French Polynesia is one of the most expensive destinations in the world, but also one of the nicest, especially if you love the sea and sea activities.
It is divided into groups; the most famous and visited are the islands of Society and the Tuamotus.
How to get there
The flight from Europe to this wonderful place lasts about 26 hours, depending on the airport you start from. And the price il rather expensive. For this reason you should book your flight in large advance, in order to save a little money. There are not many companies flying to Tahiti, where the international airport is. You can choose among Air Tahiti Nui, the Polynesian national company and Air France. Otherwise you can get there by LAN, the company of Chile, and maybe you can stop for a few days in Easter Island.
Bora Bora
Internal Flight
When you are there, do not stop in Tahiti. There are so many islands to be see it would be a pity to see only one. After deciding which are the islands you want to see, buy a pass with Air Tahiti; with it you can hop from island to island, only booking yout flight.
But be careful: the price of your pass can vary according to the islands you include in your itinerary. For example, if you include only islands of the Society group the price wull be less expensive than if you include one of the Tuamotus. And the price will get higher if Bora Bora is among the islands included. So, carefully check the prices of the different passes before buying one.
Sunset in Tahiti
Accommodation
On every island, there are very beautiful (and expensive) resorts, from the most important hotel chains, such as St. Regis, Four Seasons and Hilton. iIf you can afford staying in one of them, you only have to choose which one suits you best. But if you are not so lucky and want to save money, you should look for a guesthouse.
In the past, there were very few, but now their number has increased; only remember they are not luxury and in some cases you will have a great sense of adaptation.
Tahiti Market
Food
Restaurants are not cheap; you can pay quite a lot of money for a luxury restaurant. For example Bloody Mary in Bora Bora you can pay up to 100 euros for a drink and some fish; this is because many celebrities and Vips attend it (even some American President!)
The best thing is to have a very substantial breakfast, which is usually included in your room fee; then, go to the supermarket and buy fruit, and bread to prepare your sandwiches. And then go to the restaurant only once a day. Sometimes, meals may be included in trips; if you go by boat to the Bora Bora Lagoonarium, your lunch is included.
Moorea - Cook's Bay
Islands
it's rather difficult to suggest you which islands you should visit. All of them are very beautiful, and the sea is so clean.
The ones we visited are Tahiti (don't forget to pay a visit to Papeete market), Moorea, where captain Cook landed with his ship; and the world famous Bora Bora, with its blue lagoon.
