Moorea/Bora Bora - To split or not to split?

I appreciate your assistance in advance. I am trying to make a final decision for my honeymoon and I will make this short and brief.

The main question is, if we do not have a bottomless sickening money supply (kardashians), and we wish to do 5 nights in the South Pacific, what is the best way to do this? Just Moorea? Just Bora Bora? or combine both?

1. We are in our late 20's and enjoy both the relaxation but also having some activities as an option. We are not party animals but would love to grab some drinks on one or two nights, even if its at the resort. How much do drinks typically cost?

2. There must be an overwater bungalow at some point of our trip!! Where? Specific resorts?

3. Realistically speaking, aside from flight and stay, how much spending money do you need (drinks, food, and excursions) for 5 nights.

4. Perhaps you are reading this and thinking French Polynesia is not quite the fit for us. Please advise because we were considering other options such as Cook Islands, Fiji, and even the Dominican Republic (Punta Cana).

Thank you :)

How about the Cook Islands? Rarotonga is the entry point and it has stunning drop-ded gorgeous couples-only boutique resorts and villas. Several of these places also have onsite restaurants and bars. If you want sun-drenched beaches by day, and vivid sunsets to sip cocktails by, have a look at accommodation along the western side of Rarotonga including Black Rock Villas, Sunset Resort, Crowne beach Resort, Manuia Beach, Aroa Beachside Inn.

Aitutaki island has o/w bungalows at the Aitutaki Lagoon Resort & Spa.

Compared to Tahiti and the Society islands, the Cook Islands is by far more affordable. Depending on where you are arriving from I did see some airfare specials released from the USA this week flying Air NZ for travel between now and mid-year.

For a daily allowance in the Cook Islands, depends on the type of activities you seek - but generally NZ$100 - $150 day for meals (2 persons), and lagoon cruises/safari tours/islnd nights tend to be around NZ$75.00 each person. Hire cars approx $50 per day. Hamburgers approx $7.00 and fries $5.00 - takeaway diners. Steak dinner about $30 for quality meal, ocean-fresh fish dish about $25.00 platter - restaurant quality. Beer - $4 - $7 per stubbie, wine by glass $8 - $11.

Boutique accommodation approx $400 per villa per night; o/w bungalow on Aitutaki $1,000 per night - but go directly to the resort and get their best deal especially if you stay at their sister resort Sanctuary Rarotonga -on-the-beach on Rarotonga as well! Air Rarotonga is the only domestic airline in the Cook Islands.

Hope this helps with your decision-making.

This was very helpful thank you! I'm hoping someone will give input about French Polynesia with details like you did!

The main question is, if we do not have a bottomless sickening money supply (kardashians), and we wish to do 5 nights in the South Pacific, what is the best way to do this? Just Moorea? Just Bora Bora? or combine both?

I shall assume you are an American.

You can reach Moorea from Tahiti by ferry. You have to fly to Bora Bora. Both Islands have superb hotels. I suggest reading the reviews and picking one. If you only have 5 days, why waste two of them traveling between Tahiti and Bora Bora? Yes, it takes much of a day each direction. If you are trying to stave off bankruptcy, pick a hotel on Moorea. It is a stunningly beautiful island by almost every other comparison besides Bora Bora.

1. We are in our late 20's and enjoy both the relaxation but also having some activities as an option. We are not party animals but would love to grab some drinks on one or two nights, even if it’s at the resort. How much do drinks typically cost?

There are "activities" available through the hotels on both islands. None of them are particularly cheap. I had trouble recalling the relative costs between the local currency, the French Polynesian Frank, and Dollars. The current exchange rate is 90 FPF to the dollar. I didn't bring a computer, a watch, or a cell phone on purpose, could not access my credit card accounts, and I fell in love with the local brew, Hinano Beer. If you want a standard of comparison, I think a bottle of Hinano was about 450 FPF in a good bar or restaurant -- about what you would pay in the U. S. I put what I intended to spend on one credit card and carried a second card as a "get-me-home" emergency card. I didn't go on the emergency card until I had started the trip home. This was a RELAXATION trip after all. You can always worry about money when you get home. If you are like me, you do all of the time anyway.

