Results for "Polynésie+Française"

Hello everyone! Who wants to join me for 3 weeks in French Polynesia in September 2027? I’m passionate about snorkeling and dreaming of lagoons, especially swimming with whales (that’s why I’m going in September). I already have a rough idea of which islands to visit and explore—we’ll just need to fine-tune it, of course. I’m not super keen on long hikes, but I do enjoy a good stroll. A few visits here and there, discovering local customs, crafts, songs, and dances, etc... Accommodation with locals or in cozy guesthouses—no overwater hotels or fancy restaurants. The famous *roulottes* (food trucks) will do the trick, or eating with locals depending on where we stay. Small, typical restaurants are great too. Renting a car or scooter if necessary (the catch is I’ve never ridden a scooter before… not helpful, lol). We’ll plan the trip together to make sure it aligns with our dreams and desires. This is a once-in-a-lifetime journey, and I’m excited to share it, exchange ideas and impressions, and just enjoy it all in harmony, with conviviality and respect. Here’s my message in a bottle… looking forward to hearing from you!

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 wanted to know the best snorkeling spots in Tuamotu since I unfortunately don’t have enough time to do everything—I’ll have to pick and choose. Thanks in advance for your help!

hi everyone, I was wondering if anyone has already used the EasyTahiti agency and what you thought of it thanks in advance for your feedback

We’ve booked a 15-day cruise to the Marquesas and Society Islands on the PAUL GAUGUIN. Is it possible to get information about the excursions organized by Ponant? Can we do them ourselves or through a local agency? How do we organize these excursions from France?

Thanks so much!

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!

There's a Black Friday deal called the "Tuatea Pass 7 islands 30 days" for 20,000 XPF on Apetahi Express's website. I'd like to know the conditions of this offer. Will I be able to use this pass in June and July 2026, and can I take any boat? Also, how do I book the boat tickets? Thanks for getting back to me quickly, as this offer is only valid for a few days. I’ve contacted Apetahi Express and Tuatea, but they’re not responding to my questions.

Hi there,

Has anyone here taken the cruise to the Marquesas Islands in French Polynesia with the cruise line Aranui?

Hello,

My husband and I are heading to French Polynesia on August 21st for a cruise on the ARANUI 5 to the Marquesas Islands. If anyone has taken this cruise recently or during the late August/early September period, I’d love to hear your impressions and any practical details. Thanks for your feedback! Elettra69

We're heading to Tahiti in October and want to rent a car at the airport to then head to Moorea. Any tips for the rental? Thanks

I’m turning 65 and I’ve had enough! Enough of France that no longer feels like my France, enough of our societies that are too civilized, too globalized, too complicated... I’d love to find a little quiet corner to spend my final years. A beautiful, warm spot where dogs can still run freely, where social media doesn’t matter, where money isn’t supposedly the key to happiness, where there aren’t 10,000 people per square meter, no cars, no noise! Just a tiny garden, a cabin, a stretch of beach nearby, kind and smiling people, a little café to hang out in, and good fruit that still tastes like something... I mean, I’m not asking for the moon here, am I? I don’t need much, right? Who’s got some good ideas for me? I already know it’s not in Europe, not in the United States, not in Australia, and probably not in Africa. Can’t wait to read your suggestions! =D Chiffonnade

Hello!

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.

Can’t wait to read your replies!

Thanks!!

Celia

Hello, and happy New Year to all travelers!

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?

Thanks!

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,

I’d like to share the misadventure I had a few days ago when returning from French Polynesia.

It’s 10:30 PM on October 29, 2024. My wife and I just had an incredible trip and are about to face the gray skies of Paris again. We decide to buy two bottles of Mana'O rum as a souvenir from the Tahiti Dutyfree shop. The staff is charming, the price attractive, everything goes smoothly. They give us our products in a special customs bag—all good. Then my wife has a doubt: we’re transiting through the US, will the bottles make it through customs?

That’s when the trouble starts. I go back to the counter to confirm everything is in order and the products will pass through. They reassure me, explaining that with the special bag, there won’t be any issues. My wife checks customer reviews that say otherwise, so I go back. Again, they tell me there won’t be a problem and that they’ve never received complaints or negative feedback. After half an hour, I return, thinking I’d rather not take the risk. This time, they insist there won’t be a problem and even tell me that if US customs confiscate the bottles, they’ll refund me in full upon presenting the receipt and proof of confiscation: “contact us on Facebook, we’ll refund you.”

