The Breathtaking Islands of the French Polynesia...Tahiti, Mo'orea, and Bora Bora
- khdeutmeyer
- Jun 23, 2024
- 12 min read
It has been a dream for many years to travel to the French Polynesia to kick off my retirement... this year the dream came true! My husband, Darrell, and I traveled to the French Polynesia in March and enjoyed 14 nights relaxing in the sun, sand and the amazing lagoon! We were not disappointed, it is as beautiful as the pictures illustrate and as we sat there on the beach in Bora Bora, we had to keep asking ourselves if this was real! Darrell, and I both agreed, the most beautiful tropical location we have ever been and after experiencing such clear warm water for our daily snorkeling, we are not sure if we'll ever be able to snorkel anywhere else again. The bar has been set very high from our snorkeling experiences in Bora Bora!
Darrell and I are not travelers that will spend $1000 to $2000 a night on an overwater bungalow. We wanted the true French Polynesian experience but didn't want to break the bank. We like to take three to four trips a year so as with all of our trips, I planned this trip trip of a lifetime myself keeping cost in mind but not skimping on location or comfort. We were very happy with our accommodations, transportation, meals and excursions. I love researching as it is part of our trip experience. Now that we have been to the French Polynesia...we are already talking about when we will go back!
"Tahiti is a large island and reminded us of Maui. Papetee is the capital city of the French Polynesia and is the population center for the islands. Being the population center...it means traffic congestion. Mo'orea is a sister island to Tahiti and is the opposite of Tahiti. It is laid back, relaxed, very little traffic, rural setting, with an amazing lagoon. Bora Bora is the crown jewel of the French Polynesia. Spectacular views, gorgeous lagoon, amazing snorkeling, and for me....heaven on earth!"
MO'OREA ISLAND
Known as the sister island because of its proximity to Tahiti is in the Society Islands of the French Polynesia. The distinguishing feature of Mo'orea are the two large bays, Cook and Opunohu, which are separated by Mount Rotui. Mo'orea is known for the jagged volcanic mountains and sandy beaches. Mount Rotui overlooks picturesque Ōpūnohu Bay. The Belvedere Lookout has panoramic views of the island’s peaks and Tahiti beyond.
We flew into Tahiti from Chicago through Los Angeles on American/Air Tahiti. We rented a car for the first week of our trip and boarded the Terevau Ferry for Mo'orea. There are two ferries that operate from Tahiti to Mo'orea. I selected Terevau based on departure times. Both ferries have websites and are easily navigated and an inexpensive way to travel between islands. The crossing time between Tahiti and Mo'orea is only 30 to 40 minutes. Taking the car on the ferry was not a problem and driving on Mo'orea and Tahiti was fairly easy. We just had to watch out for the scooters! It reminded us of when we drove throughout France and Italy...scooters everywhere!
We stayed at Mo'orea Island Beach Hotel, https://mooreaislandbeach.com/, on the northwest side of the island. We LOVED this hotel. It was a very tranquil intimate setting with an exceptional beach and amazing sunsets. We stayed in beach bungalow facing the lagoon. The bungalow was clean, comfortable and overlooked the gorgeous lagoon.
