January 4, 2026

When you think about escaping to a semi-deserted, tropical island to recharge, FAKARAVA wins my vote! I had never heard of this place a month ago and when I did, people giggled, just  saying its name. No one knew what we were going to do there for 2 days. Divers knew a little about it, but we couldn't find any tours through usual channels.

Fakarava is a remote coral atoll in the Tiamat Archipelago, about 280 miles NE of Tahiti, with a population of roughly 800, spread mainly around the main village of Rotoava, (where we tendered too.) The atoll and several nearby islands form the UNESCO designated Fakarava Biosphere Reserve, renowned for pristine reefs, rare birdlife and world class shark diving. Fakarava has an easygoing "old Polynesia" vibe, sandy lanes, bikes instead of taxis, tiny family shops and water so clear you can see rays and reef sharks gliding over the coral heads right from shore. It's all about nature - lagoon, sky and quiet! What a wonderful place!!

Below are drone shots from resident Janette.

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    PK9 Beach ( 9 Km from town, marked by rock with PK9 painted on it) 

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    Lagoon coast

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    Gravel road down 10 km stretch from village. Road paved from village to PK3 then gravel and sand, from 3 to 10, at the end. Bumpy all the way!

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    Lighthouse

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    Ocean side with Lighthouse and Lagoon side with our ship

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    Surf

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    Long stretch of atoll

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    Harbor at Rotoava Village

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    Village Church

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My afternoon in Paradise! I rented an e-bike at tender drop off in village and then set off down road to PK9 beach where I met up with my buddy Ben, who had come ashore earlier. This little girl took a real shining to Ben, was so sweet, with big smile!

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    Peddling back to Village on gravel / sand road



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    Lagoon shack

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    My bike at Pearl Farm along road

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    Village Church

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    inside church 

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    Nativity Scene at Church Entry

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    Selfie at Pearl Farm along road to Village

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    More of Pearl Farm

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TIOMAN ISLAND, MALAYSIA

By Pat Patrick • July 6, 2026
Fun day in the waters of Tioman Island, Malaysia snorkeling with friends. Life is good! It was nothing fancy, a boat & captain, who spoke minimal English and barely interacted with us, for roughly 7 hours. We started the outing spotting a group of dolphins and was quickly at anchor drop 1 of 6. The distances between the 6 snorkel spots was minimal, which gave us lots of time in the water (at least 45 minutes, at each spot) with an added stop for a lunch break at local restaurants. Even the restaurants were fast and efficient, definitely used to catering to the boat crowd.

HAPPY 4th of JULY from SE ASIA SEA!

By Pat Patrick • July 4, 2026
Wishing everyone a Happy 4th of July! Here on the Odyssey we celebrated in the SE Asia Sea on our way to Tioman Island, Malaysia . We have such a talented and dedicated group of residents here, they put together a fun hour of things to celebrate and embrace a lot of what we collectively love about the USA. Even our residents from other countries - Canada, England, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, Germany , etc. joined in the fun! ( I lent my flag below for decorations)

BINTAN, INDONESIA - BUDDHIST TEMPLE

By Pat Patrick • July 2, 2026
Vihara Avalokiteshvara Graha or Guan Yin Temple is near 500 Lohan, so we also toured the grounds of this large Temple complex. It's dedicated to the Goddess of Mercy and is one the tallest brass statues of her in SE Asia. She is just over 55' tall, coated in 22 carat gold and is surrounded by scenic dragon fruit plantations. The tile work is intricate and textured with great details. The whole place is very tranquil and calming for meditation and prayer.