Après avoir du repousser notre voyage, nous partons enfin à Hawai et ce en Juin/Juillet 2012 !
Pour l'instant, nous avons uniquement acheter nos billets d'avion pour les vols internationaux : nous arrivons à Kona (big Island) et repartons de Lihue (Kauai) .
Nous attendons d'être surs de notre itinéraire avant de réserver les vols intérieur , les hôtels et la voiture.
Nous pensons faire que 3 iles.
Nous aimerions vous soumettre notre planning afin de recueillir vos impressions.
BIG ISLAND (3 nuit à Kona et 3 nuits à Hilo)
J1 : arrivée à 18h42
récupération voiture et installation hôtel : King Kamehameha's ? ou autre pour 3 nuits
J2 : Départ pour le sud : Ho'okena beach, south point (green sand beach), pu'uhonua o honaunau historical park, painted church. (Nuit à King Kamehameha's)
J3 : Mahai'ula Beach, Makalawena Beach, White and Sand beach et Kahalu'u Beach Park (Nuit à King Kamehameha's)
J4 : Départ pour rejoindre Hilo par le Nord : Kiholo Bay, Hapuna beach, Wapio Valley, Akaka Falls, (et installation Hilo seaside hotel ou autre pour 3 nuits)
J5 : Rainbow falls, et Mauna Kea (nuit Hilo seaside hotel)
J6 : le Parc des Volcans (et excursion lava boat si coulées de lave) (nuit Hilo seaside hôtel)
J7 : Départ pour Honolulu 09h40-10h27
OAHU (5 nuits à Honolulu) nuits au Aston Waikiki Beach hôtel ?
J7 : visite de Honolulu : centre ville (Iolani palace...), ala monaa center, aloha tower (pour point de vue)
J8 : Byodo' in Temple le matin
Après midi : remonter à pieds Kahanamoku beach, Fort de Russy beach, gray's Beach, Central Waikiki, Kuhio Beach, Kapiolani Park and Beach. (éventuellement cours de surf)
J9 : Hanauma Bay, Sandy beach, Makapu'u point et Makapu'u Beach, Waimanalo Beach
J10 : Haleiwa, waimea Bay beach Park (cage requins pour mon mari), Sunset Beach, Turtle Bay, Polynesian Cultural center
J11 : Diamond Head, Pali lookout, Lanikai Beach, Kailua Beach, Kualoa Regional Park
J12 : Départ le matin pour Kauai (37 min de vol)
KAUAI (2 nuits à Princeville et 2 nuits à Kapaa)
J12 : Wailua Falls, Lydgate park et installation dans un condo au "Castle at Princeville" (car les hôtels au nord ne sont dispo que pour 3 nuits au minimum)
J13 : Kalalau trail sur les 3 premiers km jusqu' à la vallée de Hanakapi'ai , Kee beach, et Hanalei (nuit à Hanalei au condo)
J14 : Secret Beach, Kilauea lighthouse, Opaekaa's falls (nuit Aston Islander on the beach)
J15 : Waimea Canyon, kokee park, Hanapepe (nuit Aston Islander on the beach)
J16 : Poipu beach, spouting horn , tour de l'ile en avion ou hélico?
Départ de Lihue à 20h55 pour la France
Voilà nos intentions, nous avons volontairement zappé Pearl Harbor et Dole Plantation.
Nous attendons toutes vos suggestions et/ ou critiques.
Nous aimons la nature, les plages et les villes/ magasins ( et donc l'ala monaa center de oahu)
personne ne veut me dire si mon itinéraire est cohérent et surtout s'il est réalisable (de par les distances).
Pas d'avis sur les hôtels non plus ? (en parlant d'hôtel, je me suis trompée, le condo sur kauai serait à Princeville pour les 2 nuits )
Pour les vols intérieurs (non réservés à ce jour) J'ai lu que lise denise attirait notre attention sur la compagnie Go airlines qui est en faillite.... Sur quelle compagnie faut il réserver alors, car il me semble avoir lu que hawaain airlines n'acceptait que les CB américaines? Est ce exact?
