This is the one we're most excited about sharing with you (or maybe it was Antarctica, who knows:)! It was our first time in French Polynesia and we absolutely hope not our last time. Having been to places like the Maldives, Zanzibar, Seychelles and Mauritius we would consider ourselves seasoned honeymoon destination travellers. Although we had luxury resort experiences in the Maldives and Seychelles vs. budget friendly options in French Polynesia, it still was one of our favourite islands we've ever visited. Do you want to know why? Keep reading to get to the good stuff.
Things we were wondering about before going:
Do they speak French?
Is French Polynesia and Tahiti the same thing?
We are only going to Tahiti and Moorea, should we be visiting more islands (e.g. Bora Bora)?
Where are Tahitian pearls made and are they expensive?
Can you do French Polynesia on a (smaller) budget?
Is it going to be worth going without having the full resort experience?
Are we going to book group tour experiences or plan everything ourselves?
Is it overrated?
Good to know:
Tahiti is the largest in a group of islands that make up French Polynesia. It is the most populous one, having an estimated 69% of the total population. French Polynesia has 118 islands, and since we really enjoyed our trip we will be back to explore more of them in the future!
Official language: French, we found that we could travel easily with English even though they're not all very comfortable speaking it. Google translate helps!
Currency: Central Pacific Franc (XPF)
Take mosquito spray with you and cover yourself in it, French Polynesia has a lot of mosquitos!
Most of the beaches in Moorea have lots of washed up coral on them, so if you have sensitive feet bring flip flops or water shoes with you.
How to get to French Polynesia
Being from Europe, tickets to French Polynesia are expensive. They are easily 2000 EUR per person for a return ticket. You'll also need to transfer, typically in the US which makes it a minimum of 40 hours of travelling.
All international flights will land in Papeete (Tahiti). Direct flights to Papeete leave from Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle so you could always consider to do a stopover for a couple of days in one of those cities. It will make flying out there a much more pleasant experience and gives you the chance to explore one of those cities if you haven't been before. Read more about our 3 day stopover in LA in this blogpost. As we are on a sabbatical making our way across the globe, we only needed one way tickets from LA and at the time we booked, they were 350 EUR per person. We know you may be thinking, wow that's still a lot of money - let's keep in mind it's still a 9 hour flight! Low season is considered to be between November and April but we saw a considerable increase in flight ticket prices already between March and April so decided to fly end of March.
We loved flying with Air France because they served champagne on the flight which just gives you that touch of luxury just before you get to French Polynesia aka paradise.
Day 1 - 5: Moorea
Moorea is considered to be Tahiti's little sister. It's only 10 nautical miles (18.5km) away which makes it one of the most easily accessible islands after Tahiti. The shape of Moorea reminds us of a heart or a bat, we will let you decide which one you prefer.
Why did we choose Moorea? One of the main geographical features that stood out to us was that it's home to 8 peaks which make for a striking and rugged landscape. We just knew we had to go for a hike one day to get a better view of the turquoise blue lagoons.
There are two options to get to Moorea:
By ferry (3o mins)
Tickets are 20 EUR return per person and by far the cheapest option to get to Moorea. There are two ferry companies that go between Papeete and Moorea: Terevau and Aremiti. We went with Terevau as it was the next to depart as soon as we arrived to the harbour. There probably won't be a huge difference between the two companies so just pick the one with the more convenient timetable for your travels. The ferry was clean, had an indoor A/C seating area and outdoor area standing area for the best views.
By plane (15 mins)
When we checked this option, tickets were going for about 100 EUR return and 70 EUR one way per person. Air Tahiti operates all the inter-island flights and also offer a multi-islands pass which may be worth looking into if you're planning to take more flights to any of the other islands.
Considering the time it takes to check in luggage, go through security, and the considerable price difference the ferry was the best option for us.
Top sites to visit:
Coco Beach
Three Pines Lookout (Col des Trois Pinus)
Magic Mountain Overlook
Public Beach Ta'ahiamanu
Public Beach Tema'e & Toatea Lookout
Rotui Juice Factory & Distillery
Skip:
Afareaitu Waterfall (two reasons we didn't like it, 1: it's a tiny waterfall unless it has just rained, 2: you need to pay a guy to park on his property who will claim it's a big waterfall. For us, it was a waste of time)
Belvedere Lookout (best to combine it with a hike, not to go just on its own)
Jardin de corail du motu Ahi (except if you didn't manage to go to Coco Beach, out of the two Coco Beach is 100% better)
How to get around:
Scooter (on Moorea we arranged a rental for 40 EUR/day, the alternative is HelloScoot which is fully electric and works via an app. HelloScoot can provide you with a simcard for a small fee and is 40 EUR/day. We used this option on Papeete)
Car (you can arrange your rental car from Papeete and take it on the ferry if there aren't any good options on Moorea)
Taxi (very expensive, the starting fare is 1500 XPF or 12.50 EUR. The good thing is they all work with taxi metres)
We do not recommend walking in Moorea from one place to another, within the villages is fine but between the villages there is pretty much only a ring road. Cycling could also be an option but we would recommend e-bikes as it can get quite hilly. Another consideration to make is that e-bike rental will not be cheaper than scooter rental.
