We are flying from Auckland into Papeete for 5 days and don't know if we should stay in Tahiti (not Papeete)or Moorea. We are looking for a relaxing time near the beach (as this will be near the end of our round the world trip)but we don't want to be isolated.We really enjoy good food and like options and not tied to where we are staying. Not so sure about the water bungalows though but up for any suggestion. please help advise us!!!

I think Moorea is so much nicer than Tahiti in just about every way - and it is a short ferry ride from Papeete. If you don't want to feel isolated, you can stay in places around Haaru, and you will be near a small assortment of stores and restaurants. Over-water bungalows are really nice, but shorefront bungalows have similar views and cost less than half as much.

Our flt arrives into papeete in the middle of the night so I think we will have to stay the first night there and get ferry early in the morning. I have just looked at a small map of moorea and can't see Haaru is it close to beach.would you suggest paying more for good location. We have all our trip planned now except for Tahiti and LA and although it has been great fun it has also been quite exhausting and time consuming. We are not in the first flush of youth and like our comforts but don't want to pay over the odds for them (we have 10 flts altogether so on a budget). So any help is most appreciated.

We were there in May and enjoyed being in Papeetee for 2 days for the market and get the feel of the town. We were in FP for 2 weeks, so we didn't mind spending sometime there. We then took the ferry to Moorea and stayed in an overwater bungalow at the Sheraton. This was paradise! They are overpriced, but worth doing at least once in your life in my opinion. I was septical about the Sheraton because of all the different reviews I've read on it, but we were not disappointed at all. Everything was great: service, location, food. And the water is extremely clear and full of wonderful tropical fish. We took a tour into the island to see the Belvedere, plantations, the Fruit Company (nice gift shop there!), but we found ourselves just wanting to stay at our bungalow, diving off our deck. It was extremely relaxing.

However, if I had only 5 days to spend there, I stay the first night in Papeetee upon arrival, spend the next day in Papeetee (Market) and then go to Moorea for the remaining 4 nights. It's a wonderful place. Enjoy!

Andie

Haaru is near the north end of the west coast - there is a long strip of beach with a bunch of accomodations, starting in the south at Haapiti, and continuing northward to the top of the island. Most of these places are mid-range (for French Polynesia), such as:
Les Tipaniers
Moorea Village
Fare Vaimoana
Hibiscus

Most of the high-end places with the classic over-water bungalows are on the north end of the island, or the northeast side, such as;
Beachcomber Intercontinental
Sheraton Moorea
Moorea Pearl
Sofitel La Ora

We have decided to do as you suggest Andie and stay the first nt in Papeete and ferry over late afternoon the next day to Moorea..good idea. Can't quite make up our minds yet about hotels or pensions but thanks for all the advice Alf. It's our 34th wedding anniversary and although we have been on many treks before we want to really enjoy this one.

It was our 25th anniversary so that's why we decided to splurge on the OWB and enjoyed every minute of it and would do it again in a jiffy. If you'd like to see some pics of the owb at Sheraton, feel free to email me at [email protected] and I'll email you some. We actually just looked at them again tonight with friends...I envy you! Wish I'd could go back now!

Andie

We stayed on Moorea as part of a RTW trip last summer. We arrived into Papeete very early in the morning from LAX and then took the 10 minute flight to Moorea. On the way back we left Moorea early morning, hired a car in Papeete for a day so that we could tour Tahiti (glad we did, but wouldn't have needed more than the day) then overnighted at a hotel close to the airport for our onward flight to the Cooks. We stayed at Les Tipaniers on Moorea - we had a lovely (though rustic rather than plush) beachfront villa with a view to die for. We liked the fact that we could self cater but also had the option of a restaurant on site (there is a small shopping centre an easy walk from Les Tipaniers). The snorkelling was very good - the only downside of this part of the holiday was that we took one of the free canoes out to the little off-shore islands and promptly overturned it, which meant that our camera and its underwater housing got wet ! Problem was that we hadn't put the camera inside the housing -DUH!! As this was the beginning of the trip it meant that we had no opportunity to film underwater anywhere on the trip - still, we got to enjoy some awesome stuff without trying to capture it on camera ! We've considered the overwater bungalows in several places, but never quite think they are worth the extra cost, particularly as the snorkelling around them is not usually as elsewhere on an island.

Gaynor

how did you find your stay in Les Tipaniers was there a fridge in the bungalow. I have heard different reports some good and some bad. It's always interesting to hear from someone first hand. what were the facilities around it within walking distance to shops/restaurants etc we are keen for the snorkling was the water good and clear. can't wait to get this segment of the trip booked and out of the way. any info on this subject is much appreciated. thanks

Our bungalow had a fridge and stove top cooking facilities, but I can't remember if there was an oven - I think not, probably. There was a very good restaurant on site and several others within walking distance (we only ate at the one on site). There is a small supermarket within a short walking distance along with several other shops. You pass a couple of car rental places on the way. Most restaurants on the island offer a free pick up service - we did not use this because we enjoyed self catering and eating at the restaurant on site (they also operate a take out service).

The water was incredibly clear and snorkelling was possible directly from the beach at high tide, but it was better if you took the outrigger canoe out to the small off-shore islands. We also used the canoe to paddle out to where various boat trips take you to see reef sharks and rays (we're mid 50s and not the highly athletic type so this is an easy thing to do!). We stayed for 6 nights, hired a car for 3 so that we could see more of the island which is beautiful.

We do not regret paying the extra for a beach front bungalow - the view was worth it, and the sunsets amazing! If you want 5* facilities, then I would suggest elsewhere, but the view/location is 5* and the facilities are good if you like to be comfortable but independant. If you have any other specific questions, I'll do my best to answer them.

Gaynor

thank you Gaynor for all your insight into this pension. I will send an email off to them right away to see what availability they have for my dates.It is also my 50th as well as our wedding anniversary so although we don't want luxury we want to be comfortable with where we are staying. thank you again for your help and I'll post again if I get it booked