1. There must be an overwater bungalow at some point of our trip!! Where? Specific resorts?

I stayed at the Sofitel Private Motu. It is now combined with the Sofitel Bora Bora. The OWB was fantastic! Be aware that there were geckos everywhere on and in the OWBs. Once you accept the fact that they are there to stay, they are actually entertaining. The biggest entertainment for me was a woman in a neighboring OWB who went into hysterics at the first one she saw. The geckos are harmless, cute, and they eat what few bugs are present. I never noticed any bugs.

1. Realistically speaking, aside from flight and stay, how much spending money do you need (drinks, food, and excursions) for 5 nights.

That is entirely dependent on what you do. There are lots of French Polynesia oriented websites. Decide what you want to do, where you want to do it, and look up the costs. Are you with a tour or are you trying to do this on your own? Besides drinking Hinano, I spent much of my free time snorkeling off of the OWB and that cost nothing. I brought my own gear. I was there with a tour so see the eclipse of the sun in 2010.

1. Perhaps you are reading this and thinking French Polynesia is not quite the fit for us. Please advise because we were considering other options such as Cook Islands, Fiji, and even the Dominican Republic (Punta Cana).

A warning about some cultural quirks in French Polynesia: Don't trust clocks or watches. They all seem to be set to within +/- 20 minutes of the correct time but the only time that counts is the watch or clock of your hotel, your airplane, or your taxi. Give yourself lots of margin when traveling on a schedule. Second, English is practically useless outside the management staff of the hotels. Brush up on your French. The locals all dress very modestly despite what you may see on TV and in movies. Do the same if you don't want to offend them. With that in mind, I'd advise you to go if you think you can manage the cost. French Polynesia is breathtaking. I want to go again.

Another option is to book a trip on an inter-island cruise such as Paul Gauguin. That way, you will know how much, alcohol excepted, you will spend before you ever leave home. With the present stinko economy, the prices are cheap considering what you get for your money.

Have a great time.

There are two hotels on Moorea with overwater bungelows. Way cheaper to go to Moorea than fly up to Bora Bora. Plus Moorea has a few buses going around the island so you can be more independent.

Taranaki_chick, according to this site you missed a couple.

Oh...interesting to see Zelda'sdad. I only saw two as I was riding around on the bus. Actually I think we has a better beach situation staying at Nelsons Camp.

i would say moorea!!! we`ve been there two weeks ago at chez nelson sleeping in a tent, we paid 1400 pacific francs per person and that is the cheapest you can get, we were almost alone in the whole camping and then there school holidays so the people start to come. in moorea you have plenty of things to do, we hire a kayak and swin with sharks and rays, you hike... the place was great.... we spend in bora bora two nights and i have to say that the island itself doesnt have beaches except one, only one camping and very ugly and expensive

...we spend in bora bora two nights and i have to say that the island itself doesnt have beaches except one, only one camping and very ugly and expensive

Welcome to Thorn Tree, Patoliau.

I don't like to start on the wrong foot with a new poster, but a quick Google of "Bora Bora Beach Photographs" disagrees with you.
The fact that Moorea may be a better choice for the Original Poster (OP) in her circumstances is not a reason to trash Bora Bora. Bora Bora may not be Heaven but it's in Heaven's zip code.

i have to be honest, bora bora is all about tourism and wealthy tourism, is not the most beautiful island in the polynesia, is all about selling a product... most people arrive by plane then get on a boat and then to the resort and they hardly have contact with the local people, the place is beatiful im agree but i have to say moorea is the place to be anyway...

Yes....apart from the beach around Matira Point area there is really no beach on the island of Bora Bora. The beaches you see in photos are out on the reef islets (motu) where the bungalow resorts are. The main island makes for fabulous views from a distance though with its high mountain sides. There is very little interaction between the people on the island and those in the resorts.....it was an interesting situation to observe.....and I think in many ways people in both groups were glad to keep it that way.