need reservations in Tahiti?

My guidebook was published in 2005 and says that one can pretty much show up in Tahiti and get a room without having had a reservation. Just wondering if this is still true. I plan to go to Tahiti, Moorea, and Bora Bora (at least) and will be there in late May through mid-June.

Thanks for your help!

Question is how are you going to find that room? And how are you going to get there? Be aware that there are no touts and accomodations that you might be interested in may not be walking distance from each other.

I arrived in Tahiti without a reservation for my first night the first time I went there. It turned out fine, the woman sitting next to me on the plane was a frequent visitor to FP and told me that I could get a flight out to Moorea that night. She had fortunately made a reservation with the Moorea transfer service so I didn't have to pay for a $35 taxi to my hotel. The place that I had made a reservation for the other nights did have a room available that night plus she was kind enough to offer me a bed in her bungalow at another hotel if I couldn't get a room there. If I had not met her I would have taken the bus to downtown Papeete and would have wandered around the dark streets looking for a backpackers (which I probably wouldn't have found) before finally paying much more than I wanted for a mediocre mid-range.

The last trip I had a reservation and thought that I would take the Le Truck downtown and just walk from the main street to my pension.
Thankfully some locals offered me a ride because I would not have found it. It was where I thought it was on the map but there were no street signs a few blocks in from Boulevard Pomare. The locals had to stop and ask for directions. It was a pleasant walk during the day but very dark at night.

It might be fine on the big island of Tahiti....
Remember things aren't close together on Moorea! So it might be a bit of a transfer nightmare if you don't know where you are going.
Not to mention expensive, even for a transfer from the ferry....

In Bora Bora, as was mentioned in an above trip report, it is difficult to get around as you land on a motu and must take the ferry into Viatape and then have transport arranged to get to where you wish to go. It's pretty difficult to get around in Bora Bora unless you've got alot of cash for taxis and rental cars. So if you don't have a reservation you might get stuck someplace before you even try to just show up at a pension. Just reality there...

sunny regards,
shully

I'd get a reservation for the first couple of nights if you are staying in Papeete. Most flights come in at night, so it is hard to find something on your own.

"I arrived in Tahiti without a reservation for my first night the first time I went there. It turned out fine, the woman sitting next to me on the plane was a frequent visitor to FP and told me that I could get a flight out to Moorea that night. She had fortunately made a reservation with the Moorea transfer service so I didn't have to pay for a $35 taxi to my hotel. The place that I had made a reservation for the other nights did have a room available that night plus she was kind enough to offer me a bed in her bungalow at another hotel if I couldn't get a room there. If I had not met her I would have taken the bus to downtown Papeete and would have wandered around the dark streets looking for a backpackers (which I probably wouldn't have found) before finally paying much more than I wanted for a mediocre mid-range."

Silvanocat! Were you flying on ATN, sitting next to a blonde woman, and we didn't talk almost the entire flight until just before arriving in PPT? And you were staying at CBH and I was staying at Moorea Village, both of us travelling alone on an ATN special promotion for one week? And then we met again at the airport on the night we were departing, sat in the lounge upstairs talking so much that we almost missed our flight? This just sounds so FAMILIAR to me! Are you that brave woman, traveling all alone her first time in FP, and now you are a repeat visitor and have created that wonderful blogspot? WOW!!! Amazing!!

That was me!

I could not believe my luck meeting the legendary BarbiJKM on my first trip to Tahiti. (Visit the forums at Tahiti Explorer if you want to know what I'm talking about.)

The Thorn Tree is very fortunate in having you join us.

What a great reunion!

Yes, a great reunion! I am happy to have found this forum, and discovered an old friend here too!

how awesome !!

And now I am kicking myself even harder for not tracking you down on Fakarava last time, Silvanocat! Arrrgghh!!!!!

Ed

I'll be back in French Polynesia as I'm sure you will Ed, lets meet on Mataiva.

I'll cook lunch!

Ed

Looking forward to it!