Tahiti Holiday Planner - (BeautifulPacific.com)

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Tahiti Holidays Guide

Beautiful Tahiti Holiday Planner is a dedicated south pacific islands travel expert offering personalized tahiti holiday planning with a reliable and unbiased booking service. It is our aim to help you select the ideal destination and resorts for your holiday

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Tahiti vacations are about staying in an overwater bungalow, being pampered in five star resorts and enjoying some of the regions most spectacular scenery. Almost 80% of accommodation is on just three islands: Tahiti, Moorea and Bora Bora. The Tuamotu Group is popular with scuba divers whilst The Marquesas are for avid explorers and adventurers.

The main island of French Polynesia is Tahiti Island which lies in the Windward of the Society Islands. Tahiti has fantastic tropical scenery and mountain ranges and lots of organized day tours to visit the waterfalls and rainforests of the interior and great hiking trails. A string of beach resorts line the sunny west coast although there are few good swimming beaches apart from several unusual black sand beaches which have excellent surfing. The capital Papeete, on the north west coast a few minutes drive north of the international airport is a busy town with a distinct French flavour.

Of the other Society Islands, the main destination for tourism is Moorea Island which is clearly visible from Tahiti and just a 15-minute flight or hour ferry ride. Moorea is much more laid back than Tahiti, has some nice beaches along its north and west coasts and spectacular sightseeing along its coastal road including the delightful Cook's Bay and Opunohu Bay.

The other popular island to visit is glamourous Bora Bora known as the jewel of the Society Islands with spectacular panoramas, exceptional snorkelling and lots of tours to keep you busy. Bora has over 20 large beach resorts, and over 500 overwater bungalows in the lagoon; many consider the island too commercialized for a peaceful romantic holiday. More down to earth and equally spectacular is Maupiti, a smaller version of Bora Bora further west with just a few small guesthouses and lots of lovely beaches. Other Society Islands include Huahine, the most traditional in the Society Islands with a large Polynesian population and lots of interesting archaeological sites and the rugged twin islands of Raiatea & Tahaa which offer exceptional sailing and good scuba diving sites as well as lots of gorgeous uninhabited coral islands in the lagoon to visit on a day tour.

The Tuamotu Islands to the east of Tahiti and the Society Islands is a large expanse of tiny coral islands with palm fringed beaches, great snorkelling and scuba diving and some of the largest lagoons in the world. These islands are ideal for those looking for absolute rest and relaxation in secluded environments.

For those who like off the beaten track exploring, both the Marquesas Islands in the far north of French Polynesia and the Austral Islands in the far south are stunning wild islands with amazing coastlines and rich in history. These islands have little accommodation and few tourists, and remain the best islands in Tahiti to experience traditional Polynesian life.

French Polynesia is easily the most expensive destination in the South Pacific. Tipping is generally practised in the large resorts but not in smaller restaurants or pensions. Most credit cards and travellers cheques are readily accepted at hotels and there are ATM machines around the main island of French Polynesia and on Moorea. Currency is the Cour de Franc Pacifique (CFP) but this is fixed to the Euro at a set rate, currently at 118 CFP to 1 Euro. Euros are often used for quoting accommodation.

French Polynesia climate is hot and sunny all year round (day/night average temperature is Jan 22/28; July 20/26) with higher rainfall and more mosquitoes from Dec to April.

Getting to French Polynesia is straight-forward with regular direct flights between Los Angeles (connecting on to European cities) and New Zealand (connecting on to Australia). The main airlines are Air New Zealand, Qantas, Air French Polynesia Nui, Hawaiian Airlines and Air France. Getting around French Polynesia is straight forward with an extensive transport network by air. sea and road. Three local airlines offer internal flights around French Polynesia including Air Tahiti and Moorea Air, but be warned, flights to the outer islands are expensive.

French and the local French Polynesian dialect of Maohi are the main languages spoken. English speakers will find staff at the large commercial resorts with a good command of English but on the main islands of French Polynesia and Moorea, few people are willing to speak English except the local French Polynesians.

Crime in Papeete exists but is not evident to the tourist industry. Electricity is 220 volts / 60Hz with French style sockets. Time is 10 hours behind GMT (London).