OT: Would you pick Bora Bora/Tahiti or Southern Italy as a 2006 destination? Can't decide...
Oct 26th, 2004, 03:41 PM
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OT: Would you pick Bora Bora/Tahiti or Southern Italy as a 2006 destination? Can't decide...
I know this is off topic for an American travel web board, but I figured some of you regulars might know what would make a most excellent trip. I've never been to Bora Bora and heard it was great fun and beautiful. We love to relax in pretty environs and explore nearby areas.
I've been to Rome and Florence but my wife hasn't. The other trip option would be to go to southern Italy, maybe some of the Amalfi coast and do Positano, Capri, Rome and Florence. Which would you pick? We're 43 and pretty active. We're doing Hawaii in 2005, but are open for 2006 and can't decide where to go...
I would have posted this on the Europe or another board, but because those places aren't both on the same forum, I thought I'd try right in the middle of the 2 places on THIS board. Please don't get mad I'm not using the right board! I promise to be better in the future.
Steve
I've been to Rome and Florence but my wife hasn't. The other trip option would be to go to southern Italy, maybe some of the Amalfi coast and do Positano, Capri, Rome and Florence. Which would you pick? We're 43 and pretty active. We're doing Hawaii in 2005, but are open for 2006 and can't decide where to go...
I would have posted this on the Europe or another board, but because those places aren't both on the same forum, I thought I'd try right in the middle of the 2 places on THIS board. Please don't get mad I'm not using the right board! I promise to be better in the future.
Steve
Oct 26th, 2004, 03:56 PM
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I would check out www.tahitiexplorer.com
I went to Bora Bora, Moorea and Rangiroa last year. Bora Bora was my least favorite of the islands (posts in the Australia/Pacific boards). We plan to go back to French Polynesia without a doubt! It is the most beautiful place IMO. We dive and spent a lot of time diving. If you aren't into diving/snorkling and really relaxing this might not be the destination for you. And it is VERY expensive. Way more than Europe.
I love Italy but this is just a completely different type of trip. No diving, no relaxing on semi deserted islands.
I think only you can decide and I'd have a great time doing the research if I were you!!!
I went to Bora Bora, Moorea and Rangiroa last year. Bora Bora was my least favorite of the islands (posts in the Australia/Pacific boards). We plan to go back to French Polynesia without a doubt! It is the most beautiful place IMO. We dive and spent a lot of time diving. If you aren't into diving/snorkling and really relaxing this might not be the destination for you. And it is VERY expensive. Way more than Europe.
I love Italy but this is just a completely different type of trip. No diving, no relaxing on semi deserted islands.
I think only you can decide and I'd have a great time doing the research if I were you!!!
Oct 26th, 2004, 04:34 PM
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I agree with stormygirl; French Poly and Italy are two completely different vacations. In Italy, you'd want to be on the go to feel you're getting your money's worth. On the other hand, the reason to go to Bora Bora is to relax and enjoy the scenery. It's one of the few places I've been that you can experience from a chaise lounge.
Oct 26th, 2004, 04:48 PM
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Italy, if you're not limiting the discussion to southern Italy alone, is my favorite overall destination in the world. The lakes region and Alps up north, Tuscany/Umbria, Florence, Rome, Amalfi Coast, Capri, Napoli...there's so much to see and do, the food is great, some excellent accommodations. I've not found another single area which offers so much.
Oct 26th, 2004, 04:51 PM
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Boy! You like to mix apples and oranges!
Tahiti, populated by Polynesians with a French attitude! Prices to boot!Lots of dead dogs on the road and bugs, but the most gorgeous water for snorking I've ever seen and I've been to Hawaii dozens of times and the Great Barrier Reef twice. If you choose this trip, I strongly recommend you cruise on a ship that gives you a good overview of the islands. I have not cruised Tahiti but want to go again, on a ship.We get lots of recommendations from people who used Radisson 7 seas Gauguin. www.rssc.com. I just got a brochure from them and they qoted the cheapest fare at $1995 pp. I hear the Windstar does a good job too. You see all of beautiful Tahiti, food is included, but bugs and lizards in your room are not!
NOw, Italy!!!!A whole different story, we go there every year, and I don't have all nite to go on nor do you!
It's a big world out there!!See it ALL!!
Tahiti, populated by Polynesians with a French attitude! Prices to boot!Lots of dead dogs on the road and bugs, but the most gorgeous water for snorking I've ever seen and I've been to Hawaii dozens of times and the Great Barrier Reef twice. If you choose this trip, I strongly recommend you cruise on a ship that gives you a good overview of the islands. I have not cruised Tahiti but want to go again, on a ship.We get lots of recommendations from people who used Radisson 7 seas Gauguin. www.rssc.com. I just got a brochure from them and they qoted the cheapest fare at $1995 pp. I hear the Windstar does a good job too. You see all of beautiful Tahiti, food is included, but bugs and lizards in your room are not!