Ten hours later, I’m standing in front of a customs officer who opens the hermetically sealed bag and runs my bottles through some kind of obscure machine. Each bottle is tested three times—each fails. I’m not the only one; many other travelers have their bottles confiscated too. Without hesitation, I grab my phone and document the scene with the officer’s permission.

A few days later, I contact Tahiti Dutyfree, and they refuse to refund the products, claiming responsibility lies with US customs. A misleading response, since it would mean absolving themselves of the responsibility of selling products banned from entering the US to customers who are *required* to bring these purchases into the country.

For the record, it’s impossible that the management of this shop isn’t aware of the issue. They continue selling these items to customers, fully knowing they’ll end up in a trash bin at Seattle or Los Angeles airports.

I’d like to warn Tahiti Dutyfree customers and travelers who might want to bring back this kind of souvenir from French Polynesia, so my experience can help others avoid getting scammed.

If you’ve also been a victim of this, don’t hesitate to reply to this post :) My poor bottles that will end up alone

The official ICAO-STEB duty-free bag

The US customs officer who let me capture this sweet moment

Hi there, we’re a family of four (kids aged 14 and 7) who’ve been living in Bali for 10 years, and we’d like to move to French Polynesia. After recently selling our business in Bali and wanting to start a new venture quickly, we’re looking to buy a family guesthouse or hotel—preferably on Moorea. Thanks

Great to see VF back in action! However, is it normal that we can’t upload more than 10 photos per post? If so, that’s a real shame!

Looks like I’m the first to post a review, but I’m sure others will follow to keep this forum—our forum—alive. Once again, a BIG thank you for bringing it back!

I got home yesterday but still can’t sleep, so I’d rather share this amazing cruise I just took on the Royal Princess.

Last year, I did almost the same itinerary on the Ovation OTS (Royal Caribbean), and it was mixed at best—let’s just say it was disappointing.

The itinerary: - Los Angeles - 5 days at sea - Honolulu - Hilo (replaced by Kona) - 5 days at sea - Papeete - Papeete - Moorea - 3 days at sea - Pago Pago (Samoa Islands) = canceled - 1 day at sea - International Date Line crossing - 1 day at sea - Tauranga - Tauranga - Auckland

I booked this cruise over a year in advance through the Logitravel agency. I chose a Balcony Category D cabin because the Cat B cabins on this ship class don’t have a sofa. I like having a couch in the cabin so I don’t have to sit directly on the bed when I come in.

My last cruise with Princess was years ago, and after last year’s disappointment with Royal Caribbean (Ovation OTS), I decided to give Princess another try. Not only did I love the itinerary, but the cruise was longer, and there was a new port for me—Pago Pago—which unfortunately got canceled.

Honestly, I can tell you I didn’t regret my choice for a second—this cruise will stay with me forever. Everything, or almost everything, was PERFECT!

After Oceania, I’d rank Princess in second place, and I think their service is a notch above Celebrity. You’ll see why as you read this review.

From what I remember, Catherine Isa and others have already tried this ship class and loved it.

Here we go! Day 1: Departure from Roissy to Los Angeles on an Air France flight.





Last year, I flew Air Tahiti Nui (ATN) for the same route, and I can tell you it was WAY better than AF in terms of comfort and service. Unfortunately, ATN now flies very few routes to Los Angeles, preferring to transit through Seattle to get to Papeete. So, I had to go with AF. Back in 2018, I did a Paris/Papeete flight with AF and was a bit disappointed with the 24-hour journey. Anyway!

During this flight, we had one meal and a snack before landing in LA. Drinks were available throughout the flight. We arrived on time in LA.

Before taking off from Roissy, I downloaded the MPC (Mobile Passport Control) app—a mobile app for travelers with an ESTA to save time at customs (only for those returning to the U.S. at least a second time). It lets eligible travelers skip the long lines at customs when arriving in the U.S. After filling out a form and answering a few questions about your trip in advance, you get a ticket that lets you access a special line with shorter wait times. Unfortunately, I didn’t get the ticket, so I had to wait in the regular line. Thirty minutes later, I got the ticket, but it was too late—I was already in the visitor line. It took us 1.5 hours to get through immigration.

Since I’m traveling again in January next year, I’ll try MPC again to see if it works.

