What You Must Know Before Travelling to Polynesia
The islands of French Polynesia seem to have been custom made by nature to be especially made for two. No doubt about it, travelling to Polynesia is better with a special someone. Everywhere you look, the scenery is breathtaking, the waters crystal clear and the romantic bungalows seem to be made for lovers and honeymooners.
What Is In French Polynesia?
French Polynesia is made up of 118 islands and is about midway between the islands of Hawaii and Fiji. The islands are located in the center of South Pacific and can be reached from Los Angeles by air in eight hours.
The islands cover about two million square miles and can be divided into several sub groups. Tahiti is the largest island and is home to the capital city. The most visited group is the Society Islands which include Bora Bora, Moorea and Papeete.
The Tuamotu Islands are further away with Tikehau, Fakarava and the idyllic Marquesas Islands. The two groups, Gambier and Astral Islands are hardly ever visited by tourists.
The Best Time to Go
The Polynesia Islands is a tropical getaway with glorious year round sunshine. The air and water temps remain at around 80 degrees all year. The two mains seasons are winter and summer with the best time of visiting during the dry and clear months of winter which is from May to October. You can also check it out during the summer months between November and April where showers rarely come and it is still mostly sunny.
How to Get to the Islands
The gateway to Polynesia is thru the Los Angeles Airport or the LAX. The official carrier to the islands is Air Tahiti Nui and offers non-stop flights to the Faa’a Airport in Papeete. Papeete is also reachable from Honolulu on weekly Hawaiian Airlines flights.
What to Do There
For first time travelers, it is good to stay anywhere from seven to 10 days and keep the exploring within these3 islands: Tahiti, where you are advised to stay overnight upon arriving or before your departure as will be determined by your arrival time; Bora Bora, the pride of Society Islands with the wondrous Mt. Otemanu view and their magnificent lagoon.
For those coming back to the islands, divers and honeymooners, Tahiti and Moorea are usually skipped. They go to further islands such as Bora Bora, Taha’a, with the beautiful vanilla and pearl farms are; Manihi, Tikehau and other secluded spots where sunning, snorkeling and relaxation are tops. For divers, the destination is usually Rangiroa which enjoys the distinction of being one of the world’s top diving spots. Marquesas is most often visited by the adventure seekers who want to experience ancient tribal practices and rituals.
Will it Cost Much
A visit to Polynesia can be expensive. Apart from tropical fruit and fresh seafood, everything else must be shipped in from great distances which make food the biggest expense. The electricity is also quite high coupled with the currency rate of the euro. The priciest resorts are in Taha’a and Bora Bora with more affordable alternatives on Tuamotus, Moorea and Tahiti. It is always best to go for a beach bungalow on a package that includes breakfast. Try to find deals that include accommodations, airfare, land transportation and even meals to get the most out of your buck.