NOw, Italy!!!!A whole different story, we go there every year, and I don't have all nite to go on nor do you!
It's a big world out there!!See it ALL!!
Oct 26th, 2004, 04:57 PM
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I have not been to Bora Bora, but I have been to Italy and absolutely love it!
You mentioned that you have a HI trip already planned, so Italy would be a nice change. Since you have been, you know how gorgeous it is!
We always travel in off peak times to avoid crowds and really enjoy that.
How much time are you looking at?
You mentioned that you have a HI trip already planned, so Italy would be a nice change. Since you have been, you know how gorgeous it is!
We always travel in off peak times to avoid crowds and really enjoy that.
How much time are you looking at?
Oct 26th, 2004, 05:16 PM
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I've had the incredible pleasure of experiencing both and there's no way I can recommend one above the other. There's been only two times I can ever recall when my jaw just dropped to the floor, and they have been when I had an aerial view of the turqoise lagoon of Bora Bora as we were landing and my first glimpse of Positano following a bend along the Amalfi Coast. I only wish every fodorite has the chance to see both sometime during their lives.
Getting back to your question, since you're going to Hawaii in 2005, I'd say go to French Polynesia (FP) in 2006. Why?
Because you would have a fresh perspective on the comparisons and contrasts between the Hawaiian islands and FP. Although I love Hawaii very much, FP is much more exotic and pristine. It is said that Hawaii gets more tourists in 1 day than FP gets in a year. So I tend to believe that a US visitor will have a deeper appreciation of FP with its fabulous lagoons and lack of high-rise hotels if they've experienced Hawaii first.
By then you'll have had your fill of Polynesian culture and will want to move on to locales that have both man-made and natural splendors such as Italy. And hopefully by 2007, the US$ will be stronger against the Euro.
And I don't necessarily agree that FP is WAY more expensive than Europe. There are 5 star hotels along the Amalfi Coast like Le Sirenuse, San Pietro and Palazzo Sasso whose rates aren't too far below over-water bungalows at say Hotel Bora Bora or the Bora Bora Nui. But generally, Italy can be visited in a more affordable manner than French Polynesia.
Tough decision but a pleasurable one to make.
Getting back to your question, since you're going to Hawaii in 2005, I'd say go to French Polynesia (FP) in 2006. Why?
Because you would have a fresh perspective on the comparisons and contrasts between the Hawaiian islands and FP. Although I love Hawaii very much, FP is much more exotic and pristine. It is said that Hawaii gets more tourists in 1 day than FP gets in a year. So I tend to believe that a US visitor will have a deeper appreciation of FP with its fabulous lagoons and lack of high-rise hotels if they've experienced Hawaii first.
By then you'll have had your fill of Polynesian culture and will want to move on to locales that have both man-made and natural splendors such as Italy. And hopefully by 2007, the US$ will be stronger against the Euro.
And I don't necessarily agree that FP is WAY more expensive than Europe. There are 5 star hotels along the Amalfi Coast like Le Sirenuse, San Pietro and Palazzo Sasso whose rates aren't too far below over-water bungalows at say Hotel Bora Bora or the Bora Bora Nui. But generally, Italy can be visited in a more affordable manner than French Polynesia.
Tough decision but a pleasurable one to make.
Oct 26th, 2004, 05:59 PM
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Wow - you folks are fast. Thank you so much, everyone. We did just go to Italy this past summer - Lake Como area for a week, and Venice. We also did the Swiss Alps for a week with Zurich and Lugano in there as well on that same trip.
As I said we'll be doing 2 weeks in Hawaii in 2005, then our original plan was to go to ONLY southern Italy next year (Florence and then south with most of the time on the Amalfi coast), but life has gotten so stressful, that we were considering doing the French Polynesia area instead that year. There's something to be said about not having to catch trains, to busses, to this hotel, to that city, to that boat trip, with lots of luggage, on the Italian vacation from hell
I never thought of taking a cruise through the French Polynesia... We're not real cruise lovers, but are open to trying it again. We took a cruise through Alaska 3 years ago and stupidly picked an inside cabin to save money. We loved the cruise, but not our room with no view. DOH!
We like getting somewhere and hanging out for a while. We loved our honeymoon in St Lucia 5 years ago and spent 11 days just relaxing and touring the island from the base of the new Hyatt (which is now a Sandals). I would want to stay in a place that had air conditioning for sure, if we go to French Polynesia. I've heard some really deluxe places don't even have A/C, just a fan. That would kill us, even if it IS over the water on one of those huts. I guess I'll have to do some more research on the appropriate boards, but wanted your input before I started really getting into it all.
