French Polynesia trip report from Jirikoo

Its just a few days when I returned from French Polynesia. Once again, a few people on this forum helped me organize the trip and therefore in return I would like to share my experience about that.

For starters I spent 20 days in Tahiti, Moorea, Bora Bora, Huahine and Tikeahu. As Im not too picky I stayed in budget accommodation except in Tikehau.

I spent overall about 3000 AUD excluding return airfare tickets from Sydney, but including inter-island flights (4 in total, no pass), renting scooters and some unimportant and expensive souvenirs in the end of my trip.

French Polynesia visibly wasn’t busy at that time, some pensions and merchants suffered from the lack of tourists. As Im not a great friend of organized tours and like my options open I didn’t get anything booked in advance (except first night) .

Tahiti - bustle and hustle

• Stayed first night Teamo hostel in central part of Papeete. It seemed dark and tight to me - everything was on a small place. Bearable for one night. Price 2300CFP, as there are not many cheap pensions/hostels in Tahiti I won't comment on the value. You can leave your luggage here for 100CFP/ a day (a small size).

• Papeete - I liked the city although one has to get used to heaps of cars.

• Roullets – vans on waterfronts with food. 800CFP and over for a big load of steaks, chicken, pizza etc. Ate there almost every night while in Tahiti.

• Municipal market in centre of Papeete is definitely worth a visit. The best prices of souvenirs as well as pearls are in this place especially in the upper level. Goo prices of goods are also in side streets of city. Just shop around.

DON’T BUY SOUVENIRS IN OUTER ISLANDS, LEAVE IT UNTIL IN PAPEETE. The best prices of them are here sometimes even 100% cheaper than in other parts of FP.

• Point Venus, east of Papeete, black sandy beach, nice view to interior of Tahiti.

• Stayed 3 nights overall in Fiffi pension just uphill from the airport. Later used it as a base where I would come back from my trips to the other islands. 2300 CFP including breakfast. You can leave your luggage for free there. Basically you live in the owner’s house. You are losing you privacy there since the dormitory are open towards living room. You can stay in rooms for a higher price although still not much better insulated. In addition, the area maybe quite noisy thanks to the airport and nearby road – but I didn’t care by night.

• Bus/truck – 130 CFP from airport to city one way, 200 CFP after 6pm, taxi no more than 1500CFP by 7pm. Do the math. Despite the low cost of trucks (buses) and relative frequency by day, public transport is quite one of the downsides of Papeete, in my opinion.

• Internet café – the one at airport, charges 200 CFP/15 mins.

Moorea - sharks and stingrays

• got there by catamaran ferry from Papeete 900 CFP one way; if you arrive on sunday you may end up hitchhiking as no buses wait for boats' arrival on that day. I resorted to renting a scooter.

• stayed in Moorea Camping all three nights on the island. In my opinion the best value in all French Polynesia. I paid 1200 CFP for a prime location just on white sandy beach in a nice 3-bed dormitory house. No moskyto nets – only coils. Everything – restaurants, shops, etc. are nearby. Canoe rent free. Friendly staff. A scarce oportunity to meet other english speaking fellow-travellers there, which are not so common in French Polynesia

Unfortunatelly, they do not organize shark-feeding tours anymore so you’ve got to find another operator. Send me a short message I will send you contact on a reliable and knowledgeable guy who organizes this trip for 3500 CFP.

• I rented a scooter just in the ferry wharf and paid 6000 CFP a day but later found same quality scooters for 5500 CFP in Hauru village.

• I did some of the sights such as Opunohu Valley, Cook's and Opunohu Bay. Unfortunatelly Lagoonarium is shut down due to disputes.

Bora Bora - dissappointment

• the biggest bummer in my whole trip. In my opinion, the island is highly overrated with its shore being often untidy and messy, people seemed to me less friendly than in other parts of French Polynesia and the essential areas are most of the time gridlocked by cars. I wouldnt dare to claim the island is extra-spectacular (definitelly not more than Moorea) let alone most sceanic island in the world.

I admit I didn't visit outer motus (in the island ring), which are btw. dotted only with classy resorts, and cant judge on this.

• Getting to Bora Bora by plane from Tahiti (about 14,5000 CFP).

• TWO IMPORTANT RULES: If you wanna save some money on airfares do purchase one of the so called "air passes" that enable you to fly in accordance with you itinerary for the price of the respective pass. More over, as long as you booke and purchase your air pass or an individual (point-to-point) ticket directly from one the Tahiti (or any French Polynesia's) branches the cost is lower than you do it from overaseas. Prices of tickets purchased directly in Tahiti are cheaper than from any other country. Having said this, luggage allowance is only 10 kg to 20 kg with tickets booked overseas.

• stayed in Chez Maeva in Matira Point in dormitory which is again an open room with beds in a patio. Paid about 3700 CFP. Covenient location near to everything.

• rented a bike from Avis in Vaiatape for two days (2000 CFP per day) - circumnavigated the island at a leisure pace in 3 hours. The most beautiful area in Bora Bora is probably Faanui Bay.

