One of my most frequented questions is what itinerary I would recommend for a first timer’s visit to French Polynesia. So I wante dto share this quick guide and tips for a first timer trip to French Polynesia.
French Polynesia is easily my no 1 favorite place in the world! I have been four times and am already dying to return back to explore more. The destination is a group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean that is an overseas collectivity of France. It is made up of 118 islands and atolls, spread out over an area of about 2,000,000 square miles. I have a super detailed comprehensive guide for all of French Polynesia but I wanted to share this first timer itinerary here separately as well. For everyone’s first trip I always recommend these 3 islands – Tahiti, Mo’orea and Bora Bora.
First timer itinerary :
For your first visit to the destination , I would recommend at least a week – 10 days split across :
Tahiti : 1-2 nights
Mo’orea : 3-4 nights
Bora Bora : 3-5 nights
How to get there?
If you are headed to French Polynesia from any international destination, you will be first be flying into Papeete airport that is located on the main island of Tahiti. While booking tickets look for the airline code PPT. If you are flying from the US, it is closer than you think especially from the west coast – just a 7.5 hour direct flight from SF/LA/Seattle ! If you fly from :
- LAX or SEA – Air Tahiti Nui is your best option from LA or Seattle
- SFO – United is your best option ( Frenchbee also flies direct from SFO but I prefer United )
Best time to visit :
High season runs from May to October and is usually the best time to go due to less rainfall and incredible weather. High season also means expensive rooms, flights and everything else in general.
For this reason – you can also consider going in the shoulder months of April or November. The first time we went we went in the high season and had a mix of sun and rain. For our second time we took a chance and went in the shoulder season and actually had even better weather! So it really depends on luck. But if its your first time going there, I would recommend going during the high season.
Logistics for this itinerary :
In a nutshell this is how you would have to plan this trip. More details on each of the 3 islands below :
- Fly into Pape’ete in Tahiti via your international flight. You might have to spend a night here before you island hop depending on when your flight lands. This is why I recommend perhaps staying 1-2 nights in Tahiti
- You will then take a ferry over to Mo’orea, which is just 45 minutes away by boat. Spend 3-4 days here.
- After Mo’orea you will come back to Tahiti via ferry and then fly to Bora Bora via a short domestic flight. 3-5 nights is perfect for Bora Bora.
- After Bora Bora you will fly back to Pape’ete to take your international flight out of French Polynesia from here.
Of course you can also additionally visit other islands but if you were to do just these 3 this is what I would recommend.
ISLAND 1 : TAHITI
Intro to Tahiti
Tahiti is the largest and most populated island in all of French Polynesia. It is also the capital of the country. If you are headed to French Polynesia from any international destination, you will be first be flying into Papette airport that is located on the main island of Tahiti. Most people just stay here for a few hours or a quick overnight before flying out or taking a ferry to the to the other islands such as Bora Bora, Moorea and so on.
Where to Stay in Tahiti :
The first 3 resorts are great options for 1-2 nights, while the last option is perfect if you are literally only staying an overnight (like a couple of hours) in Tahiti. Its clean, basic and just opposite the airport, its what we always do!
- Le Tahiti By Pearl Resorts
- Hilton Tahiti
- Intercontinental Tahiti
- Tahiti Airport Hotel
Things to not miss in Tahiti
- Black sand beaches : The island of Tahiti is famous for its stunning black sand beaches and one of my favorite ones that we stopped at was Taharuu beach.
- Papeete market : A must visit is the Papette market! Strolling through this sensory market is such a sensory delight and you will find everything here from crafts, fresh flowers, produce, souveniers and more.
Travel guide to Tahiti
Check out my travel guide for 24 hours in Tahiti for more.
ISLAND 2 : MO’OREA
Intro to Mo’orea
Moorea is a geographical marvel with its 8 voluminous mountain peaks that rise from its translucent lagoon, creating a distinctive and rugged silhouette visible from the western coast of Tahiti. It has the most epic Jurassic Park like vibes everywhere! The island is blessed with dreamy lagoons, volcanic mountains, lush rainforests and more ; making it one of the most popular spots for a vacation or honeymoon in Tahiti!
How to get to Mo’orea ?