Where to stay:
Haere Mai Te Fare - This a great location that won't break the budget compared to other places in Moorea. It's close to the ferry so it's also still an affordable taxi ride away. The place was the perfect jungle hideaway and the hosts were very accommodating and kind. They gave us a complimentary ride back to the ferry on the day we left. An affordable alternative is to book an Air BnB but make sure to book at least 6 months in advance and check that it has A/C as it gets very hot on the island.
The best way to experience Moorea is to embrace the laid back lifestyle on the island and not to rush to see absolutely everything. We also revisited a few places at sunrise and sunset so instead of sharing a day by day breakdown we will share our review of our top sites to visit and a suggested itinerary to make sure you have one activity a day and the rest of the time it's enjoying good food and relaxing (under the A/C of your room or by the beach).
Day 1: Exploring the island by scooter
The first day we drove along the entire island ring road which is about 60km. We stopped off along the side of the road to take in the beautiful Jurassic Park like scenery. Seriously, just play the theme song while you're sitting on one of the benches and you will know exactly what we mean! There are shops and cafes dotted along the road so you'll have enough breaks to either browse or have a snack. The locals typically greet everyone along the way, so we are here to help.
Some useful words in Tahitian:
Hello is Ia Orana (pronounced: yo-rah-nah, the first letter is an i).
Welcome is Maeva (pronounced: mah-yeh-vah)
Thank you is Maururu (pronounced: mah-roo-roo)
Good bye is Nana (pronounced: nah-nah)
These were the most common words we would hear and it took us a while to be able to respond back as we didn't know what they were saying. The language sounds like a beautiful song and the pronunciations are so cute!
At sunset, just make sure you're outside. Whether that's on the beach or on your way to dinner. Wherever you are you will see the colours of the skies dancing at sunset and it's gorgeous.
Day 2: Magic Mountain Overlook & Rotui Juice Factory Distillery
Remember those 8 peaks we mentioned before? What makes Moorea so fun to explore is that you have a lot of hikes you can choose from to take in some breathtaking views of the island. We suggest to start with Magic Mountain as it will ease you into hiking in tropical weather. It's a 20-25 minute walk uphill, there is a fork up the road where you can choose to take the less steep but slightly longer route or the steep and faster route. Both will get you to the lookout point. At the start of the hike the path is shaded by trees, the last 5 minutes of the hike is completely exposed and that's where you will start seeing a view of Moorea.
The trail is on a private road and the shop/bar at the bottom opens at 8:00 and they charge 200 XPF (1.70 EUR) per person for entry and parking. After the hike you can make use of a clean bathroom and they will serve some local jams to try out (included in the entrance fee). Start early, not only to beat the heat but later in the morning the quad tours will start coming in and some people go up by guided tour car. You will share the road you're hiking up with these vehicles.
What to bring:
Water
Sunscreen
A hat
Light clothing (it will get soaked through, so you'll want it to dry fast)
Trainers (hiking shoes are not required, you could walk up in flip flops but it won't be comfortable as it gets pretty steep)
After Magic Mountain, head over to the Rotui Juice Factory & Distillery. It is a local brand that produces juices, sparkling pineapple wine and spirits. There is access to their factory where you can do a self-guided tour and afterwards head to their shop for a free juice and spirit tasting. We got hooked on their Tahitian fruit punch and painapo juice made from their fragrant queen Tahiti pineapples. They also let us try a ginger liquor and coconut liquor (similar to Malibu). Side note: we have had the best pineapples of our lives in French Polynesia. They're a lot smaller and sweeter than back home and the core is soft and edible.
Day 3: Sunrise at Tema'e & Coco Beach
Sunrise on Moorea is so worth waking up for. We packed up breakfast and decided to first check out sunrise at Toatea lookout which is right above the public beach Tema'e. It's great to see the locals also soaking up the first rays of sunshine at the lookout point just before they head off to work. Then we headed down to the beach to have a morning picnic and the sky turned into stunning pastel colours which were reflected by the ocean, one of the most breathtaking sunrises we've seen in our life.
