Think the Olympics Will Change Teahupo’o?

“The money it comes and goes, the land it stays.” 

Peva Levy first laid eyes on Teahupo’o in 1963, and shortly after brought the whole valley behind it. Since then he has remained its chief caretaker, filling up his cup each morning with “magic water” from the surrounding waterfalls, and strong-arming developers who threaten to disfigure its pristine, Jurassic Park-looking landscape.  

Thanks to being a principled fellow, Tahiti today has the “je ne sais quoi of Hawaii — if Hawaii spoke French, had socialized health care, and wasn’t overtly disillusioned by the realities of colonization,” as per Mikey C’s day one Olympics diary entry. 

Given the current buzz on the region, we figured we’d give our Red Bull No Contest: Tahiti travel guide another push. 

Both local Polynesians featured in it: Vahine Fierro and Kauli Vaast are still in contention for a Gold medal – pretty remarkable for a village of 1,500 residents.