How I Hiatus: Tahiti
Ocean view on Brando Island, by Sael Bartolucci
“Once in a lifetime you might have the opportunity to go somewhere you could not even dream of, a place so magical that you will shed a tear when it is time to leave.”
—Sael Bartolucci, Founder of House of Hiatus
Brando Island
Brando Island, by Sael Bartolucci
My mother turned 80 this year and for this very special celebration she took the whole family to French Polynesia.
Now for those of us who don’t know, this group of islands is right in between New Zeland and Hawaii. So far removed from the rest of the world and yet just a mere 8 hour flight from LAX! We arrived in Papete, the capital, where we spent one night at the charming old school Intercontinental Resort, conveniently close to the airport and while it is a large resort did not feel crowded.
The next morning we then headed with a very small airplane to The Brando on Tetiaroa Atoll. This is a unique sanctuary ran by the Tetiaroa Society, in partnership with the resort and the Brando Family Trust, where science and hospitality have teamed up to study and preserve this magical ecosystem.
Marlon first came to Tetiaroa while filming Mutiny on the Bounty in the early 1960s. Fascinated by renewable resources, organic farming practices, and alternative energy sources, long before it was in the zeitgeist, Marlon bought the island where he hosted friends and family for many years.
Marlon - Bedtime Story 1963, From Bob's Bar Menu
When in 2009 the Brando Family Trust granted approval to build the resort it was meticulously planned to minimize resource use, eliminate waste, mitigate environmental impact, and optimize lifecycle efficiency, thus enhancing guest comfort while significantly lowering ecological footprints.
We loved that the resort offered bicycles for every guest to use so you could really cover some distance in a small amount of time and let’s face it, there’s nothing like a bike stroll on a dream island! We spent most days on the beach, went snorkeling in the reef and got to visit the Ecostation, which serves as a hub for the scientific and conservation work on Tetiaroa. The most exciting bit of information we got was that they were able to eradicate mosquitos from the islands! The scientist would also join the guest at the resort in the evening so we got to pick their brains over some wonderful rum cocktail the Dirty Old Bob (in homage to the original social hub, Bob’s Bar,where cocktails were crafted to Marlon Brando’s liking!)
View of Tetiaroa from the water, by Sael Bartolucci
Biking in House of Hiatus Pant + Hat, by Sael Bartolucci
“We can study one place like Tetiaroa in microcosm and use that model. … Whatever else I do there, the isolation is something I wish to preserve, because more and more, the quality of ‘less and less’ is at a premium in this life. … One of the things I want to do is teach people the value system that’s innate in Polynesian culture … the Tahitians, they just accept what is there.”
Marlon Brando
Sunset in House of Hiatus Pant + Hat, by Sael Bartolucci