To get to Moorea, you can either fly or take a ferry. Taking a ferry is so much more convenient and cheaper! There are 2 main companies that have ferry services between Tahiti and Moorea – Aremiti ferries and Terevau ferries. Prices are roughly just around $11 per person per way and you can buy tickets the the ferry terminal directly. There are ferries that run pretty much every hour and it takes roughly 25-45 minutes one way, depending on whether you take the fast ferry or the slower one. I highly recommend renting a car to get around in Moorea – Avis Tahiti and Europcar are right off the ferry dock area.
Where to Stay in Mo’orea
- Hilton Mo’orea
- Sofitel Mo’orea
- Cooks bay hotel and Suites
- Les Tipaniers
- Mo’orea beach lodge
Things to not miss in Moorea
- A lagoon tour in the beautiful lagoon where you get to swim with sharks and sting rays! We did this tour with Moorea Miti Tours and it was so much fun.
- Belvedere lookout – The iconic view of Moorea with Belvedere mountain, Cooks Bay and Opunohu Bay.
- Swimming with whales – if you visit during whale season (Aug – Oct) this bucketlist activity is a must do! Check out Corallina Tours or Moorea Moana Tours.
Travel guide to Moorea
Checkout my budget travel guide to Moorea for more.
ISLAND 3 : BORA BORA
Intro to Bora Bora
Bora Bora was everything I had imagined and more! It completely exceeded my expectations in every way. This idyllic South Pacific gem is an epitome of a luxurious island escape and is well known for it gorgeous views of the mountains, crystal clear lagoon, luxury overwater villas and incredible marine life.
How to get to Bora Bora
Bora Bora is a short 45 minute flight from Tahiti. Both Air Tahiti and Air Moana have flights to Bora Bora. It is one of most scenic flights I have been on! It is open seating, so you want to get to the airport early to get in line to try to get the best seat in the house. Tip : Sit on the left side of the plane to get the best view!
Where to Stay in Bora Bora
I have stayed at most of the resorts in Bora Bora, they are all truly incredible. For an absolute bucketlist stay – I would recommend Four Seasons or the St Regis. If you are looking for something steeped in Polynesian culture, I loved Le Bora Bora. If you want to skip the resort route, Bora Bora is absolutely possible on a budget, stay on the main island – both Maitai Bora Bora and Royal Bora Bora are good options here.
Resorts that sit on their own motus/islets :
- Four Seasons Bora Bora
- St Regis Bora Bora
- Westin Bora Bora
- Conrad Bora Bora Nui
- Intercontinetal Thalasso
- Le Bora Bora
Resorts that are on the main island of Bora Bora
- Maitai Bora Bora
- Royal Bora Bora
- Intercontinental Le Moana
Things to not miss in Bora Bora
1) Lagoon tour in Bora Bora (group option) :
The number 1 thing to do in Bora Bora is a lagoon excursion on the world famous lagoon – meeting stingrays and sharks up close, snorkeling with the most colorful fish, cruising some unreal blue waters, learning about Polynesian culture and also enjoying a delicious island style lunch on a private motu. If all this sounds like a dream tour – you must check out Lagoon Service in Bora Bora.
2) Lagoon tour in Bora Bora (private option) :
While a group lagoon tour is budget friendly, if you are looking for something more intimate and private I highly recommend doing a private lagoon tour. This way you can go to the spots you want to and experience the Bora Bora lagoon Robinson Crusoe style. We did this with Toa Boat Bora Bora and it was absolutely incredible. They have 3 pontoon style boats that are super comfy and many experiences to choose from.
3) 4×4 tour in Bora Bora main island
A 4×4 tour of Bora Bora is such a great way to explore the island. We did this ATV tour via Tinggly and it was so epic! We got to drive to the highest point in Bora Bora which you can drive to, to get an unforgettable 360 degree view of Bora Bora.
4) Matira Beach
For the best beach in Bora Bora, don’t forget to visit world famous Matria beach, deemed as one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. It is quite possibly the most stunning public beach I have ever been to.
Travel guide to Bora Bora
For more details check out my very detailed ultimate travel guide to Bora Bora.
Interested in adding more islands :
You can always add on more islands to this itinerary, check out my travel guide to French Polynesia for other options!
Thanks for stopping by!
Jyo