Ferry to Raiatea

I am looking for an economical way to get from Papeete to Raiatea. Is there a ferry that we can take.

Thanks,
R13

Raiatea is best connected by plane and the flight is only about 45 minutes. There are ferries to Papeete as well but they do not run frequently and you need to check carefully when they run. Try the Maupiti Express.

The only passenger ship going from Papeete to Raiatea at present is the Hawaiki Nui - not so much a ferry as a cargo boat that takes car and foot passengers. (The Mauapiti Express doesn't go anywhere near Papeete, and it seems the other cargo boat that did the Papeete-Raiatea run, the Vaeanu, no longer does it.) The Hawaiki Nui travels twice a week from Papeete to Raiatea. It departs Papeete on Tuesdays at 16.00 and arrives in Raiatea (via Huahine) at 05.30 the following morning (Wed). It goes on from there to Bora Bora (arriving at 10.00) and Tahaa (14.30), returning to Raiatea at 16.30 the same day (Wed). It departs Raiatea at 17.15, arriving back in Papeete on Thursdau morning at 05.00. It costs 2000 CFP (c€16.50) to travel deck-class between Papeete and any of the destinations listed above, or 5000 CFP (c€41.25) for a couchette. The second sailing each week departs Papeete on Thursdays at 16.00 and arrives directly in Raiatea at 03.30 Friday morning, followed by Bora Bora at 09.00, Tahaa at 14.30, back to Raiatea at 16.30, on to Huahine at 18.30 and finally back to Papeete at 05.00 on Saturday morning. There are no eating facilities on board so you need to bring your own food and drink. The company running the Hawaiki Nui is Sarl STIM and they have an email address: contact@stim.pf. Or you can phone them in Raiatea on +689 66 42 10. Happy sailing!

Thanks to both of you for the info. Great help!