Maybe it's that my job is stressing me out lately a bit more than usual,and my desire to go to "paradise" is sounding pretty good right now. I thought the definition of paradise was Bora Bora or that general area, but I guess it could also be Positano or Sardinia or Tuscany if we keep our itinerary fairly simple! I thing is, we don't drive in foreign countries so we have to rely on trains and buses.
I also kind of conveniently forgot that the French Polynesia could be incredibly expensive, so that will be a deciding factor. It's not like we'll be staying in cheap pensions in Italy, but an average of $450 a night for 15 nights isn't going to work in our budget either! We're probably looking at about $225-290 a night with the possible options to splurge upwards from there.
Regards,
Steve
Silver Spring MD
As I said we'll be doing 2 weeks in Hawaii in 2005, then our original plan was to go to ONLY southern Italy next year (Florence and then south with most of the time on the Amalfi coast), but life has gotten so stressful, that we were considering doing the French Polynesia area instead that year. There's something to be said about not having to catch trains, to busses, to this hotel, to that city, to that boat trip, with lots of luggage, on the Italian vacation from hell
I never thought of taking a cruise through the French Polynesia... We're not real cruise lovers, but are open to trying it again. We took a cruise through Alaska 3 years ago and stupidly picked an inside cabin to save money. We loved the cruise, but not our room with no view. DOH!
We like getting somewhere and hanging out for a while. We loved our honeymoon in St Lucia 5 years ago and spent 11 days just relaxing and touring the island from the base of the new Hyatt (which is now a Sandals). I would want to stay in a place that had air conditioning for sure, if we go to French Polynesia. I've heard some really deluxe places don't even have A/C, just a fan. That would kill us, even if it IS over the water on one of those huts. I guess I'll have to do some more research on the appropriate boards, but wanted your input before I started really getting into it all.
Maybe it's that my job is stressing me out lately a bit more than usual,and my desire to go to "paradise" is sounding pretty good right now. I thought the definition of paradise was Bora Bora or that general area, but I guess it could also be Positano or Sardinia or Tuscany if we keep our itinerary fairly simple! I thing is, we don't drive in foreign countries so we have to rely on trains and buses.
I also kind of conveniently forgot that the French Polynesia could be incredibly expensive, so that will be a deciding factor. It's not like we'll be staying in cheap pensions in Italy, but an average of $450 a night for 15 nights isn't going to work in our budget either! We're probably looking at about $225-290 a night with the possible options to splurge upwards from there.
Regards,
Steve
Silver Spring MD
Oct 26th, 2004, 06:30 PM
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Is that $225-290 combined or per person? Because if it's the former, there aren't many resorts on Bora Bora, Moorea or other Society Islands you'll be able to experience. Especially if you include taxes. You might have to spend the majority of the time on Tahiti which wouldn't be all that desirable. Go to tahiti-explorer.com as stormygirl suggested and you'll get a better idea of resort rates in French Polynesia.
Oct 26th, 2004, 07:57 PM
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Have you thought about the Cook Islands? I once researched that area of the Pacific. They are less expensive and less developed than Tahiti. I believe they are a part of New Zealand. They are a little farther than the Society Islands, but once you're going that far, perhaps it doesn't matter.
Alas, we never made it to the Cook Islands. You can be our scout!
Alas, we never made it to the Cook Islands. You can be our scout!
Oct 26th, 2004, 08:02 PM
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bluefan: wow - you weren't kidding! Interesting website you sent me to - sticker shock city. I found a Sofitel that was kind of cheap at the mid $300's to low $400's per night in Bora Bora for November as a test price. This is wild. I forgot that for a bungalow over the water it might be $600+ a night. Ouch. Italy is starting to look like a bargain, and more doable in the end. Culturally, I think we'd get more out of going to Italy. I just hate going back to a place I've already been, but it'll be fun to share it with my wife. For me, it's like seeing a movie twice, something I rarely want to do. I DID miss the Pantheon when I had my whirlwind week in Rome 6 years ago. I got there 5 minutes after it closed, so at least I'd get to do that. I'm sure it'll be great, whichever one we choose, but after looking at that Tahiti website, I think Italy is starting to look like a bargain, even if we do stay in some higher end hotels. Time to start saving up those Starwood points!
Steve
Maryland
Steve
Maryland
Oct 26th, 2004, 08:13 PM
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Stever,
My husband is in the same boat as you: overworked. He wants to RELAX on our next vacation. I want Italy.
So, we're going to hang out in Positano for a week, with a couple of Rome days on either end. We got a hotel room with a great view and large private terrace in Positano for 150E/night (Villa Rosa). There are options for daytrips to Pompeii, Capri, Naples, and other coastal towns if we get bored, or we can just hike around town to kill time between breakfast on the terrace and our afternoon nap. Sounds like Paradise to me...
My husband is in the same boat as you: overworked. He wants to RELAX on our next vacation. I want Italy.
