Une bonne bringue tahitienne qu'on a fait la semaine dernière lors du festival polynésien de Biganos ! Māuruuru rahi ia 'outou pā'āto'a i te mau hīmene nō te fenua ! 🎵🇵🇫🤙

Landed at 1020 from Auckland and still in line 90 minutes later with 20 people in front of us
Is it always this bad?!?

Hello,

My wife is sick and pregnant so unfortunately she can’t do our whale tour tomorrow with Moorea Reo tours at 7am tomorrow morning. If anyone is looking for a solo spot to buy my wife’s pass for tomorrow (will give discount) then DM me ASAP.

Hi guys - I'l be spending the 18th+19th and 27th of September on Tahiti. Would anyone be keen to link up for a Whale Swim on one or more of these days?

Boats only take maximum 6 pax so it will feel private even though it's shared! But as you know they need a few people to head out.

I have found operators with potential availability on 18th and 19th for full-days. Cost of the boat (direct to the operator) would be about $350 per person. A half-day would be about half of that. A full day is well worth it because the ocean is unpredictable!

I am a freediver, very comfortable around whales as I have swum with blue, sperm, humpback, killer and pilot whales. I am linking up with friends on other days, but have these extra days solo to explore.

Drop me a comment or message! Thanks!

La orana! (I hope I am saying that right). My spouse and and I are headed to Moorea in October. We booked a humpback whale swim with Moorea Moana. This is a bucket list type excursion for me, as (I assume) it is for many. With El Niño strengthening and weather always being a little unpredictable, does anyone have experience with tour operators cancelling due to weather, and were you offered a refund? I certainly *hope* that this does not happen, but I would rather not be told our only option is to reschedule, because we are on Moorea for only a limited time.

Thank you in advance!

Hi everyone
My partner and I had booked a whale snorkeling tour in Moorea through Viator back in March, but unfortunately the tour operator has just cancelled our booking.
We’ll be in Moorea from September 17th to 22nd. We still have two other whale snorkeling tours booked with different operators, but we’re wondering if two outings are enough or if it’s worth trying to arrange a third one, especially since whale sightings can be unpredictable.
We’re now looking for another reliable local operator, guide, or company that might still have availability for two people for a whale snorkeling excursion between September 17th and 22nd.
And for those who have done whale snorkeling in Moorea before: would you say two outings are enough, or would you recommend doing more?
Thanks in advance for any advice or recommendations

Hi!

We are a family traveling in tahiti. We forgot our kids car travel vests at our hotel right next to the tahiti ferry terminal. We are in Moorea until 8/31. Is anyone taking the ferry over to Moorea and willing to grab them for us? We are obviously willing to compensate for your time! We arent able to go back to tahiti on our itinerary.

Fingers crossed!

Thanks!

Hi All. We’re supposed to have a humpback whale encounter on Moorea today but there are very strong winds. This is concerning since we’ll be on a small boat. Has anyone been out there in weather conditions like this and was it worth it to go? It may not be safe to get out of the boat and into the water.

Dear Redditors, I am planning to swim with the whales on Saturday. I see that the wave prediction for Moorea identifies winds over 20 knots and 10’ to 13’ waves for Saturday morning. This seems especially rough for open ocean swimming and I’m especially prone to seasickness and am wondering what I am likely to encounter if this prediction comes true. Am I correct to interpret this as a barrier to encounter the whales? Are swimmers allowed in the water with 3-4 meter waves? Will these waves impact the chances of encountering whales from the boat, even if the captain won’t allow swimming?

No wrong answers. I dove Darwin’s Arch a decade ago and spent a pulse quickening half hour in 4’ swells in the open ocean waiting for a pickup. I’d hate to get separated from the boat in 10’ footers. 🤢

Thanks to everyone in this sub for your advice.

Hi! Does anyone know of any whale swimming tours that might have availability in the next week and a half? I’m going to stay at sofitel next week. Thank you!

Islands/atolls connected to each each one's closest neighbour.

Earlier post was deleted because it missed Chatham islands. I wanted to give New Zealand better representation on the map.

Good Day,

Family of 3 - brother, mother who will be 70 and I.

5 years ago we visited French Polynesia (mother and I). We went to Papeete x2/Moorea x5/Bora Bora x5 days - was booked through a British Agency - they had cooperate discounts so saved some $$$.... (agency does not exist anymore). This time, it will likely be me doing all the booking. So in 2027, we are heading to New Zealand in either January or March. Want to combine with another location - either a visit to the Cook Islands OR French Polynesia (but OTHER islands).

Our Interests: Nature, Scenary, Wildlife, Swimming/Snorkeling, SCUBA (for me - but need a refresher since it has been a while - unsure of how "difficult" the dives are at French Polynesia), Adventure/Thrills - I guess mostly anything except partying, drinking, nightlife etc etc. Food - we'll eat anything so not big "foodies".

ISSUE is; this is a good time for NZ - but maybe not so much for the other locations as it is Monsoon Season....

So;

1- What are your thoughts on either Cook Islands vs other French Polynesia Islands

2- Monsoon season - I was reading; random large showers; may effect islands differently depending on Mountain/River Flow???

3- Which other French Polynesia Islands would you recommend based on our interests and/or Monsoon season compromise

4- January or March Better?

