Papeete, Bora Bora, Moorea with out a tour

I am working on my budget for my 2013 cruise from Sydney to Oahu with stops in Papeete, Bora bora, and Moorea. I have done a quick search of this forum, and learned a little bit. I know I just want to enjoy a day at the beach and do some snorkeling. I will probably end up booking a snorkel tour in Bora Bora, just because I have heard that the reefs there are so beautiful and I could also get a chance to see the lagoon from the snorkel boat.

But for my other two stops I am wondering if there is any thing that we can see or do that is in walking distance of the ship or to which we might be able to take an inexpensive water taxi, land taxi, or shuttle.

From my research it looks like you pretty much have to spend about $60 to $100 a person to get to see or do anything worth while at these destinations, and I need to know if there are any more budget friendly alternatives.

Actually, Bora Bora is the place where you could go to Matira Beach (one of the most beautiful beaches in Tahiti) for $5 per person each way, with a stop at Bloody Marys either coming or going (no extra charge). There are shuttles at the pier all day long going back and forth, and it is the cheapest island that gives you access to the beach by shuttle (and the only island we have visited that has these inexpensive shuttles).

On Moorea, there is really nothing at all within walking distance and there are no shuttles provided, a taxi is about the only way to get anywhere on Moorea (and the nearest beach is not close to the tender port at all). Even the hotels now charge around $75 for the day use of their beaches, it does include lunch, but they do not allow you to use their beach at the hotel without paying a fee.

There are a few vendors at the pier, but that is about it without taking a tour or a taxi. Occasionally, you can pick up a last minute tour to a Motu with Hiro's Tours or Albert's tours for very little. Last March, when they hadn't filled the tours, the price dropped to $25 per person without lunch for those late arrivals that had nothing planned and found space available. But we had a very small ship visiting that day, so the tours didn't book up as they normally do with the larger ships.

In Papeete, the ship docks right in town, so you can walk to LeMarche and shop all day long or walk around and see the sights located right there in the Heart of Papeete. There are only a couple of beaches (black sand) on Papeete, and they are no where near the dock area but at least 1/4 of the way around the island and quite expensive to get there and back (and the beach isn't very nice either).

Bora Bora is the least expensive island on your itinerary to enjoy a beach day. Moorea, try for a last minute Motu tour (best beaches are on the Motus) or plan a different type of tour would be my suggestion.

Hi,

Hi,

Bora-Bora and Moorea would be the 'Must Snorkel' spots as Papeete,Tahiti has no coral beach snorkeling per se; plus Papeete is an urban/city harbor..so we rented a car for $140/USD and headed for Teahupoo and Vairao beaches. Try to get with a motorized 'outrigger' boat or larger 'pontoon' vessel at the piers that offer a 'Motu/beach' picnic and beer with the snorkeling. It will be swimming w/mantas etc in very shallow water. Exotic live coral adventure would require SCUBA as I saw it. It was nice in March 2011.

papeete--you can get to Point Venus the Black Sand beach by bus from town--its not that far. The Marche is right in town and worth visiting.

We rented a car in Moorea and drove around the island

I believe we took a bus to Matira Beach which was not that nice.

Definitely do a snorkel excursion at some point.

I am actually amazed that someone would say that Matira beach 'wasn't that nice'. As it is one of the best public beaches we have ever visited in all of the places we have visited around the world. (since most of our cruises in Tahiti we have had an overnite onboard the ship and two full days in Bora Bora, we always make sure that one day is a snorkeling tour, the other a beach day at Matira beach.) :)

Here is a recent shot of Matria beach from our Tahiti cruise this past March.

(keep in mind that in Tahiti, they don't rent beach lounges or umbrellas, so make sure to take something with you to sit or lay on. ;)

Behind those clouds are gorgeous views of the peaks on Bora Bora.

I endorse the view that Matira beach isn't that nice. To begin with, the sand is very coarse, like all beaches on BB. It has the wreck of the old (and much loved) Hotel Bora Bora at one end. It has no proper view of the volcanoes or of the lagoon. And when a big cruise ship arrives and disgorges scores if not hundreds of people, the beach can become crowded and nothing like one's idea of a South Seas paradise.

I'd also say that Moorea's beaches are very second-rate - cyclones have done their damage but so too has the proliferation of overwater bungalows which have made so many beaches look unattractive. The beach over at the Sofitel isn't bad but no more than 2/5 on my rating system. Personally, I go to Moorea for the scenery, not for the beaches.

Strictly speaking, beaches in FP are all public, even those at the hotels, though it would be a brave soul to insist and I'd be a bit hacked off if the public spilled on to a hotel beach where I was paying $1000 a day to enjoy. The IC on Moorea often has cruise ship invasions.

Tahiti's sweeping black sand beaches are spectacular but they can be litter-strewn, busy and not everyone's cup of tea.

Certainly looks like a wonderful spot to enjoy the day!

Certainly looks like a wonderful spot to enjoy the day!

IMHO if you can't get to a Motu...............Matira Beach is the second best place to be. :)

The beaches on the Motus are the best - we particularly love Motu Tevairoa on which the Bora Bora Pearl is situated. We get free access and transport to this motu from the Paul Gauguin. Matira beach is OK but nothing compared to this motu and I particularly love the views from this Motu.

I just visited the Sofitel Moorea beach last month and its not bad at all. It has a lovely view of Tahiti and is wonderful for swimming . We first drove to Temae beach and saw the beach from there and then went on to the Sofitel so more or less viewed the entire strip. We enjoyed the water at the Hilton in Moorea as well . The beach is not very large but the water and snorkelling was good.

