Polynesia useful tips and information
La Polynesia, it is the paradise that really exists.
But given the high costs we decided to do a DIY trip, booking everything through the internet.
Arrival in Papeete
Let's start immediately by saying that Papeete does not represent the Polynesia as it is a chaotic, messy and dirty city.
From the capital we save the market (beautiful for the atmosphere you breathe) and some clubs in the center such as the 3 Brasseurs where they serve a truly fabulous beer produced by them.
Outside Papeete and therefore out of the chaos we saw the beautiful beach of Puna'auia that we reached thanks to the Trucks.
For the night we stayed at the Aitea Lodge (sleeping + breakfast at 85 euros / room) a nice place 10 minutes from the center. NB
The breakfast is scarce.
Places to see in Polynesia excursions
Visit Rangiroa
With the internal flight from Papeete we arrived at Rangiroa.
The 7 most beautiful islands of French PolynesiaAfter the hustle and bustle of the capital, finally a relaxing place.
Rangiroa it is a simply enchanting atoll.
For the stay we chose the Tuanake Pension (140 euros / room, half board), a place that we highly recommend.
Our Bungalow, the Maeva, was nice, neat and clean.
The food is very good and Roger, the host, is a great person.
A Rangiroa we made the excursion to the Ile aux Recifs which is an island where there are petrified coral outcrops.
Simply a dream place that we highly recommend to visit (70 euros / pers.).
We had 2 extraordinary guys as guides.
Visit to Tikeau
Tikeau is an atoll smaller than Rangiroa but very characteristic.
Here we made the excursion to the island of birds (75 euros / pers.), An island that seems to belong to another world as far as it is particular.
Definitely a place to visit.
For the stay we stayed at Huri Colette of the Aito Motel Colette.
A nice place, more to the good than the Tuanake, where we ate divinely (140 euros / room, half p.).
Arrival in Bora Bora
For us Bora Bora was synonymous with rain.
On 3 days of vacation 3 days of almost incessant rain.
To sleep we stayed at Chez Nono in Punta Matira (80 euros / room. Sleeping only).
The pension is managed by Mimì, a very nice girl.
Chez Nono organizes excursions using Tania and Aurora, 2 extraordinary girls.
With them, despite the weather, we made an excursion in the lagoon of Bora Bora complete with a meal of sharks and rays and pick nicks on a motu (85 euros / pers.)
. The last day a Bora Bora we wanted to grant a VIP night to the Maitai, in a bungalow over the water (only for sleeping 507 euros per room).
Arrival in Tahaa
Raiatea guard Tahaa but perhaps, since it can only be reached by sea, it has another effect.
Honeymoon in French PolynesiaThe vegetation that almost touches the ocean is something extraordinary.
For the stay we chose the Hibiscus pension, near the city of Hameene.
The Hibiscus is a wonderful place as it is surrounded by greenery and the 4 children of the owners look like models (the girl, Hinano, and the 3 boys).
The stay in this pension, superior as a bungalow to the others we have seen, is expensive.
For a half board, it takes 220 euros / room. per day.
A Tahaa we allowed ourselves the last excursion (90 euros / pers.) where we saw among other things a pearl factory, vanilla plantations, the coral garden (this beauty beats even that of Bora Bora).
La Polynesia it's a paradise and we promised that we will return.
It has only 2 flaws: 1 ° the distance. 16.000 km are a lot to do (23 hours of flight alone ... 30 hours total between scheduled stopovers, etc.). 2 ° the high cost of the entire trip.
Here are our travel expenses:
The downside is costs.
The flight cost us a total of 3400 euros, with 1 stop in Los Angeles.
Internal passes 1000 euros in total.
The problem, however, is not this but the cost of living in Polynesia.
A pizza at a restaurant costs 15 euros each, a 33 cl beer. 6-8 euros, water 5-6 euros etc.
In supermarkets, the prices are still high.
I repeat, it is a paradise that deserves to be seen, the people are fantastic and the sea and the vegetation are a dream.
Photo gallery Polynesia
