Tahiti
A holy grail of luxury travel, Tahiti and her islands hold promise of languid sensuality, tropical seas and carefree days.
Tahiti encompasses 118 far-flung islands that make up French Polynesia, and has long beguiled outsiders with its promise of languid sensuality, tropical seas and carefree days. Its five-star resort hotels have recently made Tahiti the Holy Grail of luxury travel.
Travel to Tahiti comes close to fulfilling the ideal of paradise. The islands and motus, which include Bora Bora, Tahiti, Papeete and Moorea, are still largely quiet and move at a slow pace; the water of French Polynesia is still amazing shades of blue or green; the mountains still rise dramatically above the sea.
And though the residents of French Polynesia may spend more time buzzing around on scooters than paddling outrigger canoes, they still (clichéd as it may sound) spend an inordinate amount of time humming or singing.
But as with most things beautiful, Tahiti isn't easily had as a travel destination. A (decidedly chic) thatch-roofed bungalow there can cost you a little over the average for a night or more, and there are few bargains to be found in dining, activities or transportation. Optimal value for money is to be found in all-inclusive travel packages. That said, those who can afford a vacation in the islands of Tahiti aren't likely to be disappointed. You might be tempted to stay forever.
Bora Bora
Tahiti’s most famous island is also one of the world’s most dramatically beautiful, the ultimate on everyone’s Tahiti travel wish list; a reasonably large and precipitous land mass crowned by no less than three peaks, all enclosed within lagoon waters of the utmost limpidity.
Bora Bora is the embodiment of enchantment and certainly fulfils most notions of a South Pacific paradise. Small wonder it’s called the "Pearl of the Pacific" and that travel to Bora Bora stirs almost every traveller’s imagination.
Dominating the landscape is Mt Otemanu, a sheer volcanic plug soaring 727m to pierce the clouds with its jagged, broken peak. Nearby, shoulder to shoulder amid thick skirts of tropical green, rise Mt Pahia (661m) and the pointed Mt Popoti (249m).
Bora Bora is a hugely popular holiday destination and differs markedly from placid Taha’a and Raiatea. It may lack unaffected rural charm, yet more than compensates with its outstanding natural beauty and a fine-tuned tourist infrastructure. This is certainly an excellent location for those seeking an escape to elegance and Bora Bora travel packages are an elegant solution for a value-for-money trip of a lifetime.
WHEN TO TRAVEL to Bora Bora
Daytime temperatures are generally 23-32 C. December-February is the hottest, rainiest time and May-November gets the least rain but is a little cooler. The best months for Bora Bora travel packages are April-August. During July there is the Heiva festival, which combines Bastille Day festivities with traditional dance and music.
Moorea
Moorea is the first Tahitian island seen by most visitors. It does not disappoint. Since you arrive in French Polynesia at night, the magnificent sight of Tahiti’s sister island is what greets most guests on awakening in their Papeete hotel. This is the quintessential Polynesian dreamscape. Hollywood often uses stock shots of Moorea's jagged mountains, deep bays and emerald lagoons and even Moorea’s resorts to create a particular South Seas setting for movies. Its magnificent and inspiring geographic profile shows up on innumerable postcards and on the 100CFP coin. The island’s mountain-shadowed bays are certainly among the world's most photographed bodies of water. The physical attributes of this island are really what Tahiti travel is all about.
Most of what you will want to see and do when you travel on Moorea lies on its north coast, between the ferry wharf at Vaiare and the area known as Haapiti on the island's north-western corner. A large Club Med dominated the Haapiti district until it closed in 2002, and locals still say "Club Med" when referring to this area.
Most Moorea resorts have active water sports programs for their guests, such as glass-bottomed-boat cruises and snorkelling in, or sailing on, Moorea's beautiful lagoon. Fishing, hiking and horseback riding can also be arranged. Moorea’s 18 hole Golf Course opened in mid 2007 and it is has an on-site resort and spa. When you travel to Moorea you will agree that the setting, from its mountains to its turquoise lagoon, is spectacular.
WHEN TO TRAVEL to Moorea
As with all the islands, Moorea has a tropical climate with two seasons. The dry season, May to October is the Polynesian winter, with temperatures usually between 23-32C and little rain and July is the busiest month. Despite December-February being the hottest, rainiest time, Moorea travel is recommended year round.
