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.
First off, I would’ve put Bora and Maupiti back-to-back... You’ve got a ferry...
Raiatea... Bora and Maupiti... the trip is short and cheap... Bora is a must to then head to the Tuamotus... Tikehau, I took that first. The Bora-Tikehau route is convenient.
After that, I did Rangiroa and finished in Fakarava...
Maupiti is really the best... Don’t skip it... and if you can, arrange to be there on a Saturday and spend the day on motu Tiapaa at Mario’s place... It’s absolutely amazing...
Qui écoute trop la météo, passe sa vie au bistrot !
The easiest way to get around between the islands is by plane with Air Tahiti. Definitely check out the pass—it’s a great deal.
Keep in mind that Moorea to Tahiti is quick, just a 40-minute ferry ride, so you can plan that last minute. For other destinations, you’ll need to plan ahead.
Also, ferries to Maupiti are often canceled, so take that into account.
For diving, there are plenty of spots in French Polynesia. The Tuamotu Islands are the most beautiful, but not the easiest for beginners. You can do intro dives in Tahiti and Moorea.
You can find more info on diving on this blog: https://www.mylittlepolynesia.com/plongee-polynesie/
