Since the age of explorers Wallis, Bougainville, and Cook, legendary Tahiti has tickled imaginations worldwide. More recently, Tahiti became the most famous Polynesian island of all when Clark Gable (1935), Marlon Brando (1962), and Mel Gibson (1984) played the role of Fletcher Christian in three blockbuster Mutiny on the Bounty films. Even the horrendous French nuclear testing program from 1966-1996 did little to dampen this image.
For the modern traveler, there’s no getting around the fact that French Polynesia is expensive. Bora Bora is easily the most upscale tourist destination in the South Pacific with 17 resorts charging over US$250 double a night without meals. Yet it’s also true that you can greatly reduce your costs if you book your top end hotel rooms as part of a package tour. Another option is to stay in small locally-operated pensions. Bora Bora has seven hostels and pensions in the US$50-100 range and Moorea has 11. On Moorea you can also camp.
Most visitors get around the islands by air, and Air Tahiti operates efficient services to 46 islands and atolls in French Polynesia. Here again, you can save money by purchasing one of Air Tahiti’s 28-day air passes. A Society Islands air pass will cost around US$400, or US$550 if you add on the Tuamotu Islands. The only interisland boat trip which is easy to do is Tahiti to Moorea which operates every two hours and costs US$10. Passenger-carrying cargo boats do ply from Tahiti to Bora Bora several times a week, but they’re basic and the overnight trip can be rough. If you want to experience the boat trip one way, you’re better off flying from Tahiti to Bora Bora and then returning to Tahiti by boat. I explain why in my guidebook, Moon Tahiti.
Car rentals in French Polynesia average US$100 a day – expensive! Options include renting a bicycle instead of a car (on Moorea and Bora Bora) or traveling by le truck or public bus (on Tahiti). Four-wheel-drive safari tours are offered on all the main islands and these are also cheaper than renting a car. On Moorea, Huahine, Raiatea, and Bora Bora, there are sightseeing tours by outrigger canoe.
When to go? May to October is the cooler, less humid time, although prolonged rainfall is possible yearround. An optimum time to be there is for the Heiva festival on Tahiti, Huahine, and Bora Bora in early July. Whatever, don’t miss attending at least one Island Night at a fancy resort for the wild tamure dancing and drumming. These happen several times a week. You can often avoid the high cost of the buffet by settling for a drink at the bar.
One thing you won’t encounter in French Polynesia – unless you spend most of your time at a large resort – is a tourist glut. French Polynesia gets only 200,000 tourists a year compared to the six million who visit Hawaii. Geographically, Tahiti is actually east of Hawaii, and the flight from Los Angeles to Tahiti takes only 7.5 hours, just 2.5 hours more than it takes to fly to Hawaii. My most memorable experience in French Polynesia? The cruise to the Marquesas Islands on the Aranui, something I hope to do again very soon.
Marquesas Islands French Polynesia
In this modern era, where the day to day life is hectic and busy with heavy work loads, the life of couples is really miserable. In other words, due to heavy work load and busy day to day schedules, most of the couples have to face many family problems. Sometimes, they even don't get time to share their problems or joys.
It is therefore necessary that couples must find some time to rekindle their love, affection and intimacy between them. In a snap shot, a refreshing break is highly vital for the couples to recoup from the tensions and problems caused due to hectic daily chores. A beautiful and romantic vacation once in a while, say, at least once in 6 months or even once in a year can make a real difference in one's family life. A romantic vacation will not only provide couples to spend some lovely moments in real privacy but also enables them to bring closer and understand each other.
When thinking about a romantic vacation, you will be having many choices in front of you. However, it may be quite difficult to choose the best option from these umpteen choices. First of all, you must have a clear idea on how you are going to spend your vacations, activities you would like to enjoy during the vacation, and above all how to make your vacation more romantic. Since romantic vacations are taken only once in a while, plan it wisely, thereby making the vacation relaxing as well as enjoyable. Hence, as a first step, you are required to devise an effective plan considering each of the family member's tastes and preferences on spending the vacation.
Every one has their own specific ideas on how to spend their vacation. Considering these ideas will not cause any loss to you, but only you will be gained with a lovely vacation. The vacation would be enjoyable to couples if only the place or the vacation spot decided is of the choice of the couple. Some couples would prefer to enjoy such a vacation inclusive of many outdoor activities such as adventurous journey, sightseeing, and enjoying water sports activities, while some would like to spend their vacation in a tranquil beach resort with romantic backdrop.
Whether of any taste or personal interest, the couples, in general, would like to have absolute privacy during their vacation. In other words, couples of all preferences and choices give prime importance to privacy, since the main idea behind spending vacations is to spend some time together and to be free from bustles and hassles of daily life.
All of resorts in French Polynesia are designed in such a way that they not only offer romantic atmosphere but also ensure maximum privacy. Resorts also boast of private beaches and some romantic cave like spots, all of which allow couples to share their love and pamper each other. Further, candlelit dinners and organize night parties in order to add to a festive mood to the romantic atmosphere, which in turn enables them to rejuvenate their love. In short, during your stay at resorts, impressive steps to make each and every moment of the couples remarkable, which in turn would be memorable throughout your life.
As almost resorts including beach resorts provide a romantic atmosphere coupled with maximum privacy, honeymooners also prefer resorts. The main reason why the honeymooners and couples prefer resorts is that they enable them to hassles involved in searching and finding a location or accommodation.
Hotels and beach resorts are beautiful and romantic, and each of them provides opportunities to enjoy a variety of recreational activities such as cruise sailing, swimming, yachting, and snorkeling, and scuba diving. All you have to do is to decide in which kind of resort you would like to stay.
Both David Stanley & Wolfgang Jaegel are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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