So, we're going to hang out in Positano for a week, with a couple of Rome days on either end. We got a hotel room with a great view and large private terrace in Positano for 150E/night (Villa Rosa). There are options for daytrips to Pompeii, Capri, Naples, and other coastal towns if we get bored, or we can just hike around town to kill time between breakfast on the terrace and our afternoon nap. Sounds like Paradise to me...
Oct 27th, 2004, 06:39 AM
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Jocelyn P - Thanks for the perspective. I guess we have 2 years to get ready, so I think it's going to be Positano and the surrounding area - like you suggest. I'm going to take note of that place Villa Rosa you recommend and put it away in my trip file for the future. Do they have a website?
Regards,
Steve
Maryland
Regards,
Steve
Maryland
Oct 27th, 2004, 09:53 AM
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Stever,
Here you go:
http://www.villarosapositano.it/welcomeuk.htm
It's a very popular place, and from what I understand, they're already accepting reservations for 2006!
Here you go:
http://www.villarosapositano.it/welcomeuk.htm
It's a very popular place, and from what I understand, they're already accepting reservations for 2006!
Oct 27th, 2004, 10:49 AM
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Steve,
If you have a large stash of Starwood points, you should look at FP again. Starwood has properties on Bora Bora, Moorea, and Tahiti (the points required for Bora Bora are steep though). Your biggest expense in FP is accomodations. I didn't find the costs of dining, tours, etc. to be out of line with other higher end vacation destinations. Going back to the earlier cruise idea, I would've also suggested looking at Radisson's Paul Gauguin, but they'll no longer be sailing in Tahiti by 2006. And Windstar won't be operating cruises in Tahiti beyond this year, so your choices would be pretty limited there.
If you have a large stash of Starwood points, you should look at FP again. Starwood has properties on Bora Bora, Moorea, and Tahiti (the points required for Bora Bora are steep though). Your biggest expense in FP is accomodations. I didn't find the costs of dining, tours, etc. to be out of line with other higher end vacation destinations. Going back to the earlier cruise idea, I would've also suggested looking at Radisson's Paul Gauguin, but they'll no longer be sailing in Tahiti by 2006. And Windstar won't be operating cruises in Tahiti beyond this year, so your choices would be pretty limited there.
Oct 27th, 2004, 10:53 AM
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Just to muddy the water -- let me propose Provence as an alternative to Italy. We spent last September in Provence and this October in Italy. JMHO -- but I preferred Provence. The scenery is spectacular, the people were warm and welcoming, the food and wine were outstanding and the price was a lot better than Italy. We stayed in beautiful B&Bs and boutique hotels for a franction of the cost of Italy -- $85- $100 Euros per night. I will happily share the details if you like. Send an email: [email protected]
Oct 27th, 2004, 12:57 PM
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Can you really plan a vacation destination two years out? I think probably 3 months is my max for planning.
Is it difficult to get rooms? I have a friend who went to Moorea on a whim, had no problem getting accommodations.
I guess I'm a little more spontaneous. I don't know what I'll like in 2 years!
Is it difficult to get rooms? I have a friend who went to Moorea on a whim, had no problem getting accommodations.
I guess I'm a little more spontaneous. I don't know what I'll like in 2 years!
Oct 27th, 2004, 01:22 PM
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Stever, I agree with Leona. This in Oct. 2004.
Worrying about where you want to go in 2006 I would think is just adding to the stress you are probably already feeling.
May I suggest you do your Hawaii trip in 2005 and than afterwards think and decide the 2006 trip.
You have lots of options but they don't have to be all decided now. And have a happy,relaxing time in Hawaii.
Worrying about where you want to go in 2006 I would think is just adding to the stress you are probably already feeling.
May I suggest you do your Hawaii trip in 2005 and than afterwards think and decide the 2006 trip.
You have lots of options but they don't have to be all decided now. And have a happy,relaxing time in Hawaii.
Oct 27th, 2004, 02:08 PM
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If I went to FP I know I'd need to stay in an over-water bungalow at least part of the time. Figure that into costs.
What about Fiji or the Cooks?
I went to Hawaii this year (first time) and 2 years earlier to Italy (second trip) and I LOVED Hawaii but still give Italy the nod for better overall trip. I just love it all - the food, scenery, history, cities, hill towns, wine, ruins, language and culture.
Have you considered Greece? Plenty of beaches and islands, yet full of history to explore.
I too have my 2006 travel plans in the works: World Cup in Germany!
What about Fiji or the Cooks?
I went to Hawaii this year (first time) and 2 years earlier to Italy (second trip) and I LOVED Hawaii but still give Italy the nod for better overall trip. I just love it all - the food, scenery, history, cities, hill towns, wine, ruins, language and culture.
Have you considered Greece? Plenty of beaches and islands, yet full of history to explore.
I too have my 2006 travel plans in the works: World Cup in Germany!