C'est un bel itinéraire si tu comptes courir sans " visiter",
Big island , il ne faut pas oublier que c'est la plus grande île !
Moi, 3 ans passées, j'ai visité Ohau et Maui en 14 jours, et c'était presqu'assez ! J'ai eu le temps pour une ou deux journées de farniente et il m'a resté 1/2 journée juste avant d'embarquer dans l'avion pour ma leçon de surf
J'ai visiter la plantation Dôle superficiellement , pas de Pearl Harbor non plus !
compte entre 5 à 8 jours par îles ! Donc j'opterais personnellement pour Kaui et Big seulement, Ohau à part Kailua beach et haunauma bay c'est assez à mon goût, donc au pîre 3 jours / 4 nuits à Ohau !
Voyager, c'est rendre hommage à l'être humain, et surtout, au berceau qui le préserve.
Merci mistelle pour tes conseils, je vais voir où je peux alléger mon programme.
Puis je te demander où tu as pris ta leçon de surf ? si tu avais réservé à l'avance (sur internet)? Etait ce la première fois que tu surfais? tu recommandes ou pas ?
Pour les leçons de surf, l'idéal est de réserver " on the spot ", direct sur la beach ou tout près, parce que c'est là que les spéciaux se présentent. L'idéal est le forfait lève-tôt, en fin de journée, la veille, des affiches indiquent les supers tarifs des leçons de surf matinales, c'est-à-dire vers 7-8 hrs du matin. Des leçons sont disponibles à toutes heures, tu peux en faire tous les jours si tu veux, c'est très, très accessible. Je ne me souviens plus du prix, mais ça tourne autour de 60 $, plus bas 20 $, plus haut 80 $....
Je n'ai pas fait de surf sur Maui, c'est moins évident de trouver une place qui donne des leçons.
L'idéal est de louer une planche après 1 à 3 leçons et de se lancer à un endroit recommandé pour les débutants, c'est pas cher de cette façon, je ne me souviens plus du nom des loueurs, mais ce n'est pas difficile d'en trouver. On peut même louer à la journée ou à la semaine un masque, palmes et tuba pour un prix plus qu'honnête ( snorkel's Bob ) !
A+
Voyager, c'est rendre hommage à l'être humain, et surtout, au berceau qui le préserve.
C'est un excellent itinéraire! Franchement, je ne changerais rien, surtout si tu dis que tu aimes la ville et les magasins, les 5 jours à Oahu sont OK! C'est vrai que ça semble chargé, mais faut comprendre qu'il y a beaucoup d'activités qui se font très rapidement (Pali lookout, Fort de Russy, Aloha Tower).
Le Parc des Volcans ça prend au moins 2 jours si on veut bien le visiter mais cela dépend du degré de votre intérêt.
Pour les hôtels, ceux que tu nommes je ne les connais pas. Par contre, à Hilo vous pourriez aller séjourner dans ce bed & breakfast qui est excellent en rapport qualité/prix! Le seul hic c'est qu'il est difficile à trouver 😕 (caché dans une espèce de jungle). Mais on a adoré cet endroit! Les hôtes sont très accueillants!
Go! est en effet une entreprise à risque...mais les billets ne sont pas chers donc vous ne perdrez pas beaucoup d'argent si jamais il y a faillite.
"Aloha!Guide sur Hawaii.
Nouveau! Visitez notre blogue "Vivre au Mexique". Aventures et conseils sur la région de Riviera Maya
Merci beaucoup pour cette réponse détaillée nikky.
Cela me rassure de savoir que l'itineraire est réalisable . Il ne s agit que d'un carnet de route, qui une fois sur place, en fonction de la fatigue ou tout simplement de l envie, pourra être allégé ou modifié.
Je voulais tout simplement plancher dessus en amont pour réserver les hotels et pour ne pas perdre trop de temps sur place pour savoir où se trouvent les lieux que l on veut visiter ( les heures d ouverture, leur jour de fermeture ...).
