors more? And you, what do you think ? Do you have any ideas when you see the potential of our island, to exploit it while protecting it?