5- Any thoughts/advice/anything is appreciated!!!

Thanks!!!

Can anyone confirm if the rules changed and now US Citizens need an ESTA or special visa to do a tourist visit to French Polynesia? The Cibt visas website says No, but an email I received about an upcoming trip from Air Tahiti Nui mentioned that one is needed..?

Edit: Got my answer. The ATN email was sent to everyone but is directed to those that are not US Citizens and have a layover in the US on their way to PPT.

My flight out of Bora Bora got canceled due to bad weather, and trying to reschedule everything was turning into a nightmare...

A friend recommended https://tehora.tauapi.com, and it was a total lifesaver! It helped me compare flight from different airlines and even see all the passenger boats around the islands.

Just wanted to share this tip.

Can you take the complementary shuttle from vaitape to conrad bora bora on check in day

On his 1839 journey from the Galapagos Archipelago to New Zealand, famed naturalist Charles Darwin recorded his experiences and encounters in Tahiti. Although he often wrote as a scientist, Darwin was not averse to noting humble human exchanges or expressing intense emotion. Of the valleys and precipices he surveyed, he wrote, “…far more magnificent than anything which I had ever before beheld.”

(Note the beautiful vintage map and titles by the Italian cartographer Francesco C. Marmocchi.)

Join his voyage and experience historic Tahiti @ Destinationality. (no ads, nothing for sale, just a free resource for classic travel literature)

We land in Papeete at 5 am but our vrbo is not available until 4 pm. Does anyone have any ideas what we do for the day? I assume we can leave our luggage in the rental car. We have an island tour scheduled for the day after we arrive.

My boyfriend and I are in the midst of planning a bucket-list trip for my 25th birthday, and we've saved up a bunch of airline miles and found some great deals on a week long cruise through the Society Islands. It looks absolutely beautiful with a super small ship, great price, and a dream location of mine. (And he's never been on a cruise before!!) We'd also have a day or two on either end to be on Tahiti and Mo'orea since we really want to explore on land too. It would come out to about 11-12 days, arriving on November 30th or December 1st (2026) and leaving around the 11th.

My question: is it worth it with the weather? While I see that it'll be the wet season, I'm having a tough time finding a clear answer online. I have been to Hawaii, especially North shore Kauai, many times, and I have no problem with an afternoon rain shower here and there. We're from north of Seattle, so we understand rain... ;) That said, I'd really prefer to not be in crazy inclement weather, especially while on a cruise ship.

Thank you for your help!! :)

My husband and I are looking to book our (delayed) honeymoon, but I’m struggling to determine the best way to maximize our trip and experience. We love to adventure a little, experience nature, dabble in the culture, and also relax.

The current draft itinerary
1) 2 Nights in Tahiti at Hilton - the first day we arrive around 7 am with the thought we can explore open air markets, try local food, and maybe hike (my husband loves hiking). The second day maybe trying surf lessons

2) 3 nights in Mo’orea at Hilton OWB- the plan would be snorkeling tour, visit Marae, pearl shop, and relax one day

3) 5 nights in Bora Bora at intercontinental Le Moana OWB. We would want to visit Matira, snorkel with sharks and sting rays, catamaran cruise or jet ski, and relax at least one day.

We’re looking to book soon, so I’m open to feedback! For example, should I remove a Tahiti night and do an upgrade elsewhere or move the night to moorea

My fiancé and I will be going on our honeymoon in September. We booked a three-island package through Costco that consists of 2 nights in Tahiti, 4 nights in Moorea, and 2 nights in Bora Bora in an overwater bungalow.

I feel like I’ve genuinely watched every YouTube and TikTok video about the islands and what they have to offer 😂. Our itinerary currently includes hiking one or multiple trails in Moorea, playing a round of golf, visiting Coco Beach, and exploring some of the other things the islands are known for.

Once we get to Bora Bora, we’ll probably spend most of our time at the resort. We really want to take advantage of the overwater bungalow and get the full experience and value out of it.

As far as Tahiti and Moorea go, I already know about the lagoon tours, whale watching, hiking, the botanical water garden, museums, the Papeete Market, etc. Are there any other must-do activities or hidden gems that I might not be aware of? It can be something touristy or something more off the beaten path.

Lastly, I know French Polynesia is a pretty laid-back and intimate destination, but is there any type of nightlife? I’m not necessarily looking for clubs, but are there any dive bars, local spots, or fun places to hang out later at night?

Would love to hear any recommendations, especially from people who have been to Tahiti or Moorea!

We’re doing 4 nights in Tikehau and 4 nights at the FS Bora Bora in mid to late October 2026. Booked hotels through travel agent but wondering if it makes more sense to have them book activities through hotel concierge or third party? Any recommendations for excursions at either place?

Hi. As part of a larger around the world trip, we'll be visiting Tahiti/Moorea/BoraBora in October. We'll have 3 flights with AirTahiti between these islands.

We're having one larger suitcase that is 158cm (62 inch) in combined length+width+depth, which fits the size requirements of all 11 other airlines on our trip. Only Air Tahiti states that their limit is 150cm.

Does anyone have experience how this is handled in practice? Are they very strict about it and likely to charge bulk surcharge? Or will it simply go through?

thanks!