Lonely Planet™ · Thorn Tree Forum · 2020

Budget and OWB in French Polynesia

Country forums / Pacific Islands & Papua New Guinea / Tahiti & French Polynesia

We have 2 full weeks in FP and want to spend 1 week staying in budget accomodation, the other in an OWB. We're thinking Bora Bora and Moorea will be the islands that we visit - can you give us your opinion on where you would spend the budget week and the OWB week.
We've done massive amounts of research on tahiti-explorer, LP, tripadvisor, etc. and can't decide....can we get the amazing views, snorkelling, food etc. OWB on Moorea or should we really do our OWB in Bora Bora.

Thanks - looking forward to your replies.

Also - we will be lazing on the beach, diving, and general nothingness in FP.

Bora Bora has the amazing views of Bora Bora. The snorkeling behind the Sofitel Motu (on Bora Bora) is incredible.
Moorea has more budget accomodation choices.

For me luxury on Bora Bora and budget on Moorea.

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I agree with Silvano. Bora Bora has much better snorkeling that is easily accessible, and the water is clearer where most of the OWB bungalows are. On Moorea it often drops off further out from some of the OWB's and visbility isn't as clear as on BOB. I was in an OWB at the Hotel Bora Bora many yrs ago, and rays and tons of other fish were right under and next to the deck much of the day.

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Try and do both on Bora Bora....

we stayed for a few days at Chez Robert & Tina... at Matira Point on Bora Bora... and the there are other similar budget pensions near by... spend those few days exploring the island...

then enjoy the luxury of the owb for a few days... we stayed at the Pearl Beach and it was excellent... we were glad we had spent the previous few days exploring and had been to the lagoonarium, snorkelling trips, the submarine trip, cycling around etc.... when we got to the Pearl Beach we didn't want to leave the resort.... the owb and facilities were so good...

on Moorea we stayed at Club Bali Hai after a few nights at Camping Nelson....

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Stay at the St Regis on Bora Bora. Very good!

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I agree totally with Silvanocat and Raro.

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