• The only beach worth mentioning is on Matira Point, but still mediocre to other across Pacific

• As a result of missing the cargo boat "Vaeanu" from Bora Bora to Huahine I was forced to take a plane to Huahine. Consequently I gotta inform that the cargo boats Vaeanu and Hawaiki-nui no longer opeate by an old schedule. The days these boats leave Bora Bora port for Tahiti are only wednesday and friday mornings. On saturday leaves Taporo which takes passangers as well (apparently). The damnedest thing was that skippers seemed to be only persons who knew where and when exactly they go:] Be aware of this reality as even people in tourist offices and some other competent persons were giving me wrong information.

Huahine - most, best

• First nigh in Chez Guynette (2000 CFP for dorm) directly on the 'main street' in town Fare across a small harbour and decent beach. Very convenient location not only that all shops and offices are around but also beaches, some of the hikes and sights are nearby. I really liked Fare, its setting and atmosphere that ruled there. The pension itself is a regular hostel adjacent to a snackbar with dormitory open to kitchen. So people who want to go there must pass through the dorm.

• Interisland boats as well as yachts anchor in the waterfront wharf in Fare. A lot of colorful fish in wharf is seen there, too.

• Maeva is a town where one can find many so called "marae" - which are remains of ancient buldings, interesting not only for historians.

• Rented a scooter for 48 hours (11200 CFP) and circumnavigated the island easily. Noticed Huahine and expecially the southern part is really less traveled with tourist occuring virtually only when the liner Tahitian Princess arrives. Laid back, less developed and almost no cars in that part. One of the most breathtaking views I have ever seen in South Pacific is definitelly Maroe Bay. And I honestly believe Huahine is overall the most beautiful island in French Polynesia, expecially by its scenery, greenery and hills surrounding you from every corner.

• Public transport is non-existent there.

• Stayed 2 nights in Pension DeLord in one of the most pretiest places in French Polynesia you can stay in. Furthermore I met there the friendliest people. Downside is unswimmable beach right in the spot due to reef being close to beach. Although, one can walk up the beach on the way to closed Sofitel Heiva, where is a nice lagoon. Its located on the eastern part of island so winds do blow away moskytos. Paid 3000 CFP including breakfast, plus owners even gave me extra food (lunches) without asking for money. Highly recommended.

• Taken cargo boat "Vaeanu" back to Papeete. Amazing experience for someone who doesnt take such boat trips as often. I was there the only traveller, otherwise only locals travel this way nowadays. Paid about 2200 CFP for deck. I departs at 8pm fare and arrives about 7am next morning in Papeete. Many complications preceded this trip so if you wanna save some trouble send me a message to give you some useful info on this.

Tikehau - finally paradise

• Got there by plane (29500 CFP return).

• all three night in Kahai beach resort which was recommended to me by Sylvanocat from Lonelyplanet. Fantastic place for someone sho want to actively relax. A little higher 7000 CFP / per night for own fare (a hut) including halfboard, kayaks, bicycles etc. Meals are really hearty and owners dont save on you in this regard. Located on its own motu on fabulous spot facing turquiouse lagoon. You have paddle over a small lagoon and bicycle other 7 mins. to get to the main village Tuherahera on the main motu (islet). Electricity works there only when you go to bed. Owners speak only little english but your hands and legs will help you. Downside: a great and great number of anoying moskytos. You get a moskyto net and coils, though.

• Did a snorkeling tour with the diving instructors of "Tikehau Village" on the main motu, which was great as skies as well as water were clear. Got some huge sharks cicrcling around me near Tuheiaha pass. All for 3500 CFP.

• Circumnavigated the main islet (motu) on bicycle - saw some fantastic spots and living beings. Coconuts everywhere... Thats what i call paradise.

To conclude my trip I must say that from my I met one of the friendliest people ever even within French expats. Having said that I tried to mingle with them (locals) - as i did successfully for example in Samoa or Fiji but to no avail...above all due to a language barrier. During my stay I met some friendly english speaking travellers, though.

Im not a beach bum but i like to photgraph a scenic beaches and stop and sit sometimes to feel it. In this respect I was very disillusioned about quality of beaches (and sand itself). Except in Tikehau all beaches in islands i visited are narrow, with volcanic and sharp coral remains on them and sometimes untidy and messy. It makes your bare-foot walk impossible. Even in Tikehau it wasnt possible to walk on beach bare-footed thaks to many corals and way too coarse sand.

Having been afraid of high cost of everything in French Polynesia I worked really hard on my savings it turned out to be a little hyperbole. Costs of groceries and goods and even budget accommodation are about the same as in Australia.

I gathered info from various sites just as from the latest book Moon guide Tahiti from James Stanley, which left me with a feeling of frustration. Even though the guide book was out in January 2008 suprisingly a lot of information was factually inconsistent, outdated or misleading. Prices of accommodation quoted were from at least 1 year ago, as well as info about some sights and activities.

The bottom line: great people and nature, interesting experience in francophonic part of the world.

My highlight:

Tikehau - all island

Huahine - all island

Shark and ray feeding tour in Moorea

Papeete shopping (even though i dont like it generally)

Vaeanu -cargo boat trip

fish and birds -everywhere

Disappointment:

Bora Bora

wheather (while in Bora Bora and Tikehau)

annoying moskytos in Tikehau

Edited by: Jirikoo

thanks for the report... i printed it out, for our planned trip in november. you confirmed some of my thoughts about bora bora, and we won't bother with it. we plan to spend some time on Huahine, and it sounds pretty good. will email you if we want further info..