Hawaii vs Tahiti
Oct 7th, 2005, 10:22 AM
#21
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i've been to all the hawaiian islands many times over the years and we went to papete and club med on bora bora last september for our 15th anniversary. now we love hawaii but tahiti had always been my dream
we absolutley loved it- the beauty puts hawaii to shame and before i couldn't imagine a more beautiful beach than hawaii. it was incredibly expensive, we have our next trip to hawaii planned and it will look cheap compared to tahiti. the club med was a good way to save some tho and we did have marvelous food there and alot to do. it was much more french than i had been led to believe and i loved that about it.
don't know if we'll ever go back but we never ever regret the money we spent on going there. we both did pick up "little bugs" there and were sick for awhile when we got home but that didn't dampen our trip
we absolutley loved it- the beauty puts hawaii to shame and before i couldn't imagine a more beautiful beach than hawaii. it was incredibly expensive, we have our next trip to hawaii planned and it will look cheap compared to tahiti. the club med was a good way to save some tho and we did have marvelous food there and alot to do. it was much more french than i had been led to believe and i loved that about it.
don't know if we'll ever go back but we never ever regret the money we spent on going there. we both did pick up "little bugs" there and were sick for awhile when we got home but that didn't dampen our trip
Oct 11th, 2005, 11:11 AM
#22
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I had posted a reply to this message earlier, based on our visit last year to Polynesia. Now we're just back from Hawaii (Oahu, Maui, Kauai), and I can make a better comparison. Jim didn't say when the honeymoon would be so this may be after the fact -- but the question does tend to keep coming up, in one form or another. So here goes:
We loved both places. Loads of honeymooners at both. I think it really depends on your personalities and preferences, and your budget. Do you want to spend a lazy honeymoon luxuriating in an overwater bungalow and gazing at your honey?
? (Polynesia) Or hanging out sometimes with other couples, maybe staying at a big fancy hotel with lots of people? (Hawaii)
Swimming, snorkeling, lazing on the beach? (Polynesia) Or do you want more varied activities -- add in some sightseeing, hiking, sailing? (Hawaii)
Do you look forward to relaxing solitude in a fabulous overwater bungalow? (Polynesia, esp. Le Taha'a) Or a luxe hotel with great facilities and service to match?
How is your budget? We found FP WAY more costly than Hawaii. Food in FP was pretty good but not stellar -- didn't find any restaurants up to the top-of-the-line places you can find in Hawaii.
And all that said, what would have worked for DH and me all those years ago would have been the overwater bungalow. Can't imagine anything more romantic and quiet after all the rush and work for the wedding. Since we lived in England at the time, we went to Positano -- another fabulous option of an entirely different kind. ;-)
Hawaii or Polynesia? Celebrate the fact that you can consider those choices! And have a wonderful time, whichever you decide to do.
By the way, re the Tahiti Explorer website -- I agree with many of the comments, but what I appreciated about it was info from some frequent visitors, and good trip reports. And I still go there to visit the webcams and fantasize for a bit... (Go to the home page and scroll down the center panel.)
We loved both places. Loads of honeymooners at both. I think it really depends on your personalities and preferences, and your budget. Do you want to spend a lazy honeymoon luxuriating in an overwater bungalow and gazing at your honey?
? (Polynesia) Or hanging out sometimes with other couples, maybe staying at a big fancy hotel with lots of people? (Hawaii) Swimming, snorkeling, lazing on the beach? (Polynesia) Or do you want more varied activities -- add in some sightseeing, hiking, sailing? (Hawaii)
Do you look forward to relaxing solitude in a fabulous overwater bungalow? (Polynesia, esp. Le Taha'a) Or a luxe hotel with great facilities and service to match?
How is your budget? We found FP WAY more costly than Hawaii. Food in FP was pretty good but not stellar -- didn't find any restaurants up to the top-of-the-line places you can find in Hawaii.
And all that said, what would have worked for DH and me all those years ago would have been the overwater bungalow. Can't imagine anything more romantic and quiet after all the rush and work for the wedding. Since we lived in England at the time, we went to Positano -- another fabulous option of an entirely different kind. ;-)
Hawaii or Polynesia? Celebrate the fact that you can consider those choices! And have a wonderful time, whichever you decide to do.
By the way, re the Tahiti Explorer website -- I agree with many of the comments, but what I appreciated about it was info from some frequent visitors, and good trip reports. And I still go there to visit the webcams and fantasize for a bit... (Go to the home page and scroll down the center panel.)
Oct 14th, 2005, 03:08 AM
#23
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How about those VERY expensive places in Hawaii such as on Lanai? I thought you could go there and pay lots of money to gaze at someone and not have to look at another dolphin painting by Mr. Waht's His Name or be bothered by lots of other folks.
Is this just hype put out by those "upscale" Hawaiian resorts?
Personally, I've often thought of going to Tahiti but now I'm not so sure.
