Tahiti suggestions

[zippy478]

DH and I are planning our "honeymoon" after 3 years of marriage. We didn't go when we got married because I was starting law school. Well, I'm sitting for the bar exam in February and we are planning on our honeymoon for the beginning of March. Does anyone have any suggestions for Tahiti? We are beginning to look at the packages and we aren't sure if there is one company that is better than the others or if we should book it ourselves or how to go about doing this. Any suggestions on how to do it/what islands to visit/what to do would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

[Peggy]

We went to Tahiti on our honeymoon (10 years ago). I think you have chosen the perfect spot for your delayed honeymoon! :) Unfortunately, I can't remember if we booked the trip ourselves or went through a company. We stayed in two different places - Rangiroa and Bora Bora. Are you scuba divers? If so, then I would definately recommend Rangiroa. We went diving every day and it was fabulous. If not, that probably isn't the best island to visit. It is very small and narrow and not much to see. We stayed at an all-inclusive resort where the meals were included with the "burre". Our burre was out over the lagoon on a reef and was reached by walking on long wooden walkways. It was very private and we had a deck with lounge furniture and we could snorkel right from our burre. The living room had a glass coffee table that lifted up and you could feed the fish below.

In Bora Bora, we stayed on an island in the main lagoon with similar living accommodations, but meals weren't included. They had boat service back and forth as needed to the island of Bora Bora. There was much more to see there for non-divers. One day we rented mopeds and drove around the entire island. Lots of great restaurants.

I will try to find the names of the places we stayed at, as I would highly recommend them both. Will get back to you a little later.

Peggy

[Peggy]

bumping up! :confused:

Peggy

[mst]

We went on a cruise around Tahiti. Our ports were Papeete, Huahine, Moorea and Bora Bora (I think there was one more...)

Anyway, we loved it. We were on a ship the whole time. We did spend more time in Bora Bora, and it was pricey. At one meal, we split an appetizer and a diet coke, and it was $30! We also ate at Bloody Mary's which cost us about $100.

If I were to do it again, I would do a cruise again. That way, you get to see more than one island, your meals are included if you want them. I am glad that we spent the extra money and ate on the islands, but we really love food...

FWIW, we did Princess Cruiseline.

[funnybone]

Just bumping up. We have the opportunity to go in Feb. with DH's company. I don't have all the info at hand, just that it's a cruise. We have to figure out what to do with the kids (15 and 12) before we commit to going. Anyone gone recently and have anything more to add?

[doggerham]

Not Tahiti related, but timing related.

We, too, delayed our honeymoon until I sat for the bar in Feb. We then left for a trip to Belize. In retrospect, I wish I had waited a little while (3-4 weeks), because I was so darn tired from bar review, etc that I didn't have much energy to enjoy the trip as much as I would have liked.

Just a consideration.

[Hoodone]

I went to Moorea about 15 or 20 years ago (gosh, I can't believe it's been that long ago!). I was in graduate school and by myself, so I didn't do a whole lot. I did go snorkeling every day - I don't dive, and took some tours. I remember going to a vanilla plantation and getting some fresh pineapple. I remember it being expensive, but it's a small island group in the middle of nowhere so EVERYTHING has to be imported. As an aside, I recommend the book "Sex Lives of Cannibals" for insight into this. It's not about Tahiti, but still South Pacific and quite interesting.

Back to the topic at hand. Those above water rooms look fabulous. I recommend you spring for one. There is a Club Med on Moorea. My hotel snorkeling group crashed their lunch one day. It looked like they had it pretty good. Bora Bora looks so cool but I know it's about an hour flight from Papeete. Moorea was the inspiration for South Pacific - you know, Bali Hai. So beautiful. I also remember doing the umbrella drink by the pool thing. Lots of relaxation in an unbelievable beautiful place. How could you go wrong?

[gardenmom]

We went to Huahine 8 yrs ago, and stayed in the Sofitel Heiva Huahine in I think a garden bungalow (all are pretty near the water!) We picked it because it was supposed to be the most Polynesian, it was the Vanilla plantation island, and it was supposed to be sleepy and rural (which we like.)

It was so gorgeous. It had a rustic edge, however.

The setting is so unbelievable, it seems fake. I'm sure most people would be impressed.

The food was so-so. We went in January, and it wasn't a busy time that week, maybe the turnover of supplies wasn't optimal. Don't expect super gourmet, I'd give the food a "C", and you figure out real fast your ordering strategy (fish tasted frozen sometimes).

We had the same polynesian music trio every night, us and about 2 other couples. They had a dancing show one night.

We did the crafting, lei making and tye dying pareos. That was fun.

It was a bit hard to get into town (we rented some french economy car whose headlights cut out OFTEN, and subsequently had this guy named "Moana" drive us wherever else we wanted to go. There are a few things to do in town, very small. We went to the open air market with Moana and he told us what treats to buy, like pit roasted pork. Fun.)

I got fairly well eaten by these litlle biting gnats called "no-no's". They eat you as you cocktail outside during the exquisite sunset. A large dousing of citronella spray keeps you safe, and request a mosquito net from the get-go!!!

We had a blast jet-skiing around the island with a guide, for another sunset cocktail cruise (jet skiis, tropical drinks, kinda giddy, and didn't seem too P.C.)

We also did the horseback riding on the beach and at the edge of the lagoon (bring some tennis shoes if you plan on this, flip flops won't do.) Horse people love this, we are horse neophytes, but we got a huge laugh, and again a high-spirited memory.

It was a memorable, and I'm glad we chose it for our honeymoon.

BTW, we like Rarotonga in the Cook Islands a lot. Maybe not as spectacular as Tahiti, but it is small, and pretty. Muri beach is probably the best locale on the island to stay (We've stayed 2X at the Rarotongan, which is a "B" on the luxury scale, and the food is likewise a "B" range. Air New Zealand has this as a stopover, whatever length of stay you want, so we stop on our way to My Husband's family's in NZ) Aitutaki is supposed to be Bora Bora like, and this is a short plane hop from Rarotonga, we haven't done it yet. The Flame Tree has wonderful meals, and the round the island bus is easy to navigate at all hours. The Sails restaurant also is on Muri beach, and has a good lunch.


Sorry if this is too much info, but it's hard to figure out by guidebooks. I hope you get to go to your dream island honeymoon!