I hopped on an Air Tahiti Nui Boeing 787 Dreamliner from Auckland to Papeete, French Polynesia. Air Tahiti Nui 787 is the most colorful and the most exotic 787 I’ve flown. Flight attendants gave out tiara flowers to passengers. The flight was an immersive experience of Tahitian culture.

I literally traveled back in time and gained a day by flying from the earliest time zone (New Zealand) to the last timezone (Tahiti) by crossing the dateline on this flight. Tahiti is located in the middle of the South Pacific with isolation. The nearest diversion point is Cook Island. As a nice welcome, Polynesian music was performed after landing at Papeete Faa’a International Airport.

I spent a day exploring the island of Papeete by visiting a waterfall and spending some time planespotting. Next week, I will fly on Air Tahiti domestically to explore the Tahitian Islands of Huahine and Bora Bora.