Our bungalow was very close to the main lobby area and the breakfast lounge. The hotel is not an all inclusive resort. A cook to order breakfast was included in our room rate but were able to find local restaurants for our evening meals very close to the hotel. Le Petit Village Shopping Center had two good restaurants and a pizza place was right next door to the hotel. The beach was beautiful at the Mo'orea Island Beach Resort. We had a great time snorkeling every day. Complimentary kayaks and bikes were also available for guests to use. While snorkeling, we ventured further out in the lagoon heading toward Mo'orea Sunset Beach and Captain Taina's. The hotel manager mentioned that the snorkeling boats head in that direction to snorkel with turtles, stingrays, and eagle rays. The manager was right, we were able to see all of them. It was not an easy swim from the hotel but it was well worth it. There was a stronger current in some areas plus rocks and coral to swim around. Once we swam to the snorkel sites where the snorkel boats docked, the lagoon became very deep and that is where we saw the schools of eagle rays! On the way back to the hotel, we stopped at Captain Taina's and booked a snorkel trip with them. https://www.captain-taina.com/ The snorkel trip was a lot of fun. They took us to their private island for a barbeque lunch and then snorkeling with the eagle rays, sting rays, and black tip sharks. Capitan Taina's lunch and snorkel tour book up quickly so make sure to reserve in advance! Mo'orea is a smaller laid back island lacking a busy city center and commercialized tourist attractions. We enjoyed the slower pace, natural beauty, rest, and relaxation. The photos below are from the Mo'orea Island Beach Hotel, our snorkeling adventures in the lagoon from the hotel beach, and with Captain Taina's snorkeling adventure. The underwater photos were taken with my Iphone in an underwater case. The water is perfectly clear and and absolutely amazing!
I suggest renting a car in Tahiti and taking it on the car ferry to Mo'orea. The island is perfect for sightseeing with a good road around the entire island. Mo'orea is a gorgeous island with lush green trees and mountains with incredible mountain views. The scenery on Mo'orea is surreal with easy access to the beaches and snorkeling from the beach. Mo'orea has one main 37-mille road that follows the perimeter of the island. The road is paved, wide, and has no traffic lights. I think it took us 3–4 hours to drive the island with stops. It is worth the drive and time to see the entire island. While French was the predominate language on Mo'orea, most people understood English too. Mo'orea has a laid back vibe and very little traffic except for the scooters! There is very little shopping on Mo'orea. I love to shop for local items but there were only a few shops scattered around the island. We didn't find one area with a concentration of local shops. Grocery stores were scattered throughout the island. They are small local stores and if you want bread and pastries, make sure you go before 9:00 a.m. daily. One of the prominent sites on the island is Mount Tohivea (or Tohiea). Mount Tohivea is an extinct volcano on the island of Mo'orea. It is the island's highest point at 3,960 ft. Pictured below are highlights from around the gorgeous Mo'orea Island.
BORA BORA ISLAND
Bora Bora is breathtaking! We found ourselves asking if we were living in a dream. The lagoon was clearer than I had ever imagined. The water is like the photos or videos you see on t.v. or in advertisements. After researching the island, we decided to fly to Bora Bora from Tahiti. There is a ferry between the islands but it is eight hours each way from Tahiti to Bora Bora. The gorgeous scenery from the airplane is worth seeing. Our next visit we will take the ferry one way to Bora Bora and fly back to Tahiti.
Bora Bora is formed by an extinct volcano, surrounded by a crystal clear lagoon and a fringing reef. The lagoon is the inner body of water between the islands and the barrier reefs. We didn't reserve a car in advance for Bora Bora due to reading other blogs that
indicated a car was not necessary. It was suggested to rent bikes or scooters to travel the island. We do not bike and are not a fan of scooters, so we ended up renting a car on our second day on the island. While the island is not as big as Tahiti or Mo'orea, we wanted to drive to see the entire island so a car came in handy. Plus it is hot and it is humid. The temperature averaged between 86 and 92 every day. I don't love to sweat, so the car was helpful!