The absolute highlight of Moorea was spending the day at Coco beach. A trip to Moorea would not be complete without a visit to this place. Coco beach is a restaurant on the motu (island) Tiahura, which is surrounded by crystal clear water and is surrounded by coral gardens. The area is also frequented by black tip reef sharks and very curious stingrays.
How to get there & good to know:
Make a reservation in advance online (reservations are necessary, showing up on the day will likely mean you will be turned away)
It will ask you to book a time slot for the shuttle boat which is 500 XPF per person return (approx. 4 EUR).
Upon arrival, you will be brought to a table and it is yours until closing (14:00). You can leave whenever you want. We can recommend going as early as possible (10:00), so you can enjoy maximum snorkelling time.
Bring your snorkelling kit, underwater camera (GoPro) and lots of sunscreen (we still got sunburnt)
The only price you pay is the boat trip over and having lunch there. Our bill including the boat transfer was 57 EUR for two people and we basically got a half day on a private island with delicious food.
TIP: mention in your booking you want a table by the water and they'll put you right on the beach. You can thank us later!
There are day excursions in the surrounding area as people want to see reef sharks and sting rays. Booking Coco beach is way better and probably cheaper! We have done a lot of snorkelling excursions and this experience rates in the top 3 even though this isn't really a true snorkelling excursion.
On the way to Coco beach we passed a number of boats stopping at a place called Banc de sable Raies et requins which is a shallow seabed where stingrays and reef sharks often show up. Most likely because they get fed here and it doesn't look like a nice experience. Firstly, lots of boats surrounding that area isn't great for the widlife and secondly, it is far from a private experience when you're snorkelling with multiple groups all wanting to get close to the same stingrays and reef sharks.
Day 4: Three Pines Lookout
If you love hiking, you're in for a treat in Moorea! If you check the All Trails app there are so many hiking trails to choose from (including pictures). We decided on the Three Pines Lookout as it was 6.3 km and elevation gain of 284 m. To get to the parking lot of this trail, you follow the signs to Belvedere Lookout until you reach a fork in the road where you will have a sign pointing to the Route des Ananas. From there you will follow the road until you see a parking lot just outside the Tiki Parc Moorea.
What to expect:
Difficulty level: intermediate
Duration: 2-3 hours (with breaks)
Hot & humid weather
Walking through a lush forest with lots of slippery tree roots
Well-marked trails but there are two route options so whichever you choose, take the other one on the way back so you don't miss out on some awesome scenery and archeological sites. These include remains of marae (temples) which were used for worship and rituals, and stone carvings.
A rope swing to enjoy the view at the top
What to bring & good to know:
Water & snacks
Sunscreen
Trainers or hiking boots
Mosquito spray (mosquitos stung right through Qiao-An's leggings)
Light layers (it is humid and it might rain)
Day 5: Beach please
So far, we have highlighted quite some activities to do in Moorea but of course you can also relax at the beach. We don't judge! As mentioned in day 3, public beach Tema'e is a good option. If like us, you don't enjoy sitting still too long we can recommend public beach Ta'ahiamanu where they have a small outdoor gym and great snorkelling for free. Oleg even spotted a turtle!
There are lots of spots around the island where you can sit and enjoy the lagoons so you could also hop on the scooter and just stop off wherever you like the view. Be aware that a lot of areas are fenced off because they're private property.
For the foodies:
If we haven't managed to convince you already that you can definitely do Moorea on a budget, we hope to convince you with the food options.
There are some good supermarket options like Champion and Super U. We grabbed yoghurt, croissants (perhaps one of the good things the French gave them), and for lunch one day we had a tuna carpaccio with capers and pink peppercorns. No need to buy bottled water because we found lots of water fountains dotted around the island where locals fill up water bottles and we decided to do the same!
Note: check the opening times whenever you go somewhere, and always have a plan B. We have found that the opening times are to be considered with a sprinkle of island timing. On a few occasions we found that they opened later or were completely closed for the day. It was particularly challenging to find places that were open on Monday's and Tuesday's.
Breakfast/coffee
We didn't have coffee a lot in Moorea, it just wasn't that great.
Iaorana Smoothies (we really liked their breakfast bowls and smoothies)
Moz Cafe (the only place we could actually sit inside with A/C, most places on the island are outdoors and don't have A/C. They also have free wi-fi and serve local and international breakfast options)
Lunch/snacks
Banh-Mi & Co by Mozzie (huge banh mi's, Vietnamese style burritos and shaved ice. We loved their chicken banh mi and if you decide to eat it on the spot, you can cross the road and sit right by the beach with a beautiful view).