Encore merci
Bonjour
Avez vous fait votre voyage à Hawaii ce début d'ete?
Pouvez vous me faire part de cette expérience?
Vous avez dit que vous arriviez et repartiez d Hawaii sur des aéroports autre qu'Honolulu, quels vols et tarifs avez vous trouvé?
Nous envisageons un voyage de 3 semaines pendant l'été pour faire les 4 îles principales!
Merci de votre réponse
Marie
Pas mal de vols atterrissent sur Big Island à Kona. Je pense que les tarifs sont les mêmes. L'idéal étant d'arriver d'un vol international sur une île et de repartir d'une autre, ça évite un trajet supplémentaire inter-îles. A savoir que l'aéroport international de Honolulu est très grand, contrairement à celui de Kona, tout petit.
Bonjour, je sais que sa fait longtemps que vous avez mis votre message mais j aurrais une chose a vous demander si votre mari a nager avec les requins c est mon reve j aimerais avoir des infos sur l endroit et comment ca c est passe et en finnissants votre itineraire est super je pars bientot a hawaii sa donne beaucoup d idee merci
je sais que votre voyage s'est fait il y a longtemps mais je me demandais si vous aviez respecté votre itinéraire et si vous l'aviez trouvé agréable? cela m'aiderait à planifier notre séjour. Merci d'avance
Sylvie
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I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed with all the scattered info out there and I'm struggling to organize my solo trip to French Polynesia. I'm all about snorkeling—no hiking for me—so it's all about the water, water, water... I'd love to meet whales (what's the best season?), stay with locals or in budget guesthouses (I'm pretty low-key, no worries about comfort), and most importantly, be as close to the coral reefs as possible (all day long...).
I'm retired, so I've got plenty of time...
If you can help, it would mean the world to me.
Thanks everyone! !
Hi,
I'm planning a trip to this region in November. My initial plan was Adelaide-Darwin by van, but I'm worried about those critters. I'm now considering staying in hotels instead, but for the Red Centre, camping is more practical... if we overlook those pests.
What do you think? Thanks.
Hi there,
I’m reaching out because I’m finally living my dream later this year, and I could really use your advice!
On December 26th, I’m flying to Tahiti, then Moorea, and finally Bora-Bora.
Since I’ll be staying in Bora-Bora for several days, I’d love to take a day trip to another island: either Maupiti or Tahaa-Raiatea (my top picks...).
My issue is that the schedules for getting to Tahaa and then to Raiatea don’t quite work for me. Here are the two options I’ve looked into:
**Option 1: Day trip to Tahaa-Raiatea**
- Morning departure at 7:00 AM to Tahaa from Vaitape (I’ll be staying on a motu, so I need to check if there’s a shuttle connecting the motu to Vaitape early enough).
- Arrival at 8:15 AM in Poutoru, Tahaa. Tour of the island, visit to a vanilla plantation.
- Hire a "private" boat to Raiatea around 12:00–1:00 PM.
- Tour of Raiatea.
- Departure at 4:00 PM from Uturoa (Raiatea) back to Bora-Bora.
**Option 2: Day trip to Maupiti**
- Morning departure from Bora-Bora at 8:30 AM.
- Arrival in Maupiti at 10:05 AM. Visit the island and the motus.
- Return in the evening at 4:00 PM.
My questions:
- Will I have enough time to explore Tahaa-Raiatea from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM?
- Car rental? Bike rental? For all three islands...
- Time lost during rentals?
- Distance between rental shops and the ports where I arrive?
- For Tahaa and Raiatea, should I hire a guide? Would that be better organized, meaning no car rental needed, to save time or explore the island on my own?
- Finally, what do you think of these three islands and their points of interest? Which would you choose between Maupiti and Tahaa-Raiatea?
If you can shed some light on this, I’d be so grateful!!!!!!!
I can’t wait to hear your thoughts, comments, suggestions, and advice!