Bora Bora is even more remote than Mo'orea and very laid back and relaxed. Bora Bora is the home of high end resorts with overwater bungalows located on their own motus. Resorts such as the St. Regis, the Conrad, Intercontinental, and the Four Seasons have amazing overwater bungalows and come with hefty per night price tags. We rented a AirB&B, rather than spending $1000 or $2000 a night in an overwater bungalow. The AirB&B was excellent and we felt we were not missing anything by not staying in an overwater bungalow. The bungalow was directly on the beach located next to the Intercontinental
with amazing snorkeling as you walked into the water. The water was crystal clear, calm, and very warm! We saw an abundance of stingrays and eagle rays right off the beach. The owners of the AirB&B were extremely helpful during our stay. They provided transportation to and from the ferry landing to the airport. The bungalow location was perfect. It was only a couple years old, decorated nicely, and had nice cool air conditioning! We were close to two local restaurants, the most gorgeous beach on Bora Bora,and the the car rental location. We would definitely stay at this AirB&B bungalow again! https://www.airbnb.ca/rooms/52972500?source_impression_id=p3_1717362795_P3Bm_7Yk0n0l_2Iz
Food is very expensive in Bora Bora. We were fortunate to have a small local grocery store across from the street from our bungalow where we were able to get necessities and fresh bakery goods daily. While in French Polynesia, we ate like the French, enjoying our morning pastries daily! We purchased bakery goods every morning, ate yogurt, and had dinner out every evening at the local restaurants. We had two restaurants within walking distance of our AirB&B located on Matira Beach, the only public beach on Bora Bora. The Lucky House Bar and Restaurant and the Bora Bora Beach Club. Both have a wide variety of menu items at fair prices. Our bungalow was also located on Matira Beach. Matira beach is also an amazing location to watch the Bora Bora sunsets. Vaitape is the largest City of Bora Bora with close to 5,000 people. You can find several stores, jewelry shops, and local restaurants. Most evenings there are 3-4 food trucks with local cuisine. The food trucks are an affordable option to enjoy local cuisine at a reasonable price.
We took a day cruise with Bora Lagoonarium that included lunch on their private island, and snorkeling in three different locations in the lagoon. The day trip was a great deal of fun with wonderful guides and perfect snorkeling locations. The boat crew played local music,
sang and entertained us during the entire trip. We were able to snorkel with the manta ray, stingray, eagle rays and black tip sharks. We did the Lagoonarium snorkel trip twice because it was so much fun and we saw so many underwater animals! We will definitely go back to Bora Bora someday and take the Lagoonarium snorkel trip! The most amazing part of our Lagoonarium snorkel trips were swimming with the Manta Ray! It was a magical experience. They are so huge, very graceful and not afraid of humans. https://nitachikhladze4.wixsite.com/bora-bora-lagoonariu We saw the Manta Ray both snorkel trips. Manta Rays are known as the gentle giants and the largest rays in the world. They can reach up to a 30 foot wingspan and have horned shaped fins and are considered highly intelligent. Below are photos of our snorkeling with the Manta Rays.
The most iconic landmark of Bora Bora is Mount Pahia which is made up of two peaks Mt. Otemanu and Mount Pahia. Bora Bora's summit is Mount Otemanu, located in the center of the island. The mountain is visible from the lagoon and as you drive the island from different vantage points. On the Lagoonarium snorkel trip we stopped for lunch on their private island and the views of Mount Pahia and Mount Otemanu were magnificent! Bora Bora was an experience of a lifetime and the perfect way to kick off the next chapter of my life after retirement. We look forward to the day we return! Below are photos from our stay on the island of Bora Bora.
TAHITI ISLAND
As I previously mentioned, we flew into Tahiti and immediately caught the ferry to Mo'orea. One thing to note, if you have a layover in Tahiti, the airport is not air conditioned and it is HOT. There is a bar with air conditioning where you can sit and eat but plan for a long and warm wait! We stayed two nights in Tahiti after our stay in Mo'orea before our flight to Bora Bora. We wanted to tour the island of Tahiti and shop at the open market in Papetee. Tahiti is the most populated island and the largest island in the French Polynesia. It has a wider variety of accommodations, the international airport, and is more widely known to most people. It is very scenic but we didn't like the busy roadways but we enjoyed shopping at the market. We stayed at a VRBO in the town of Arue on the east coast Tahiti in the Tahiti Beach Pearl Resort hotel. It is located on the black sand beach of Lafayette Beach. This side of the island is where you will find surfers and beautiful sunsets. Unfortunately, we were unable to snorkel on the east side of the island. However, the resort had a wonderful pool and restaurant. The highlight of our stay was the traditional Polynesian dance show during dinner. https://www.letahiti.com/
We didn't stay long on the island of Tahiti since our focus was on quiet, peace, relaxation, and snorkeling. Tahiti is a must visit for a couple of nights but wouldn't stay much longer with so many other islands that have incredibly clear water, snorkeling from the beach, and a more authentic island experience. Our next trip to French Polynesia, we will fly into Tahiti as our stop over to Huahine, Bora Bora and Mo'orea. We didn't travel to Huahine on this trip but we heard positive feedback and this is the island with many pearl farms. Gives us something to look forward to when we return to the French Polynesia. Below are photos from our stay on the island of Tahiti.