I still like to "gaze at my honey" but sometimes I like to gaze at a movie screen, go window shopping, etc., too.
But no need to complain since we are all fortunate enough to have traveled to some of these places.
Is this just hype put out by those "upscale" Hawaiian resorts?
Personally, I've often thought of going to Tahiti but now I'm not so sure.
I still like to "gaze at my honey" but sometimes I like to gaze at a movie screen, go window shopping, etc., too.
But no need to complain since we are all fortunate enough to have traveled to some of these places.
Oct 17th, 2005, 08:59 AM
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One of the main differentiating factors for me is that there are no overwater bungalows in Hawaii (AFAIK), whereas they seem to be on all the islands of Polynesia.
A lovely room with a lanai in a big hotel can be great. But there's just something about the OWB's privacy and sense of seclusion -- not to mention your own deck to laze on, and then down the ladder into the lagoon to swim or snorkel.
A lovely room with a lanai in a big hotel can be great. But there's just something about the OWB's privacy and sense of seclusion -- not to mention your own deck to laze on, and then down the ladder into the lagoon to swim or snorkel.
Feb 21st, 2006, 10:45 AM
#26
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RUN AS FAR AWAY FROM TAHITI AS YOU CAN!!!
Sorry to be so direct. My wife and I just came back from a trip to Moorea, one of the islands in Tahiti and we stayed at the Sheraton. French Polynisa (FP) is specitactular for scenery and beauty but that is where it stops. The people on the island have giant atitude problem. Their careless atitude and rudiness is beyond anything I have ever seen in all my global travels. Hospitality is not high on the priority list for anyone there including the shop keepers, hotel wait staff and managers and resturant owners. Be sure that we put the "ugly american" atitude in our pocket when dealing with these people but it was no use. Over charging for common items was always apparent and bill corrections were always needed. Safety is critical when it rain and my wife slipped on the tile, not only did they not help her up, but they where sure to run out with the "slippery when wet" sign as soon as she scrambled to her feet. She is recovering from from a bruised rib now. I almost lost it with the management over that.
The food was nothing to write home about also. What was surprising was that they were even rude to Canadians and other forneigners. I guess if you didn't speak french, you will pay through the nose. I'm going back to Hawaii, it's 2 hours flight time shorter, the diving is just as good, the people are much nicer and the dollar has no exchange rate.
Again.. RUN AWAY FROM TAHITI as fast as you can!! Put Paris on the back burner too unless you want atitude and poor service their too. Have safe travels.
Sorry to be so direct. My wife and I just came back from a trip to Moorea, one of the islands in Tahiti and we stayed at the Sheraton. French Polynisa (FP) is specitactular for scenery and beauty but that is where it stops. The people on the island have giant atitude problem. Their careless atitude and rudiness is beyond anything I have ever seen in all my global travels. Hospitality is not high on the priority list for anyone there including the shop keepers, hotel wait staff and managers and resturant owners. Be sure that we put the "ugly american" atitude in our pocket when dealing with these people but it was no use. Over charging for common items was always apparent and bill corrections were always needed. Safety is critical when it rain and my wife slipped on the tile, not only did they not help her up, but they where sure to run out with the "slippery when wet" sign as soon as she scrambled to her feet. She is recovering from from a bruised rib now. I almost lost it with the management over that.
The food was nothing to write home about also. What was surprising was that they were even rude to Canadians and other forneigners. I guess if you didn't speak french, you will pay through the nose. I'm going back to Hawaii, it's 2 hours flight time shorter, the diving is just as good, the people are much nicer and the dollar has no exchange rate.
Again.. RUN AWAY FROM TAHITI as fast as you can!! Put Paris on the back burner too unless you want atitude and poor service their too. Have safe travels.
Feb 21st, 2006, 11:02 AM
#27
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Hands down Tahiti!!
I was married in Moorea and have been many times.. Get off Tahiti as soon as possible and go to Moorea, Bora Bora or the other islands.. Hawaii is lovely and have also been about 10 times in my life but there is no place prettier than the Society Islands in French Polynesia..
It is somewhat expensive but an experience you will never forget and do the overwater bungalow..I have alot of Tahitians friends and they are not rude at all...in fact they are very gracious and will go out of there way for you.
www.airtahitinui.com is a great website for cheap flights/Hotels from LAX.
Have a wonderful time and wear as many Plumeria as you can!
I was married in Moorea and have been many times.. Get off Tahiti as soon as possible and go to Moorea, Bora Bora or the other islands.. Hawaii is lovely and have also been about 10 times in my life but there is no place prettier than the Society Islands in French Polynesia..
It is somewhat expensive but an experience you will never forget and do the overwater bungalow..I have alot of Tahitians friends and they are not rude at all...in fact they are very gracious and will go out of there way for you.
www.airtahitinui.com is a great website for cheap flights/Hotels from LAX.
Have a wonderful time and wear as many Plumeria as you can!
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