Hello! We’re heading to the Marquesas in July-August and I’d love to know if it’s possible, for a fee, to do a leg of the journey on the Aranui—like from Hiva Oa to Fatu Hiva, or Nuku Hiva to Ua Pou, or even Ua Pou to Ua Huka? Sure, there are shuttles twice a week with Codim connecting these islands, but the schedules won’t be known until two months in advance, and I need to book flights and hotels much earlier than that. So, what’s the best way to handle this?
Looking forward to your replies—thanks in advance!
Elisabeth Marcel
babeth.marcel@yahoo.fr
Hi there,
I’d like to go to French Polynesia.
I found round-trip flights for 650 € with Air Caraïbes.
That seems really cheap—anyone here who can tell me about this airline if you’ve flown with them before?
Thanks in advance for your help!
Hi everyone. I’ve got a round-trip ticket to Perth for 4 weeks. Is it better to stay on the west coast the whole time?
Or should I grab a round-trip to the east coast?
Or even head over to NZ as well?
Thanks for your tips.
We’re crossing New Zealand next April and we’re wondering which to choose between exploring Milford Sound and Doubtful Sound.
The first is more well-known, famous, and popular, a UNESCO natural heritage site, while the second can be just as spectacular—bigger, harder to access, and less touristy.
Thanks for your thoughts!
I’ve blocked out 3 weeks at the end of March/beginning of April, arriving in Sydney and departing from Adelaide while following the coast.
Kangaroo Island is a bit of a question mark for me. If I go, I can dedicate 2.5 days to it. Is it worth the time and the cost? I’ve read plenty of travel journals highlighting the landscapes and wildlife, but I’m sure I’ll see plenty of that along my route anyway. I’m not factoring in the financial side (which isn’t negligible for KI), but I’d rather not be disappointed. What are the real added values of KI, especially since the island has been affected by fires? I’ve also come across people online calling it a tourist trap. For example, I ruled out Phillip Island because it felt too organized and structured. Sorry if I’m opening Pandora’s box here!
Hi! I just spent a month in New Caledonia (backpacking/tent) and I know some of you were looking for info on accommodations and itineraries, so feel free to reach out if you want me to share my little experience. Just to say—New Caledonia is AMAZING!!!
Hi there,
I just got back from two weeks in Fiji, and I noticed the forum discussions here are a bit outdated (the most recent ones are from 2017).
So feel free to ask if you'd like an update!
Hi,
I’m heading to Viti Levu, the main island, for a few days’ vacation.
I usually rent a two-wheeler to keep some independence.
On several forums, people advised against it—first because it’s not really the local culture, and also because of the road conditions and local driving habits.
But I’m a bit wary of English-language forums where the typical vacation is just airport-resort-airport with a taxi in between.
Can you confirm if it’s really that risky compared to, say, Southeast Asia? What are the alternatives? Buses, taxis?
Thanks!
I’m planning and budgeting a trip to Australia for August 2026, lasting 40 days.
Here’s the current itinerary:
Arrival at Port Macquarie Airport in New South Wales and return from Cairns Airport in Queensland.
- South West Rock
- Cap Ridge Park
- Springbrook Park
- Stradbroke Island
- Maleny
- Noosa
- Rainbow Beach
- K’Gari
- Gladstone
- Heron Island
- Airlie Beach
- Townsville
- Magnetic Island
- Cairns
- Cape Tribulation
My main issue is transport to cover all of this.
The first leg is already tricky—I haven’t found a way to rent a car in Port Macquarie and drop it off in South West Rock.
And if we keep the vehicle until Cleveland (8 days) before taking the ferry to Stradbroke Island, it’s already around 1000 €.
- Are there any systems where we could buy a vehicle in Port Macquarie and be sure it’s bought back at the end of the trip in Cairns?
- Do you know of any Australian online car rental sites?
As for trains, they’re not really an option for our stay in New South Wales.
In Queensland, I found the Queensland Rail Travel website with a Brisbane–Cairns line, but trains don’t run every day.
