Insider Secrets for French Polynesia
Kleon Howe, of The Art of Travel, at Bar Bambino, Saturday, June 2, 2007.
I had lunch at the new Bar Bambino in San Francisco's Mission District this past Saturday with Kleon Howe, French Polynesia travel agent extraordinaire. (He's on Conde Nast Traveler's list of the world's best travel specialists, Wendy featured him in the accompanying article back in 2004, and our readers rave about him.) Kleon fell in love with French Polynesia and the Cook Islands early into an 11-and-a-half year sailing trip around the world -- the Cook Islanders were so impressed that he arrived there under his own power than they gave him a Polynesian name: Fai Nui, or Big Manta Ray.
Kleon loves to introduce his clients to the local cultures of French Polynesia and the Cook Islands, and one of the best times to do that, he told me, is mid-July. That's when Heiva takes place, a huge festival with traditional dancing and sport competitions. Teams from all over French Polynesia's 5 archipelagos congregate on Tahiti around Bastille Day to show off their singing, dancing, drumming, tattooing, weaving, canoeing, and other traditional skills. I'd love to see the spear-throwing competition, when the athletes aim at a coconut on top of a tall pole. I'm a sucker for local festivals (like the Pushkar Camel Fair) anywhere in the world, but Kleon told me that Heiva is a particularly great time to be in Tahiti because the French Polynesians are usually a bit reserved, and this is when you can see them at their most relaxed. The only hitch is that you must have a flexible schedule, because each year the specific dates aren't released until May -- but if you're looking to go somewhere next month, Kleon can still get you flights and accommodations during Heiva 2007.
What other tidbits did I pick up from Kleon?
Anytime he sends clients to French Polynesia, he loves to book them on the ferry between Tahiti and Moorea. That way you get to see the reef close up and spend some time with locals -- and even save a few bucks over the plane ride.
He's also looking forward to Star Clipper's Star Flyer coming to French Polynesia later this year. Ever since Windstar's Wind Song had to be scuttled after a fire back in 2002 (Kleon was actually due on board days later), there haven't been many options for travelers who wanted a small-ship cruising experience in the South Pacific. You can read more of Kleon's cruising suggestions in Conde Nast Traveler's upcoming cruising booklet, appearing inside our August 2007 issue.
The cheese and salumi area at Bar Bambino, San Francisco.
If your future plans are taking you to San Francisco rather than the South Pacific, I can also heartily recommend Bar Bambino. It just opened up on an unremarkable block of the Mission, serving an interesting selection of Italian wines, lovingly crafted cappuccinos, and a menu made for sharing: Kleon and I chose the roasted beets with arugula, hazelnuts, and goat cheese; grilled polenta with roasted tomato and balsamic glazed onions; mortadella and red onion jelly panini; grilled asparagus; and a tasting plate of 3 cheeses. What a feast! I hear the small space gets crowded in the evening, but we had the patio to ourselves through most of lunch. Next time I vow to make room for a dolci too!
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