French Polynesia Travel Forum

we will be taking a cruise (tahitian princess)in april that includes tahiti, moorea, bora bora, huahine, raiatea, and rarotonga. i don't know if we should book tours through the ship or try to book them privately. it certainly would be a lot easier but probably more costly to book them on the ship. any suggestions? we're not into 4X4's or safari type trips, but i do want to go snorkeling a lot and see the sights. also, should we change money locally (nyc) before heading to LAX and Papeete? i don't want to waste time looking all over papeete for francs, but i also want a good exchange rate with a low commission charge! any advice would be helpful.

An uncomfortable true about French polynesia is that it SO much overpriced in virtually every aspect, so if you go there better not to worry about prices or value for the price issues... Artound bora Bora or Huahine ( and probaly Moorea0 not so much tours on offer - and the almost only sensible choice is lagoon cruise around the isalnd. The positive sight of such tour that you will circle around the island and will see it from different side, have few snorekelling session, picnic lunch on a motu. But from another side it will be actually the same on everty island - and will include ( not hungry) shark feeding, probably swimming with stingrays - every of this activity surely very enjoyable, but when it repeats routinely on every island then you start to think differently.

Money excahnge are rip off either side, but I observed that LAX still offer worser rates.as for me, I can agree with you, that it not worth to spend perciosu vacation time on running to currency exchange - i would exchange money in LAX. In most palce you can pay with credit crad, but I guess it will not offer much better rate than you get in cash exchange.

Lagoon cruises costs to my opinion 5,000-10,000 francs per person depending on island, I o niot expect material fluctuation of price between cruis eship offre and direct booking. As the quality of tours in general is very low ( on 8,000 francs Bora Bora lagoon cruise - teh number of people as large as everyone rub sweaty body of teh neigbour in teh boat, NO water offered( only by glasses when on picnic lunch), NO towel, terrible design snorekelling masks ( who nowadays use rubber masks, tehy shoudl be silicon one and withoui those black age and dirt signs) - surely there is neither WC on the boat, nor sundeck ) . However the food we had I liked a lot. About direct booking - I was offerred higher price than if I would book through my hotel( which surely earns comission out of the price), I had to fight indeed to bargin but still it was 200 CPF higher than hotel price with the same operator - and they perfectly knew which hotela I stay with - this is French Polynesia :D

I agree with Sergeyu on many points. Especially on the pricing issues. Be prepared for "sticker shock" as everything in Tahiti is expensive (a beer in a Papeete joint was running $14 and a mixed drink about $20).

A few thoughts; if you are into snorkelling, you may want to bring your own mask and snorkel. Fins can be a hassle, but bring those as well if you plan on using them alot.

I think purchasing things with a credit card will save you a few bucks on the exchange rate (although you'd probably want SOME cash on hand).

Booking on the ship may limit your choices of each activity you want to do, but they probably boil down to almost the same experience (unless you really do your homework and find that 'exclusive' outfit giving primo service).
I did a lagoon cruise (feeding sharks, swimming with rays, lunch on a motu, etc)in Bora Bora and it was indeed a highlight of our trip. But again, be prepared - it was extremely hot on the water. We brought frozen plastic water bottles, ensuring cold water for the better part of the day. Bring a hat and plenty of sunscreen, and as Sergeyu points out, towels, and taking a leak in the bush or off the side of the boat might be part of the experience...

He also has a good point that the same activity/different island thing may get old.

One thing I wish I had done was the cross-island trek in Rarotonga. I think a guy named Pa does the guiding. I don't know if you'd have the time for such a trip or the interest - just a suggestion.

GL,

Chad

The best place where to change money is at FAA airport in Tahiti when you'll arrive, it does not matter at what time, it's easier to found open at 5 in the morning or 10 at night then at noon. The bank opens few hours before the international flights leave and after the flights arrive. It does not matter how much you change, they have a fix commission for each transaction, it's not expensive, but it will be for few money for more times. When they are closed, there is an automatic machine outside which accepts notes from many Countries.

The change used to be fixed whith French Franc (18:1) before 2002 and today is FIX with Euro. 1 CFP is ALWAYS 0.008380 Euro which means that 1 Eur is ALWAYS 119.332 CFP.
Lately French Polynesia is more expensive for USD Country, not only for prices arised, but for Euro stronger.

I've been in French Polynesia for 4 weeks in Summer 2005.... I've been in different islands, I found many friends there, I wish I could go back soon, for me it's far away "on the other side".... almost 24 hour travelling each way, expensive flight, maybe next year, who knows?

I have a rule when I travel, I have never expect to find all things I have at home when I go abroad, otherwise I would not discover anything new. Looking and keeping own habits anywhere is the best way to spend a lot of money. just to make an example, I use to drink wine every meal at home, in four weeks in FP just once my wife and I had 1 bottle of wine bought at one "magazine", believe me, it has not been difficoult, I lived mainly like a Polinesyan, wake up at 6, no computer, no television.. I used my phone only once, strange? no life? tsk tsk, it's real life!! I discovered why they don't care to live outside their islands. They don't know (except someone in Moorea/Papeete and/or who lives with western people) what stress means..
I tried also five star resort, I have to admit that in those places most of the time people are interested at you only to know if you had something from the bar to be signed.. (not only on FP). As I tried both, I believe it's much better to go in "petite hotellerie" where people call you with your own name instead of other beatiful places where NOBODY SMILES!!

So is it expensive? Sure it is expeccially for those tourist who "would not miss a Jack Daniel every evening" (BTW I just had dinner and I'm drinking a Jack Daniel right now, of course my home is a 5 star *for me*), *seriously joking* , but the main reason why is so expensive is, first of all, that almost everything is imported. I met people protesting how it was expensive their morning yogurt or the cheese or milk... there are a few caw, but no prairies there, think that potatos are mainly from California and apples from OZ..... like who complains about mango's price and lives in Denmark where milk and cheese are very cheap.

Enjoy you staying in F.P., for snorkeling Bora-Bora Lagoon is very good, a lot of diffent fish in a small place, warm water and not deep at all. To do it I suggest to buy the whole day excursion with Chez Nono at Matira Point, next at Intercontinental Moana but it's less then half their price (lunch included)
have a look here
I did this video with my photo camera at Bora-Bora
http://it.youtube.com/watch?v=rcvjmKcS0cI
more of Bora-Bora here
http://it.youtube.com/watch?v=AX9IZ8TfKNM

Ia Orana (hello/hola)
I found cheznono's web site, you can book here
http://www.cheznonobora.com/
the whole day costs all tax. incl.: 8 500 CFP/person (71,23 €) (found on their site) BUT believe me, it's real good, many times people spend more for much less.
nana (bye-bye)