- Do you know of any other train companies in Queensland that connect coastal cities from Brisbane to Cairns?
For flights, I checked Queensland with Qantas, and most routes require a stopover in Brisbane, which wastes a lot of time, and the prices are still high.
Do you know of any low-cost airlines for domestic flights in Australia?
2025 is shaping up to be amazing, as I’m lucky enough to be planning a 6-week trip to Polynesia.
I wanted to buy the *Guide du Routard* (my favorite), but I discovered there isn’t one for this destination. And the *Lonely Planet* is from 2022, which I feel is already a bit outdated.
So I’m looking for other resources: in your opinion, what’s the best paper guide, and most importantly, what online resources have you used to prepare a trip to Polynesia?
My wife, our 3-year-old son, and I are planning a trip along Australia’s East Coast, leaving in early October and returning in mid-November. The plan is to do a 4-week road trip in a campervan, then settle down for about ten days.
The question I’m asking myself is: which way should we go? From Sydney to Cairns or the other way around? Despite all the documentation I’ve read, I’m still struggling to decide the best direction based on the climate at that time and swimming conditions.
Up north, the weather will be warmer, and the water too, unlike the south. However, in the north, there are swimming restrictions, especially because of jellyfish, whereas in the south, there seems to be less danger (apart from sharks, maybe). Are there many protected beaches in the north where we can swim safely?
Also, I should consider that in the south, the Great Barrier Reef no longer protects the beaches, so I imagine there are fewer calm spots for swimming?
I’d love any tips or advice you can share, and thanks in advance!
Hi there,
for a 6-month trip to Australia and NZ starting in NOVEMBER, I’d like to visit PNG and the Solomon Islands. Has anyone already explored these two countries?
How can you travel solo there—transport, accommodation, banking, safety—and what’s the best way to get there from AUS?
Thanks for any tips! Are there any French-language sites about these destinations?
Cheers,
jps
Hi there,
I’m leaving on March 4th for Australia from Réunion Island, landing in Perth, then a road trip down to Melbourne before flying out to Vietnam on April 15th.
I’d like to visit Perth and the surrounding area, then head southwest to Margaret River, Albany, Esperance, and back to Perth to catch a flight to Adelaide. From there, I’ll make my way to Melbourne.
1/ What do you think of this itinerary?
2/ For flights, are there any domestic airlines worth prioritizing for good prices?
3/ I’m planning to rent a car after exploring Perth and the area—I’m traveling solo. Any rental companies you’d recommend, as well as nice hotels, B&Bs, or hostels?
4/ Any tips, good deals, or info are welcome—don’t hesitate to share!
Thanks in advance.
I’m planning a solo trip from April 16th to June 2nd!
I have to work for 3 weeks in Papeete when I arrive in French Polynesia, so I can only explore on the weekends (3-day weekends). For my first weekend, I’ll visit Tahiti; my second weekend will be dedicated to Moorea, and the last weekend to Huahine.
After my work period, I’ll continue with my vacation and keep exploring:
Maupiti - 4 nights
Raiatea - 3 nights (including a day trip to Tahaa)
Bora Bora - 3 nights
Rangiroa - 4 nights (could do 3)
Tikehau - 2 nights (could do 3)
Fakarava - 3 nights
For activities, I’m mostly interested in discovering the islands, hiking, and observing wildlife.
I’m not a diver, but I plan to do a beginner’s dive once I’m there. I love snorkeling, though, and I’m wondering if I’m spending too much time in the Tuamotus, which are famous for diving from what I’ve seen.
For travel between the islands, I’ve already looked into the Bora Tuamotu Max pass, which seems like the best option, but I’d love advice on replacing it with one or more ferries.
What do you think? I’m struggling to finalize my itinerary.
We’ll be in Adelaide from February 24th to March 4th and we’d like to spend 3 days and 2 nights on Kangaroo Island.
Any recommendations?
We always travel with simple accommodations
Hi everyone, we're heading to Australia next month. We have 7 days to go from Adelaide to Melbourne via the Great Ocean Road. Should we visit Kangaroo Island or not? We can't decide! Thanks for your advice.