Moorea Grill (a beautiful outdoor restaurant by the water. Try their Tahitian poisson cru which is coconut milk marinated raw fish, it is amazing. If that's not your thing, they also serve grilled meat, fish and burgers.)
Coco beach (see day 3, we ordered their chicken skewer and tuna sashimi and they were both delicious. Tahitians always serve sauces with grilled meat, fish and sashimi. Sashimi comes with a delicious soy based dipping sauce and for the grilled meats and fish may we suggest you cheese the roquefort sauce. You won't regret it!)
Les Sorbets De Moorea (for the best ice cream on the island!)
Dinner
Kaylakea Moz Food by chef Tunui Haring (a no frills outdoor restaurant serving local delights such as Tahitian style poisson cru, carpaccio, sashimi as well as burgers, grilled meats & fish and their infamous gratinated mussels. Their main dishes come with a choice of two sides which are very generous portions. We came right at opening time to avoid having to wait for a table. It is a very popular place!)
Manuia Grill (outdoor seating as well as covered seating with fan. They serve great beef skewers and poisson cru.)
Vaiare Pizza (one of the few places opened on Tuesday, we decided to give this place close to the ferry terminal a try. It did not disappoint! The portions were generous so we shared a pizza and salad which hit the spot)
Day 6-8: Papeete
Papeete is the capital of French Polynesia and located on the main island Tahiti. We found out after listening to other travellers and doing our own research that it is quite underrated and were curious to explore what the island had to offer.
Papeete has the hustle and bustle of a big city and when walking around the streets, you can easily forget you're on an island. There is good infrastructure and there are apartment buildings which we didn't see in Moorea.
A little off topic but we also wanted to mention that it is home to one of the most remote Crossfit gyms we've ever been to. Crossfit POP (pearl of pacific), just reach out to them via social media to secure a spot as they have group maximums.
Top sites to visit:
Papeete Market & Mihiarii Pearls
Tahiti Pearl Market
Plage de la Pointe Venus
Fa'aruma'i Waterfalls
Arahoho Blowhole
Plage Vaiava
To get around Tahiti, you can use the same modes of transport detailed in the "how to get around" section under Moorea. We used HelloScoot on Tahiti because we've used e-scooters before in The Netherlands. The difference here is that when you run out of battery, you can go to specific HelloScoot battery swap points where they'll give you fully charged batteries. No waiting time, and it's easy peasy!
8 important things to know about renting a HelloScoot:
They have an app through which you can find their scooters, battery swap points, day packages and sites to visit.
Wifi connection or mobile data is required to pick up a scooter. To lock the scooter you only need bluetooth connection (e.g. when you stop somewhere but want to use the same scooter). Technically you can get away with just having access to a wifi network when picking up the scooter and dropping it off.
There is an hourly rate but if you exceed a certain amount of hours, it will automatically switch to the day rate as it's cheaper beyond a certain amount of time. The day rate is 4990 XPF (40 EUR).
If you go into a Helloscoot office, they can offer a sim card for 1000 XPF (8 EUR).
We had to return the scooter back at the exact same location where we picked it up from
The scooter is 50cc and it struggles going uphill with two people.
When navigating your way around the island, make sure you don't go on the highways. The scooter only goes up to 50km/h.
The scooter has a charging port and phone holder.
Where to stay:
Tehautahi Cozy Lodge - It is a brand new looking apartment in a safe and centrally located apartment complex. It comes with a parking spot in the parking garage. The place has a fully equipped kitchen, washing machine, balcony, good selection of toiletries and a fridge with complimentary cold drinks (talk about Tahitian hospitality!). This place is a great option if you're looking for budget friendly options and allows you to cook your own meals and do your own laundry. It was hands down one of the stays that made us feel most at home. We bumped into our host in the local supermarket and he gave us some tips, so be sure to ask him what to do around Papeete.
Day 6: Pearls of wisdom
If you're remotely interested in pearls, it is worth going to some pearl shops to learn more about Tahitian pearls. The best place to do this, is at the shop called Tahiti Pearl Market. They have a ground floor shop as well as a first floor shop. Go to the shop on the first floor, this is where they sell loose pearls and the staff are happy to tell you more about them (even if you don't plan on buying anything).
Mihiarii pearls also sells loose pearls, and it's where more of the locals shop. They give you less information about the pearls and what to look for but it's definitely more budget friendly if you're planning to buy a string of pearls rather than a simple pendant or earrings.
