so3003

We have a week in French Polynesia in March, arriving Tuesday very early morning (LAN flight from Easter Island) and departing the following Tuesday very early morning (same LAN flight back to Easter Island). Looking for itinerary suggestions. Budget not set in stone - £2-3k (GBP) would be vaguely our price range (not including flights to/from FP) but would consider going a fair bit above this if it seemed justified! Both able bodied, mid-30s and amenable to Air Tahiti airpass (wouldn't include that in our budget) and moving around a bit.

All suggestions welcomed!!

Exec_Plat

Personally I would fine one place, and stay. I suppose you could stay at 7 different hotels on different islands, to be able to check off a list of 'islands visited'...but for me the beauty of a tropic island is to get away, unplug, relax, explore.

Sharing a couple of hours a day with fellow travelers in shuttles, boats, planes, etc, is just wasted 'overhead time'.

At most, one 'move' and split the 7 days between two cool spots.

Honeymoon at clubmed Bora Bora 25 years ago. Overwater. Eat, swim/snorkel/windsurf, laze, drink, etc, drink, etc, etc.

After a week of that, we wanted to explore and spend 3 days on Huahini, rented a moped, had a blast.

so3003

Thanks

NZbutterfly

I've never been but if you were wanting to do some hopping around, you'll land on tahiti (Papeete), could explore here, there is a fast boat I think to moorea a close by island to stay, and bora bora is a popular destination. With a week that might be all you have time for, or if staying on bora bora there are a couple of smaller islands close by like maupiti with a manta ray cleaning station and taha'a?? With turtle conservation and vanilla plantation.

Tetiaroa is an island marlon Brando bought which now has the Brando resort. I think it opened last yr with crazy high prices. Some people were expecting the prices to come down after a yr, I've not been back to the website to check. It's nice to look though

There is also a lagoon cruise on rangiroa for a few nights if you wanted something a bit different. Shark feeding along with the usual snorkelling etc.

It's on the list of things to do so I had started collecting information (last yr on a wishful thinking day) but no date in the near future. Accommodation wise for bora bora there are the usual suspects of hilton, accor hotels, starwood and IC but not limited to these.

I think I've read a couple of posts on tahiti in this destination forum so try the search function and hopefully there's something useful for you.

petercek

If I had a chance to go back, I'd do Bora Bora again. We've been there during Heiva (July). Take a safari tour, rent a bike, go souvenir-shopping, lagoon tour (shark feeding, swimming with sharks and sting rays, picnic on a reef, snorkelling in the sea garden, etc.). And of course - go to Matira and enjoy fantastic beach and sea.
There are day trips to Maupiti. Not sure if also for heart-shaped Tupai.

For Rangiroa you should take a flight and this means less time to enjoy. Some say also Marquesas archipelago is interesting. I still prefer the Society Islands region.

Caciucco

I have the same issue and will be arriving at the end of March. It works out as 6 nights elsewhere and one night in Tahiti, as you probably know. I reckon on doing half and half, Bora Bora and Moorea if I can. I may be a bit of a pain midway through the week but it would also be annoying to have gone to Moorea and missed out on Bora Bora. Not sure I would feel the same if I missed out on Moorea as I get the intention it is lovely but on a par with the best of Mauritius, for example. On the other hand I worry that I might get bored at Bora Bora. Depending on where you stay you might also find Moorea to be more French Polynesian in atmosphere, whereas Bora Bora I get the feeling is a bit more international and you could be in a OWB anywhere.

jawnbc

FP is hideously overpriced, but stunningly beautiful. Locals pay hardly any tax, so visitors are squeezed.

Prettiest islands are Bora Bora and Huahine. Either requires an extra flight from PPT (about an hour). Moorea is very nice, nicer than the island of Tahiti. You can get there by ferry or flight. Lots more accommodation options on Moorea than the outer islands.

For a 5 day trip we did a night on each side in PPT, then the other nights at Moorea. For a 7 day trip I'd go to Bora Bora or Huahine, depending on flight schedules and what I could afford for accommodation. Raiatea/Tahaa are beautiful too, but their shared lagoon can't compete with BB/Hua. Moorea's lagoon is OK, not spectacular.

CPMaverick

I am planning a 4-day trip currently (long layover really), and conflicted. Moorea seems nice and easy, but Bora Bora or Huahine are preferable by most.

The flight costs however to Bora Bora or Huahine are not inexpensive ($600 USD RT)... any tips here or is it just the only option? Any ferries that could be taken, even one-way, to keep the costs down?

I know most people are prepared to spend a lot of $$$ if they have gone all this way, but we are using it as a connection between the US and NZ so not quite as willing to drop $1200 USD for flights which would double our budget for the stay in FP. I thought it might be worth checking here in cased I missed something.

Caciucco

I think it might be a bit risky getting a ferry or freighter back as you would run the risk of missing the onwards flight perhaps. No easy options for the flights, not sure you can use miles for them either.

CPMaverick

Agreed, I would want to spend at least one night in PPT before our flight out. But interested in boat options, and if they exist. We could also take a boat out (when a delay isn't the end of the world) and fly back.

Xelint

Ferry is an option but it will take a lot of time and the waters between the islands can be very rough so unless you are experienced the chop plus diesel fumes can get dicey. Took the ferry from Bora Bora to Tahaa and there was a guy designated with a chum bucket who was very busy with all the people getting sick

The flight from PPT to Bora Bora was extremely pleasant and seeing all the islands from the air was well worth the extra $$.

snabbu

Arrive PPT OMG o'clock, head to the ferry terminal and hop over to Moorea for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday nights. Lots to do on Moorea and imo 3 days is plenty.

Friday morning jump on the first VT flight over to BOB and relax till Monday afternoon, get the direct BOB-PPT flight back, overnight. Up OMG o'clock again for your LA flight back to IPC.

That's what I would do with time constraints however probably won't fit into the budget. If this is the only time you're ever planning to see FP, spend the extra $$ if required.