TIPS TO TRAVEL ECONOMICALLY AND GET THE MOST FOR YOUR TIME AND MONEY
I also get asked many times, "How do you travel so often and keep it affordable?" A few tips are below:
For me, planning and researching is part of the excitement of the trip! Visioning is so much fun!!!
I plan all of my own trips and research, research, research on the internet. I utilize TripAdvisor, Frommer's, and blogs from other travelers to find the information I need for my trip. I do ALOT of reading and researching. It takes patience to plan a good affordable trip!
I have a budget in mind for each trip and challenge myself to stay in the budget. Depending on the location, I typically start planning and booking hotels, cars, etc., approximately 9 months out. Hotel prices usually get more expensive the closer to the trip unless you are willing to do a last minute internet deal. Car rental and airline prices also go up the closer it is to your trip. Occasionally you can get a last minute deal but something else may be more expensive and you are really not saving. I like to plan!
For hotels, I use Booking.com, or Priceline.com. I look for hotels with good reviews, pay when you stay, and free cancellation in advance.
We have done all-inclusive in a couple of tropical locations years and years ago but found that we do not eat and drink enough to make it worth the extra expense. We like to go off site from the hotel and experience the local cuisine and traditions. We have not done all-inclusive in the last 15 years. However, all-inclusive is wonderful if you want to stay at the resort for all meals, not rent a car, and have the hotel shuttle you to your destinations. That has worked for us in Jamaica and it was very relaxing! But I would not drive in Jamaica so all-inclusive was the smartest option! If you enjoy all-inclusive, the earlier you book the trip the lower the price. Unless you are game and are not a planner, and are willing to travel where the last minute deal is advertised. Then you could get a great all-inclusive deal!
If we are flying, I use the Skyscanner app to check airfare prices and I try not to buy until about 60 to 75 days out. There are times where I will by earlier if the price is super reasonable. I usually do not book on Skyscanner. It will tell me the site that is the most affordable to purchase the tickets and if it is a more well known trust site, I go directly to the site to purchase the tickets. Many times Skyscanner will take you right to the airline website. Skyscanner will search all airlines and will sort by price, times, shortest trip, etc.
Have a credit card that gives you miles or hotel points. We will use points for many of our trips. We are American Advantage members and have an Advantage credit card. We try to fly American as often as we can to earn points and then use those points for future airline tickets. Our credit card is tied to our Advantage numbers and awards points as well.
We drive if the location is in the United States and we can drive and sightsee along the way. If we need to rent a car, we reserve online using Booking.com, Orbitz.com, or Priceline.com. They are usually the most reasonable. I watch for specials and never book a luxury vehicle! We also have a credit card with a low limit that we use for vehicle rentals that provides insurance as a credit card benefit. We always decline the insurance when we are in the United States. If we are traveling out of the United States, we check with the credit card if the insurance is valid internationally. We have found it is valid in Europe, Canada, U.S. Virgin Islands, but in other locations, we are forced to purchase the liability insurance from the rental car company.
While there are free maps online for most destinations, I always go onto Amazon and buy a map of my destination, especially if it is international. I do not buy maps for tropical Caribbean islands. I just get one when we arrive. But for countries like Costa Rica, Panama, Belize, England, Canada, Germany, France, etc., I always purchase a good map. As you do you research, you can use the map to highlight the places you want to visit and the sites you want to see. I have it as a reference later for putting my memories and photos into a photobook!
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