We really want to see kangaroos and koalas in their natural habitat.
Hi everyone,
I’m heading to NZ at the end of January.
It’s peak season—do you think it’s necessary to book activities in advance (like a cruise to Milford Sound), or is it not essential?
Thanks
We’ll be in New Zealand starting March 15th. We’re considering renting a car from Christchurch to Auckland. We’ve read that a lot of ferries have been canceled—is that true? Would it be better to rent one car in the South Island and another in the North Island? Thanks, and happy New Year!
Hi,
When I hear our French friends talk about them, they’re the most beautiful islands in the world.
For those of you who’ve traveled extensively, is that really the case?
Are the prices for accommodation, even basic ones, justified? Isn’t a room in a family-run guesthouse at 150/200 € a bit much?
Are there other islands in Polynesia (non-French) that are just as "paradise-like" but more affordable?
I’d love to hear your thoughts.
Hi everyone,
A quick introduction. I'm 27, I live in Picardy, and I'm getting married in 2017. We'd like to spend our honeymoon in French Polynesia for 3 weeks.
I'm open to all kinds of advice!!!
I think we'll use a travel agency because our work schedules don't leave us much time to organize the trip... Unless I change my mind! ;-)
But we don’t want our trip to turn into tourist clichés—we really don’t like that. That said, we *do* want to see those postcard-perfect beaches and landscapes!
We don’t dive, but I think we’ll try a beginner’s dive, and maybe even get our Level 1 certification, depending on how it goes (I read some comments about it on this forum).
Anyway, I’m looking for any information and internet links to make this trip a success.
This is THE trip of a lifetime, and it has to be perfect!
Thanks for your help!
I’m also checking out the different threads about Polynesia on this forum ;-)
Hi everyone,
What great news to read that Voyage Forum is back up and running—I’m so happy! 🙂 I need some advice for a trip we’re planning in 2025: New Caledonia and Australia.
We’ll arrive in Australia on September 1, 2025, and the plan is to spend 2 nights in Melbourne to explore the city, then rent a car to drive from Melbourne to Sydney, where we’ll arrive on September 12. Unfortunately, we won’t have time for the Great Ocean Road
I’ve checked several blogs for this route and here’s the itinerary I’ve put together:
9/4: Melbourne to Philip Island (140 km) – 1 night
9/5: Philip Island to Wilsons Promontory National Park – 2 nights
9/7: Raymond Island (free ferry to cross a 200 m sea channel) – Lakes Entrance – 1 night
9/8: Drive to Narooma (stop at Quarry Beach) – 1 night at "Bodalla Park Forest Rest Area"
9/9: Batemans Bay – Pebbly Beach – Dolphin Point – Jervis Bay – 1 night (to be found)
9/10: Jervis Bay and surroundings – 1 night at Bendeela Picnic Area
9/11: Blue Mountains National Park (1 hour from Sydney) – 1 night (to be found)
9/12: Arrival in Sydney
I know we won’t be able to see everything, and this 9-day route is just a starting point. The goal is to avoid rushing—if we see a place we like, we’ll stop, even if it means seeing less. A vacation where we don’t watch the clock too much! 🙂
Does this route (a mix of several blogs where not all stops are noted) seem realistic or too ambitious? Are there certain spots that are more worth prioritizing over the ones I’ve listed? For example, in one of the blogs I read, travelers skipped Blue Mountains National Park because they chose another site (which I’ve forgotten 😎).
For accommodation, we’ll likely be camping (free or paid), so if you have any suggestions, I’d love to hear them! 😎
Our arrival in Sydney on September 12 depends on my hope to participate in the marathon on September 15, 2025. After that, we’ll leave Sydney on September 17 for Ayers Rock.
Thanks in advance for your tips and ideas—it’s always tricky to plan a route from a distance when time is limited.
And long live this site, which I’ve missed so much since 2020! 😎🙂
