Guest houses - August 2007

We are 3 families from Italy considering to spend 3 to 4 weeks in the FP islands next August. To date the biggest obstacle to make this dream true has been the rumors about missing availability of low prices accomodations.
I went though most of the posts, in this branch, and what I read is shifting my mind direction. I see the light at the end of the tunnel.
So let me ask you some questions.

A good friend of mine, who owns travel agency, told me that 4 weeks are too much. Is it true ?
Which islands are wort while to be seen, considering the cost/time to move around the various archipelagoues. We love the nice lagoons that FP offers, but we'd also like to make some hicking or biking or other active outdoor activities not just related to the beaches and the sea.
Are guest houses with kitchen available at affordable prices ? To stay on our low-budget we do prefer to self catering and cook or own meals most of the times.

Any other information that you consider usefull is well accepted.

Thanks in advance from MIlano . Italy

Tom

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<hr>A good friend of mine, who owns travel agency, told me that 4 weeks are too much. Is it true ? <hr></blockquote>

Four weeks in French Polynesia wouldn't be too much for me but it depends on your interests.

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<hr>Which islands are wort while to be seen, considering the cost/time to move around the various archipelagoues. We love the nice lagoons that FP offers, but we'd also like to make some hicking or biking or other active outdoor activities not just related to the beaches and the sea. <hr></blockquote>

The Society Islands are the least expensive to get to (being closest to the island of Tahiti). You can hike and bike them.

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<hr>Are guest houses with kitchen available at affordable prices ?<hr></blockquote>

I think so. But what is affordable differs from person to person. You might want to check some of the Web sites that I've linked in the FAQ to obtain more information about available accomodations .

Ciao, ti scrivo in italiano perchè per me è semplice...
E' un po' un peccato sentire che uno di un agenzia ti dica che 4 settimane sono troppe... se le hai a disposizione, sfruttale! La Polinesia è così lontana e così bella che di giorni per godersela ce ne vogliono.
Nel settembre 2006 ho fatto il mio viaggio di nozze in Polinesia, 30 giorni e, pur avendo prenotato in agenzia, ho scelto tutte pensioncine.
Alcune poi hanno l'angolo cottura.
Inoltre trovi ovunque negozietti per fare la spesa (tranne su alcune isole delle Tuamotu)
Tieni presente che i pass per i voli interni hanno dei costi fissi, quindi per esempio, quello che ti comprende sia le isole della società che le tuamotu, ti costa uguale sia che tu faccia solo Bora Bora e Rangiroa sia che tu visiti 8 isole...
Le pensioncine in cui sono stata si aggiravano dagli 80 ai 100 euro, sui 120/130 dove avevo scelto la mezza pensione (ma purtroppo non ho ip rezzi esatti di ogni singola pensione)
Isole della Società e Tuamotu sono completamente diverse. Le prime sono sono splendide da eslporare, isole vulcaniche verdissime con entroterra meravigliosi. Il mare è splendido ma le lagune delle Tuamotu sono qualcosa di spettacolare...
Io purtroppo non sono stata nè alle Australi nè alle Marchesi che devono essere anche loro molto belle.

il mio itinerario:

5 notti Fakava
4 notti Rangiroa
4 notti Bora Bora
2 notti Maupiti
3 notti Moorea
3 notti Huahine
3 notti Taha'a (difronte a Raiatea)
3 notti Isola di Pasqua
1 notti Thaiti

Trascorreteci tutto il tempo che desiderate, è un posto magico!

Ingrid - Milano

Grazie mille per la tua cortese risposta. C'è qualcuna delle isole elencate che non rifaresti ?

Tom Milano ..... con influenza.

On Moorea, check out www.farehamara.com, a large house with sleeping accomodations for up to 8 persons, with a full kitchen and a beautiful view of Oponuho Bay, reasonably priced, better than a hotel!

domanda difficile... se proprio devo trovare dei difetti...
Maupiti forse perchè è veramente spartanissima, niente acqua calda...
Taha'a perchè è da dolce far niente ma arrivando dalle Tuamotu dove si fa solo mare, mare e ancora mare, magari la si può tagliare fuori
l'Isola di Pasqua perchè cmq sono parecchie ore di volo.

Fakarava e Rangiroa sono spettacolari,
Bora Bora è moooolto turistica ma veramente bella, non si può mettere in discussione
Moorea è splendida, meno turistica e meno affollata di Bora Bora, così pure è incantevole Huahine, con veramente pochi pochi turisti.
Sono tutti angoli di paradiso!

