About Us
Tracey Thomas
About me
I started traveling at 18 when I took “a year off” between studies to see the world. That year slipped into the following year, and then I’d got the bug! The bug turned into a career in the travel industry. I initially worked for a British airline, which led to a career in the UK Hospitality and Tourist Industry, taking me to Spain and finally bringing me here to French Polynesia. Once settled on Tahiti, I specialized in creating adapted private tour programs for individuals and small groups around the islands. My local knowledge is a useful element in this rarely explored part of the Pacific. British-born with dual British/French nationality, I am trilingual (English, French, and Spanish). Married to a Polynesian from the Austral Islands for many years, I am now firmly rooted on the islands. It is on Tahiti where our three (now adult) children grew up and live. Tahiti has become my island home.
How did I end up in Tahiti?
At 12 I was given a copy of THE MUTINY ON THE BOUNTY, the first book I read from cover to cover and the beginning of my love affair with Polynesia and the Pacific. At 30 while working in a bar in Barcelona I met a Polynesian serving in the French PARACHUTIST regiment. We had 3 children. Over 20 years ago we moved to Tahiti so the children could embrace their Polynesian roots and multicultural identity
How the Unique Tahiti came about
While working in Tahiti's travel tour industry I quickly became aware of how valuable my insight and local expertise were to visitors. My local connections and close relationship with the population gave me privileged access to many aspects of daily life, the mindset, the values and vision of Polynesians from all social backgrounds. As an independent tour leader, guide and program creator, finding quality, up market tour service's which catered to my individual and small groups was a challenge! The service I was looking for didn’t exist. So, I decided to provide the service myself when in 2015 UNIQUE TAHITI opened for business.
Mission
Nearly 20 years ago, when I first arrived, Tahiti was an island that everyone had heard of but no one spent time on. The island largely ignored. Tahiti is the gateway to Bora Bora, to the Pacific tropical islands and overwater bungalows that are part of every visitor’s honeymoon or bucket list dream destination. As I worked with visitors it was clear that the majority of them seem to know not much else about French Polynesia apart from the famous luxury over water bungalows, grass skirts, palm trees!
Unique Tahiti’s mission is to demonstrate that Tahiti is so much more than luxury over the water lagoon bungalows! Our mission is to introduce the wonders of Tahiti to whoever has time to discover and explore it. We hope to set the scene and teach visitors about where they are in the world, how the tropical islands got here, and who the Polynesian, South Pacific people are. The diversity and wonders of Tahiti were so long unexplored and totally under the radar. Introducing Tahiti and bringing attention to this amazing island and part of the world is our mission.
Ambassadors maybe a bit over the top, “No1 fans” kind of says it all
It is an enormous pleasure for me to be part of making visitors traveling experience in Tahiti and French Polynesia one that exceeds all expectations. My greatest joy is to share all I have experienced and learnt here from the amazing local population and providing the bridge between visitors and Polynesians
My inspiration and motivation
My biggest inspiration has always been discovering new cultures and ways of living, it’s why I started travelling and why I believe many people continue to travel. The joy of learning and better understanding how other people live always interested me and has been a key motivation. The Pacific has always fascinated me, the islands their people its ocean
The islands have offered me an enormous amount of happiness and taught me so much. Tahiti has provided me with a lifestyle I could never have imagined, its people have been an inspiration – time to return the favour.
UNIQUE TAHITI exists to provide its guests with personalised, unique and authentic guided tours that exceed all expectations. If we send guests home with life time memories for them to share with others inspiring them in turn to come and experience Tahiti themselves our mission is complete
ARE YOU READY TO
Explore this beautiful
island?
ARE YOU READY TO
Explore this beautiful
island?
ARE YOU READY TO
Explore this beautiful
island?
ARE YOU READY TO
Explore this beautiful
island?
Dominique Tehei
About me
I was born on Tahiti and am from the community of Mataiea on Tahitis South West Coast (Gauguin country). I live on my families land, in a house that I built myself, with the two women of my life, my wife Ulga and beautiful 10 year old daughter Moetua
I am known as Dominique (it was once fashionable here on Tahiti to use names associated with the outside world) my Polynesian name is Terrimana (the force of the earth)
Working in tourism has provided a platform for me to share my passion for my culture and local identity. As a child, growing up on the island, my Grandfather and members of the local community were my teachers and inspiration. Learning from them their local knowledge and skills regarding our history culture and environment feed my desire to know more. It seems I am never satisfied my thirst to know more and learn never dies.
I am particularly interested in local flora and fauna and the ocean. I was Dive Master on a local cruise ship for many years before switching to a land based career with the birth of my daughter.
As an elected leader of the committee of Tourism of Teva Uta (three large local communities where I live) I am honoured to humbly present my people. I contribute as best I can to transmitting the legacy of our ancestors through local gatherings, festivals and seminars. My career as tour guide a natural extension of that.
My mission is to share all I know with you, our Guests.
I understand that your time on our islands is limited. For many of you it is the bucket list, once in a life time destination that you have been dreaming about getting to for many years. It’s essential for me to use the time we spend together to create an experience that you will never forget. I want to inspire and educated you about who we “the Polynesians“ are in an exceptional, fun personalised day out together while visiting the incredibly scenic and breath taking sites of my island home.
ARE YOU READY TO
Explore this beautiful
island?
Ronald Handlovsky
About me
Ia Orana! I’m Roni, and my journey to Tahiti is a bit of a marathon that spanned half the globe.
Originally from Slovakia, my first life was one of athletics and engineering. I spent years as a goalkeeper for the Slovakian National Waterpolo team and played professionally across Israel and the Czech Republic. After a decade-long career running a successful advertising agency in Prague, I decided to follow a lifelong dream to visit French Polynesia. One look at the islands and I was hooked—I even tattooed a whale and a map of Moorea on my arm as a promise to myself that I’d be back!
After a stint managing a hotel in Indonesia to learn the ropes of island tourism, I finally returned to Tahiti in 2019 to stay. I found more than just a home here; I found love with my partner, Mihiatea. Today, I live on Tahiti’s beautiful East Coast on my wife’s family land, in a house I’ve personally renovated (I’m a bit of a jack-of-all-trades!).
I am incredibly grateful to my Tahitian family for welcoming me into their fold and teaching me the true Polynesian way of life. It’s a world away from Europe, and I’ve embraced every tradition, value, and bit of Mana this island has to offer.
Combining my background in hospitality with my deep 'insider' knowledge of the island, I joined Unique Tahiti as part of Tracey’s close-knit 'family team' of local guides. I love bridging the gap between my European roots and my adopted island home for our guests. Whether we are chatting about history or exploring the natural wonders of the coast, I’m committed to making sure your time on my island home is nothing short of unforgettable.
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Unique Tahiti is with Polynésie, c'est parti and 4 others at Tahiti, French Polynesia.
Just another Sunday on #tahiti Great East coast tour with lots going on #localstyle Mauruuru da BOYZ – hope you like the video 😘 How