Good to know:
The most important factors in determining the prices of Tahitian pearls are size, shape, surface quality and lustre (shine). The price will typically halve when you go down one grade in surface quality.
Round shapes are typically the most expensive pearls but this is in combination with surface quality (no blemishes).
Tahitian pearls are often called black pearls, the pearls however are not black. This refers to the oysters in which they are cultured which are black lip pearl oysters. They come in a wide range of colours such as aubergine, grey, blue, and the most sought after "peacock colour". The peacock colour is reminiscent of an oil slick.
Colour is not a determining factor in price! It's totally up to the buyer to decide which one they prefer.
Most pearl shops are closed from Saturday noon onwards and reopen Monday.
Check whether the shop offers duty free over a certain price. There is a process you need to follow at the airport but it's easy and the shop will explain it to you.
Pearl shops that sell loose pearls will typically have an in-house jeweller who can make your piece of jewellery on the spot but it's possible that they aren't able to do it on the day so try to plan some extra time for your visit if you plan to buy a beautiful souvenir to take back home.
Day 7: Exploring the Northern side of the island
In the afternoon, we decided to go to Fa'aruma'i Waterfalls. There are 3 waterfalls, the biggest one is an easy walk down a paved path about 5 minutes from the parking lot. The other two are reached after a 10 minute hike. The biggest one is definitely the prettiest one so if you don't feel very adventurous you could skip the other two.
When heading back out to the main road, there is another site we visited called Arahoho Blowhole. There is a black sand beach there too where a lot of locals go surfing. The blowhole (also known as a marine geyser) is quite a site to see and hear if you've never seen one before.
Plage de la Pointe Venus is a large beach where we noticed a lot of locals gathered around golden hour. Make sure to bring a beach towel with you so you can relax at this beautiful black sand beach. The location has a number of historical monuments and a lighthouse. The drive back to Papeete at sunset was absolutely stunning along the coastal road!
Day 8: Exploring the Western side of the island
There are a large number of beaches on Tahiti which are better suited for surfers but there are also plenty where you can relax. In day 7 we already outlined Plage de La Pointe Venus. Another beach which is great for relaxing as well as snorkelling is Plage Vaiava. There are coral reefs in this area so you can see lots of fish and there are no big waves so it's perfect for swimming. This beach also has open showers where you can rinse off the sand afterwards.
After this you can head over to La Plage de Maui for a coffee or lunch (reservations advised!).
For the foodies:
We were surprised about this but restaurants on Moorea were cheaper than on Tahiti. Since we were staying in an apartment we made our own breakfast, lunch and dinner for cost purposes as well as just enjoying cooking the fresh produce ourselves.
Breakfast/coffee
Tahiti smoothies (you guessed it, they do great smoothies!)
La Plage de Maui
Lunch/snacks
Poke Bar Tahiti (for amazing poke bowls and wraps)
Dinner
Wonderland (this place is an absolute gem in Papeete. It's a bar that has lots of board games and serves food and drinks. It gets lively in the evening with various people singing Karaoke outside.)
So what about the other islands in French Polynesia?
Still on our bucket list:
Marquesas Islands (located 1500km northeast of Tahiti and spread over 12 islands, it is remote and can be reached by plane or ship.)
Visiting a pearl farm in the Tuamotu-Gambier Islands
Bora Bora (for a future anniversary so we can try the resort experience)
Can you do French Polynesia on a budget?
Accommodation: 100 EUR for two people/day
Lunch: 20 EUR for two people/day
Dinner: 30 EUR for two people/day (this is more expensive in Papeete, more like 40-50 EUR)
Scooter rental: 40 EUR/day
This makes it just under 100 EUR a day per person which is by no means cheap but more affordable than we thought. It is not a backpacker's budget but we also didn't explore whether there are hostels/dorms available. We didn't feel like we missed out on anything not booking anything via tour operators or not staying at a resort. French Polynesia has so much to offer that is for free, that you could easily just go with the flow. With the exception of accommodation and flight tickets, these have to be booked in advance.
This also gives you an idea of what the cost of living must be like for the locals. It is not a cheap place to live in!
Conclusion: was it worth it?
YES! We would go back in a heartbeat. Even though we both don't speak French, the locals will try to make conversation with you. The lifestyle is laid back, the food was amazing and we loved the combination of mountains and blue lagoons. Fruit tastes out of this world and maybe its remoteness has helped keep it so pristine and untouched. There are almost no Google reviews that make it over 50 reviews. It is a tourist destination but on Moorea and Tahiti it feels like it's just as much for the locals and those are the kind of places we enjoy the most.
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