Buon viaggio!!

Try this site. Its the best one I've seen for all of FP.

For me, 10 years wouldn't be enough, and I live in Hawaii part time. FP is overall the most beautiful set of silands I've ever seen or can imagine.

Ed

Well, in 3-4 weeks you could physically visit a lot of islands, but I'd pick just 3, maybe four, and spend a week or so on each. Moorea is a good choice, you can probably find a rental house there. but you'd have to check the tahiti websites. Bora Bora is beautiful, but probably the most expensive. Others in the closer area include Huahine and Tahaa/Raiatea.

It seems that flying to the Austral Archipelago isn't that easy ! The Air Taihiti schedule for these islands (Rurutu, Raivave and Tubuai) is very weak. Do you know if ait tahiti adds some extra flights in August ? I don't want to cancel this destination.

There is a flight from Papeete to Rurutu on Tuesday moring that matches with our arrival from Europe.
Then we have to wait until friday to take a flight to Tubuai, stops for 3 days and then move to Raivavae on Monday. Next Wednesday fly back to papeete.
It's worh while to stay 4 days on Rurutu ? Should I cancel the Austral islands in favor to other destinations ?

Thanks Tom from rainy Milano

You can email Air Tahiti (reservation@airtahiti.pf) and ask about extra flights in August.

I haven't been to the Australs, and I don't recall anyone posting here who has (good for you going off the beaten track). Have you checked the weather for the islands in August (their winter)? I think that in Raivavae temperatures can get down to 10 C / 50 F.

Your current schedule is 4 nights (3days) Rurutu, 3 nights Tubuai (2 days) and 2 nights (1 day) on Raivavae? How little time do you want to spend on the islands? I would go to an island(s) where I would want to spend at least 4 nights/ 3 days.

I almost went to the Australs a few yrs ago with friends here in the Cooks who have relatives there. The air schedules were really screwy. You had to plan it very carefully, or you'd end up at the first one, and not be able to get to the second one for a week, as the mid-week flight went the other direction in the group.

The weather will be a little cooler than Tahiti, but still pleasant. Yes, it can hit 10C (50F) on a chilly night at 3am in August, but in the daytime it should be warm enough for most visitors from cooler climates.

All seemed to be very different than each other. Some have a large religious presence, others don't. Soem have one main valley that splits the island, others are just high mountainous ones.

If you want to get off the beaten path I'd go for it. My friends said the people are friendly, but of course their Polynesian dialect was similar to Cook Islands Maori, so they could converse fairly easily. If you speak some French (or Tahitian!) it will help a lot.

Hi,

I just saw this thread so I hope I'm not posting too late.

In Bora Bora there is a hostel called Chez Nono. You can stay either in a bungalow VERY close to the beach (like 5 metres to the waters edge) with private facilities for just over $200 AUD or you can stay in the rooms with shared bathrooms for significantly less. They have a shared kitchen so it is very easy to self cater.

Have you thought of hiring a condomium? With 3 families it would be a lot cheaper for you to just hire a condo and split the cost 3 ways. We met an American couple in Bora Bora who did just that.

I saw a website recently with condos for rent world wide and they had a large one in Bora Bora.

Huahine is also beautiful and very rustic.

BarbiJKM's advice of FareHamara is a great suggestion for Moorea.

Basically it will work out a LOT cheaper for you if you rent 1 large house/condo for all 3 families then split the cost between you than staying in individual units.

By the way, no way is 4 weeks too much in French Polynesia. We went for 3 weeks last year and I felt it was too short.

Agreed! We stay six weeks every summer, rent a place on Moorea as our "home base", and then take short side trips to other islands from there, always coming back to Moorea. Four MONTHS wouldn't be too much time there! If you get a monthly rate at a guest house or condo, make sure you have a kitchen to self-cater, it can be very affordable!

We tried to go to the Australs, and were put off by the tightness of our already booked stays and the paucity of flights.

Ed

you can visit australs archipelago with my photos.
Tubuai is my favourite island, she is the only mountainous island entirely surrounded of beaches.
And it is here where the mutineers of the Bounty have wanted to get settled in 1789.

My favourite links
TAIHA.COM
VAITEANUI.COM
TAHITIPOSTER.COM