Getting there:
The Best Way: From LAX, Air France, American, Delta and Air Tahiti Nui operate direct flights to Tahiti’s Faa’a International Airport. Flight time: 8 hr, 30 min. Restricted round-trip fares begin at $1170.
Telephones:
To call the numbers below from the US, dial 011 (the international dialing code), 689 (country code for French Polynesia) and the six digit local number (there are no area codes).
Getting around:
Inter-island: Air Tahiti sells an Airpass covering Moorea, Huahine, Raiatea, Bora Bora and Maupiti for about $460.
Inter island ferry (Tahiti-Moorea). Frequent daily schedules from Papeete to Vaiare. Fares from $30 round trip adult; $90 for autos. The Inter-island ferry Maupiti Express 2 operates several times a week between Bora Bora and Maupiti, Taha’a and Raiatea.
On the islands: Tahiti: there is a cheap bus service throughout the island but non-French speakers will find it daunting. Taxis are very expensive.
Car rental (unlimited mileage) from $100 per day. Avis, (56 Rue des Remparts. Tel: 54-10-10. www.avis-tahiti.com). Hertz (next to Avis. Tel: 82-55-86. www.hertz.com) and Europcar (Faa’s airport. Tel: 86-61-96. www.europcar-tahiti.com). Hertz, Avis and Europcar all have locations on Moorea and Huahine.
Where to Stay:
Homeexchange.com for those looking to exchange. Properties available on Tahiti, Moorea, Huahine and Raiatea.
Hotels/pensions:
TAHITI: (Papeete): Fare Suisse, Rue des Poilus Tahitiens, Quartier Buillard. Tel: 42-00-30. www.fare-suisse.com. Rates: $100-155 per night. Small family-run pension. Clean rooms. A/C. Free wifi. Centrally located. Free airport pickup.
Pension Ahita Lodge, Ave. Vairaatoa. Tel: 53-13-53. www.ahitea-lodge.com. $88-112 per night. Clean and bright hotel in downtown Papeete with ten double rooms . A/C.
Tahiti Airport Motel. Five minutes walk from airport, but uphill with plenty of stray dogs, so take a taxi. Tel: 50-40-00. www.tahitiairportmotel.net. From $140 per night. 46 units. A/C. WiFi. (Best location for those in transit flying to outer islands).
MOOREA: Club Bali Hai, PK 85., Paopao. Tel: 56-13-68 or 1-877-426-7262 from USA. www.clubbalihai.com. From $169/night. Relaxed, unpretentious resort. Unbeatable location. A/C. Small pool.
Hotel Kaveka, BP 373, Maharepa. Tel: 56-50-50 or 877-354-5902 from USA. www.hotelkaveka.com. From $141 per night. 24 traditional wooden bungalows , most with A/C. Great location on Cook’s Bay.
Hotel Les Tipanniers, PK 35.9, Hauru. Tel: 56-12-67. French run, traditional bungalows. Good restaurant. Gorgeous lagoonside location. Doubles from $155.
BORA BORA: Rohotu Fare Lodge, P.O Box 400, 98730, Bora Bora. Tel: 70-77-99. www.rohotufarelodge.com. From $200 per night. Rustic chic bungalows, reasonably priced, lush setting. Very helpful owner.
Village Temanuata, BP 544, Vaitape. Tel: 67-75-61. www.temanuata.com. Rates from $200 per night. 15 bungalows on the lagoon at Matira Point. Ceiling-fans, private bathrooms, refrigerators, terraces. No A/C .
Chez Robert et Tina, Pointe Matira, Vaitape, Bora Bora. Tel: 67-63-55. www.pensionrobertettina.com. Rates from $81 per night. 12 spartan but clean rooms, right on the beach at Matira Point. Cold water showers. Shared bathrooms. Ceiling fans, no A/C.
HUAHINE: Pension Tupuna, BP 48798731, Fare, Huahine. Tel: 68 70 36. www.pensiontupuna.com. Doubles from $136/night. Fans, mosquito nets. No a/c. Traditional bungalows in a serene, bucolic serene. Excellent dinner from about $45pp (reservations required)
Chez Guynette, Fare waterfront. Tel: 68-83-75. www.huahineisland.com/guynette. Very basic but clean and centrally located, excellent value with a decent café. Doubles from $65.