After leaving the airport, I took a taxi to my hotel on Hollywood Blvd, but the driver tried to scam me to make more money. Last year, the same ride cost $50, but this time, he took a long detour to run up the meter. When I saw it hit $80, I told him that last year the same trip cost $50, and we weren’t even there yet. He said, “You’re going to a hotel on Hollywood Blvd, and you’re quibbling over a few dollars?” I told him I wouldn’t pay that much because I saw he took a longer route (via Google Maps), and if needed, I’d call the police. Then he said, “Let’s work something out.” I told him I’d pay $50, just like last year—not a cent more. When we arrived, he said, “Give me $60, and we’ll call it even.” So, I gave him $60. If I hadn’t said anything, he would’ve charged me over $100. Oh well!

Our hotel (Lowes Hotel) is on Hollywood Blvd. It’s a really nice hotel with a rooftop pool. That said, it’s not worth 330 € per night plus 30 € per person for breakfast. But since we’re on Hollywood Blvd, everything’s overpriced.













We checked into our room with a view of the Hollywood Sign (as requested). We dropped off our things, then relaxed by the pool with a drink before taking a stroll down Hollywood Blvd.





That evening, we went to dinner at the Roosevelt Hotel, just 100 meters from our hotel—a legendary Hollywood hotel where Marilyn Monroe used to stay regularly. In fact, her suite still bears her name. Honestly, the hotel is really old, and I didn’t think much of it—or the dinner. We headed back to our hotel for a good night’s sleep because tomorrow we had a tour booked to see the stars’ houses and Beverly Hills.

To be continued: Beverly Hills/Hollywood tour and embarkation.

Bonjour à tous, nous partons à 4 couples de navigateurs louer 3 semaines un catamaran aux îles sous le vent fin octobre. Vous vous doutez qu'avec le Covid il faut et il a fallu jongler avec les reports de vol et les locations. Tout cela avait été finalisé fin d'année dernière mais il a fallu tout revoir au fur et à mesure que la date du vol (28/10 Frenchbee) approchait. Après le bateau nous passerons une semaine entre Moorea (4 jours) et Tahiti (2 jours). Initialement nous partions ensuite pour la Nouvelle Zélande où nous avions réservé un camping-car à 2 couples pour 3 semaines mais la N.Z. nous a fermé ses frontières. Pour remplacer cette dernière escapade, tant qu'à être en Océanie, nous pensons passer 8 jours aux Marquises du 25/11 au 3/12. J'ai prévu d'être du 25 au 29 à Hiva Oa avec une visite le 28 à Tahuata et du 29 au 3/12 à Nuku Hiva. Comme ce sera rapide je ne voudrai pas rater l'essentiel et je m'adresse donc à vous pour des bons conseils, nous aimons randonner et pour se faire vaut-il mieux louer un véhicule ou s'adresser à un guide? Merci surtout de m'indiquer les sites incontournables.

Bonjour, Je viens d'annuler une croisière aux Marquises mais j'ai très envie de retourner en PF quand la situation sera meilleure et surtout que l'on n'aura pas besoin de porter un masque pendant 24 heures de suite pour le voyage, en espérant que cela arrive un jour .... Peut-être Novembre 2021, on peut toujours rêver. Cette croisière passait aussi dans des îles que nous avions déjà visitées donc changement de cap, nous allons voir seulement les îles qui nous intéressent et voyager en avion. J'ai l'habitude d'organiser nos voyages mais j'avoue que là avec le casse tête des vols d'Air Tahiti, je n'ai pas envie de le faire moi-même donc j'ai contacté une agence de Papeete qui a bonne réputation et m'a proposé un programme conforme à ce que je lui ai demandé mais que je souhaite modifier.

Programme proposé : Tahiti : 2 nuits Raivavae 3 nuits Tahiti : 1 nuit Hiva Oa : 4 nuits Nuku Hiva 3 nuits Tahiti : 1 nuit Rangiroa 3 nuits Fakarava 4 nuits Tahiti 2 nuits

Programme souhaité: Tahiti : 1 nuit Raivavae 3 nuits Tahiti : 1 nuit Hiva Oa : 3 nuits Nuku Hiva 3 nuits UaPou 2 nuits Tahiti : 1 nuit Tikehau 3 nuits Fakarava 4 nuits Tahiti 1 nuit J'aimerais avoir l'avis de personnes qui connaissent ces îles quant à mes changements d'une part et d'autre part à Fakarava quel est le mieux entre le Pearl lodge et la pension Viaiama. Mon mari est plongeur et moi je fais du snorkeling donc les Tuamotu sont incontournables mais j'ai peur que Rangiroa soit un peu trop fréquentée donc Tikehau me semble plus adaptée à ce que nous aimons. Je vous remercie d'avance pour vos suggestions. Cordialement. Edith