Trip Report.....French Polynesia

Just came back from a months trip to some of the Society Islands of French Polynesia. Traveled on a tight budget of about $67 US a day. Paid about US$30 a night for dorm rooms. Thought some shared info might be helpful to any others visiting there soon. I ate a lot of French bread!

Tahiti:
Stayed at Te Amo guesthouse....a few blocks inland from the central Market and buses.Ph.42 47 26. Owner Kay helpful. Dorms basic but where OK. Liked having a bathroom for each dorm and a fridge in the room. A grocery store nearby. Lots of cheap eats and fruit at market. Town really shuts down at 5pm and on Saturday afternoons and Sundays....except for a fabulous market early Sun morning. Found it easy to explore around the island by public bus.

Bora Bora:
A very quiet island with small village lifestyle. Most of the tourists stay out in their over water bungelows on the reef islets. No public transport. Stayed at Stelios Pension.....at dorm rate. He will pick you up and give you rides to Matira Pt beach. Ph. 31 24 94. Food store near by. Ask to be able to go for a hike up the track behind his house to the top of the hill....fabulous view and note the marae about 100 meters up the track.

Raiatea:
Loved this island. Uturoa a lovely little town. Able to go the back of the island and to Taputapuatea Marae on public bus/le truck.....but only one bus each morning. Stayed in the dormitory at Pension Te Pua. They also have rooms and a few bungelows. 30 min walk to town or they have some old bikes. Have a small pool. Ph. 66 30 00. Grocery store near by.

Taha'a:

No public transport so I saw this island on a day tour from Raiatea. I can recommend Edwins tour.

Ph 65 62 18
It included a boat trip right around the island of Tahaa in the lagoon, some snorkeling,visit a pearl farm and a vanilla farm, and excellent fish lunch and 4x4 drive over a mountain road. Well worth the 7000fr.

Mo'orea:
Stayed in a dorm cabin with 2 beds at Chez Nelson camping. Basic but nice. Ph 56 15 18. The buses that meet the ferry will take you there. Nice white sand beach in front of camp with good snorkeling. Fabulous sunsets. Stores near by.

Great report for budget travelers! FP can be done on a budget with good planning. We packed a jar of peanut butter - sure went well with the great French bread.

I might add that my budget includes travel within the Society islands but excludes my ticket to Tahiti from home. I went to and fro from Moorea on the ferry. I took the cargo boat Hawaiki Nui up to Bora Bora from Tahiti. Had to talk hard to get on as there is only room on the deck for about a dozen people to sleep and they are trying to keep if for the locals. However my last week there there was a new boat starting up ....an Aramiti boat that usually goes to Moorea was starting a few trips a week to Huahine and Raiatea so this is good news. I took the Maupiti Express ferry boat from Bora Bora to Raiatea. It did not go on holidays. I flew back from Raiatea to Tahiti.