Huahine Vacances, BP 10 Fare, Huahine. Tel: 68 73 63. www.huahinevacances.com. Three large villas for rent, set in lush gardens on Maroe Bay. From $215 per night double. Boat and car rental included. Private bathrooms, refridgerator. WiFi and washing machine.
Where to eat:
Tahiti: Carrefour Supermarket, Centre Commercial in Moana Nui (PK 8.3 Punaauia). Excellent for baguettes, charcuterie, diary and fruit.
Les Roulottes (food trucks) Nightly on the Papeete waterfront. Steak frites, poulet frites, chow mein. From $12pp.
L’api’zzeria, 44 rue do Commandant Destremeau. Papeete. Tel: 42-98-30. Salads from $10, pizzas from $7, pasta dishes from $9.
Les 3 Brasseurs. Blvd. Pomare. Papeete Waterfront. 50-60-25. www. 3brasseurs-pacific.com. French Polynesia’s only microbrewery. Serving sandwiches and pizzas from $10 with extensive Alsace-style menu. Beer $6 and up.
Bora Bora: Snack Matira. 67.77.32. Open-air snack bar on Matira Beach. Pizzas, salads, burgers and sandwiches. From $9.
La Bounty. Matira. 67.70.43. Casual dining under a thatched roof. Good pizzas from pastas from $12, excellent seafood entrees from about $20. Leisurely service, all the better to soak in the atmosphere.
Chin Lee Supermarket in Vaitape. Store-made bao, chicken and fries and egg rolls from $4.
Moorea: Patisserie Carameline, Maharepa, next to Post Office. 56-15-88. Good breakfasts, crepes, pizzas and salads, and the ubiquitous poisson cru. $7-$22. Breakfast and lunch only.
Allo Pizza: Cook’s Bay, opposite the gendarmerie. Woodfired pizzas from $14
Peter Poulet. Mobile roulotte usually located just north of the Sofitel Hotel. Baguette sandwiches from $5
Huahine: Variety of rolouttes on the Fare waterfront, baguette sandwiches from $8; tuna steaks and frites from $11.
Chez Guynette: Fare waterfront. Burgers, sandwiches, salad and fries from $8
Pension Tupuna: (Dinner only, reservations required). The best meal we had in French Polynesia. The owners’ son Axel is a culinary school graduate and it shows in his use of the local produce and fish. Prix fixe meals for about $44.
What to see:
Tahiti: The James Norman Hall House. Arue, 3 miles east of Papeete. 50.01.60. www.jamesnormanhallhome.pf. Lovingly restored longtime home of co-author of Mutiny on the Bounty. Tues-Sat. 9am-4pm. Admission $7.50.
Gauguin Museum. Papeari district, 32 miles west of Papeete. Daily from 9am-5pm. Dedicated to the French artist, who lived in the area from 1891 to 1893. Admission $7.50 adults/$3.50 children.
Farmer’s Market every Sunday from 5am, one block from the Papeete waterfront. An excellent place to inhale everyday Tahitian life while stocking up on local produce and home-made foods.
Moorea, Bora Bora and Huahine:
Lagoon Excursions: a must-do in any of this trio of islands. Daylong tours will usually include shark, eel or stingray feeding, followed by a picnic on a motu (coral island), with local fare including grilled marlin, poisson cru (the local ceviche), banana poi, manioc, breadfruit and coconut bread. On Moorea most hotels will have these tours at the front desk, on Bora Bora try Teremoana Tours 67.67.38 and on Huahine try Huahine Nautique 68.83.15. Prices from about $70pp.
Interior Safaris: Four-wheel drive is really the ONLY way to enjoy the lush, steep interiors of the islands. On Moorea operators include Inner Island Safari 56.20.09 (inner-saf@mail.pf) and Albert Tours 55.21.10 (don’t miss the Belvedere Lookout, the vertiginous Magic Mountain or the vanilla plantations in Opunohu Valley) On Huahine try Island Eco Tours 68.89.21, on Bora Bora, use Vavau Adventures 72.01.21 or Tupuna Four-Wheel-Drive Expeditions 67.75.06. From about $75pp.
To learn more: Tahiti Tourisme North America, 300 Continental Blvd., Suite 160, El Segundo, CA 90245 (310) 414 8484. Info@tahiti-tourisme.com • www.tahiti-tourisme.com
– Neil Fletcher
