tikehau? Fakarava? Rangiroa? Maupiti?

Hi,

that's a call for suggestions:
what islands would you visit with the Bora Bora-Tuamotus airpass?
We'll be in FP from the 6th to the 24th July.

I'm reading everything I can to decide what islands to visit.
Bora Bora is the only sure thing.
I'm afraid my research takes too long and when I finally make that call to Air Tahiti, the
flights are all booked solid.

Therefore, if you can help me to decide, I'll be most grateful.
Thank you very much in advance.

I have been to Papeete, Bora Bora, Moorea and Huahine. I found Bora Bora and Huahine to be extremely
quiet. It rained the whole time I was on Bora Bora, from morning till 5 p.m. There was nothing to do, unless
you like swimming in the rain!!! Huahine is very beautiful, but the I found it too quiet. I also felt the accomodations there were second rate. Perhaps, if you are
travelling with someone, it would be better. Moorea is much livelier and Papeete is too.

I've been to French Polynesia for a July/August vacation (8 weeks, but I've also been to Fiji and Vanuatu in this period).

The positive: color of water, weather, beauty of the places, visibility in the water.

The negative: cold water (needed a shorty all the time), very mean dogs. To the point I stopped hiking, after being attacked several times. The locals don't help (I mean the masters of the dogs). It is truly horrible. I've never seen worse. Prices: it is the most expensive place in the world.

We slept in rooms without private bathroom (we're a couple) and we made our own food (kitchens in all small guesthouses). Total expenses: under 6000 euros for 8 weeks (FP, Fiji, Vanuatu), including all airtickets/passes, dives, boat rentals, fees, etc.

I've been to Bora-Bora (must see!) and was lucky with the weather. There I kayaked, snorkeled and rent a boat for two to go all around the island. Wonderful. Bora-Bora has turquoise waters to die for. I'm going back this year.

Huahine: very nice. I just walked around and went to the beach. Enjoyable. But I won't go back there.

Rangiroa: lots of diving. Diving was nice, but disappointing. I expected more sharks. I did see sharks, but not like the tens I was expecting. Besides the sharks, the rest was not fantastic. Ah, there were dolphins, too, but not a lot (2).

Fakarava: lots of diving. I've seen sharks, but, again, not a lot, and schools of fish. Nice, great, but I've seen better.

Other places I've been diving which were better: Philippines (around Cebu and Negros), Malaysia (Sipadan, in Borneo). Egypt kind of matched it. I've been diving in other countries, but I'm only citing the best ones.

Oh, I forgot to say I've been to Moorea, too. Very nice diving. And, snorkeling, I've seen school of eagle rays. Nice. The island is beautiful.

Hi
I've been to Tahiti, Moorea, Huahine, Raiatea, Tahaa, Maupiti, Bora Bora, Tikehau, Rangiroa, Mataiva, Fakarava, Nuku Hiva, Hiva Oa and Tahuata
The whole country of Fr. Polynesia is magic and you can not compare it to other places. Well, at least, you can, but everything seems to come out more ugly.

I think Maupiti is a good one to visit. It is much more authentic then Bora Bora and much smaller, cleaner, less touristy and the lagooncolours are still amazing. But for me Fakarava was absolutely outstanding. If you like to be marooned on a desolate tropical island paradise and feel totaly isolated from the rest of the world, go there. Especially to Tetamanu. I have never seen something like that.
The Marquesas are even more extreme, but they are way more dramatic and ghostly than the islands you have named. I have seen a lot from the world and Fr. Polynesia is entering the doors of heaven.

But of course not everything is paradise. The dogs are REALLY mean. You can not walk along houses without being attacked. The locals where laughing about it, but there is nothing to laugh if they bite you. At the remote Fakarava I had been followed by three running dogs while I was on the bike. Scary...
And be aware when you are swimming alone. The currents are really, really strong.
If you know these things, I think you will be ok.

you seem to have been to a lot of islands. i am wanting peace and quiet, to be away from people, and camping with my own tent. is this kind of thing welcome on these islands? on huahine? i have heard many islands run by the indigenous peoples discourage camping - that you have to take cabins. i've been camping 3 times for 2 months at a clip in new zealand, eating light and just hiking in forest and swimming. can you tell me anything about camping in polynesia? i am NOT into hotels and touristy places or activities and have a limited budget - i want to spend my money on getting there, not fancy accommodations. prefer simple food - fruits, but bars, water, cereal, carry-able stuff. any tips of hints on where to go, how to integrate with local people and how to live simple and safe on these islands would be greatly appreciated.

tapurangi

whatever you find out please let me know. im going December for a month. only time off unfortunately . taking my tent and going. Thanks

Vijar,
You must have been very unlucky when you dived Fakarava and Rangiroa.
I have seen hundreds of sharks on every dive and it easily beats, sipidan and the Philippines, in fact I think the diving here is comparable to diving wolf and darwin in the Galapagos, it really is that good.