As another poster put it FP is not known for its beaches but for its lagoons and beautiful scenery.

We did, however, visit a wonderful beach on Fakarava last month part of the Blue Lagoon and it was a spectacular beach with soft sand and then a long sand spit. Unspoilt and unpeopled - heaven on earth.

Papeete walking tour map.pdf

Papeete Walking tour.pdf

Here is a map and walking tour of Papeete; hope it helps.

Mary Lou

I totally agree with Emdee - the view from the Pearl Beach is by far the best in Bora Bora, offering that classic view across the lagoon to Mount Otemanu, the angle that you get in the 1962 film Mutiny on the Bounty. I used to go over there from the Hotel Bora Bora before they built the Pearl resort. Never saw another soul.

Agree also about the beaches on the Tuamotus - the best I have seen were on Pukarua and Hikueru.

If anyone's interested in seeing my photos of French Polynesia here's a link to my Flickr set -

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Here is a map and walking tour of Papeete; hope it helps.

 

Mary Lou

This will be most helpful. I'll share it with our Rollcall with credit to Kooolmomma.

 

If anyone's interested in seeing my photos of French Polynesia here's a link to my Flickr set -

 

So beautiful!! Thanks for sharing them!

Sounds like you have been given some great options. Looks like you are planning a wonderful trip. Since you are doing this I wouldn't let the opportunity slip by for just a little more money to do at least one of the great tours so many talk about here. If possible I would think about Patrick in Bora Bora. I also wanted to save some $ but decided this was one of my bucket trips and I needed to experience all the great things people recommended there who have been there before. Honestly I am so glad I did, memories that will last a long time. I do want to say this, I went on a short snorkel trip in Moorea on a sailboat from Princess tour where we snorkeled very near where you tender in and the snorkeling there was very good. I have heard many say the snorkeling at the Hilton (believe that was it) is also fantastic an you can pay to use their facilities. Perhaps there are others here who can comment. I rented a small 4 wheel and rode all around Moorea and there appears to be some great places to snorkel right off the beach in many areas.

This will be most helpful. I'll share it with our Rollcall with credit to Kooolmomma.

Thank you, Kooolmomma and Sansterre for the Papeete walking tour and map. I am on Sansterre's roll call but actually found my way to this thread while researching Bora Bora, LOL. When I printed the Papeete walking tour map, it came out a bit small printing from the .pdf file, so I saved it, opened it in a photo editor, cropped it, and saved the cropped image as a .jpeg, and then printed the .jpeg. It came out a whole lot larger and thus more legible to carry around as a paper copy.

While in Papeete, visit the Farmer's Market, an easy walk from the ship's pier. We always buy fresh flowers to brighten the stateroom for the next week or two. They are gorgeous and inexpensive.

Le Marche, as the "farmer's market" is called is a great place for more than flowers. It's fun to just wander around both levels and look in the various stalls. It's also one of the best places to find souvenirs at more reasonable prices. Everything in the South Pacific is more expensive than the more common tourist destinations.

Thank you, Kooolmomma and Sansterre for the Papeete walking tour and map. I am on Sansterre's roll call but actually found my way to this thread while researching Bora Bora, LOL. When I printed the Papeete walking tour map, it came out a bit small printing from the .pdf file, so I saved it, opened it in a photo editor, cropped it, and saved the cropped image as a .jpeg, and then printed the .jpeg. It came out a whole lot larger and thus more legible to carry around as a paper copy.

I wish I was as computer saavy as you!!

If anyone's interested in seeing my photos of French Polynesia here's a link to my Flickr set -

 

Fletcher - thank you for sharing - you are VERY talented, it takes more than beautiful scenery to get photos as lovely as these!

My dw and I will be in Papeete in November and I wasn't interested in a 4 wheel ride so began to look on the internet and found this self-tour map and explanation of what you are seeing.

Hope it helps.

BTW in Bora Bora you can make a reservation with Patrick for either a half, 3/4, or full day and the price goes down depending on how many others are going. You could set this up on your roll call.

Papeete Walking tour.pdf

Papeete walking tour map.pdf

Has anyone taken tours through Albert's on Moorea? We're considering the bus tour to Belvedere Lookout & around the island. Appreciate any input...don't yet have any plans on Moorea. Thanks!

I'd also be interested. I was never able to get an email response from Albert.

I totally agree with Emdee - the view from the Pearl Beach is by far the best in Bora Bora, offering that classic view across the lagoon to Mount Otemanu, the angle that you get in the 1962 film Mutiny on the Bounty. I used to go over there from the Hotel Bora Bora before they built the Pearl resort. Never saw another soul.

 

Agree also about the beaches on the Tuamotus - the best I have seen were on Pukarua and Hikueru.

 

If anyone's interested in seeing my photos of French Polynesia here's a link to my Flickr set -

 

Absolutely gorgeous pictures, thank you for sharing them. :)

We rented bikes on Bora Bora and rode around the island. If you are reasonably fit it will take you about 4 hours and you will see lots of locals, scenery and not a lot of cars once out of the downtown area. We stopped along the way to use the rest room at a hotel and got to see an over the water bungalow, stopped at Bloody Mary's(over rated) and a grocery store.

The rental place is just on the other side of the road from the pier.

We tired renting bikes in Moorea but I felt there was just too much traffic for safe biking.