Excursions on PG and Best Place to Buy Pearls

We are doing the 6/30 PG trip to Rangiora,Hiva Oa,Tiaohae, Bora Bora and Moorea. Have a 5 and almost 9( this one will be in the Ambassadors program).

In any case- wanted to get thoughts on best excursions etc... I will be doing some diving- wife does not- but we will do some snorkeling.. Would love any and all thoughts on excursions. also- looking for BEST place to buy Pearls

We are going to be 1 night at the Radisson prior to Cruising..

Any and all other thoughts-- this is our first time and we are in are late 30s.. Thanks!

Hi, my husband and I did the PG in October. Ours was the Raiatea, Taha'a, Bora Bora, Moorea. Diving was spectacular. In Raiatea we enjoyed a Mom and Baby Humpback whale. We did not do any of the other excursions so I have no personal experience. However in our group of 14 some enjoyed the Helicopter on Moorea, Dolphin swim, snorkeling, and I cannot remember whatelse but do remember we all had a great time.

As far as perals 5 out of the eight ladies bought from Tahia Collins on Moorea or at the Boutique at the Hotel Bora Bora. The Boutique on the ship is Tahia Collins Pearls. My set was from the Moorea shop and a few stores down we purchased a less expensive set for my daughter (19) at Herman Perles. I beleive they also had loose perals. Also in Tahiti before we left we shoped around in the stores in the area of the ship and found several shops that sold loose perals, some you could sit down and make your own earings, necklaces etc... Also there is a Tahia Collins in the same area.

Hope you have a great trip

We are on the 6/30 cruise - Leaving from JFK on 6/29. Booked air through Regent and will be staying at the Radisson that first night as well.

Have reserved several excursions. Some snorkel - Rangiroa is supposed to be particularly fantastic for scuba and snorkeling. We also booked some 4x4. Have not reserved anything on Hiva Oa (there is only one 4x4 Regent excursion there, but it is the island where the Paul Gauguin museum is.)

We were on the Tahitian Princess last summer and had a terrific trip. French Polynesia stole our hearts. We did enjoy the TP, but this year we decided to book the PG because we wanted to try the luxury line market.

My favorite pearl shops on Moorea are Eva Perles. She is a goldsmith and designs some very nice pieces. But my husband did also buy me a very nice necklace from Tahia Collins. It was called the Black Pearl Gem Company back then (2004).

My favorite pearl shop on Bora Bora is the Bora Bora Gallery near Matira Point (across from one of the best stretches of beach on the island). But I also have a nice bracelet from Sibani.

Robert Wan stores are fun to look in but very high end. When I was there several years ago they had some nice casual bracelets and necklaces where the circle pearls were strung on leather. (So they were rather reasonable and are fun to where when I'm in jeans.)

We are leaving tomorrow for our May 19th PG cruise from Tahiti to Fiji. I can give you an update of what I find this time, if you'd like.

Martha

In 2003, we learned about pearls by wondering the shops in Papeete, including Robert Wan, which we thought had the most beautiful (and some of the most expensive) we saw. We actually bought on the motu, and did very well. However, when we want back in 2006, there was much less available on the moto, and we bought from Ron Hall's Island Fashion Black Pearls in Moorea--a short walk from where the dock is in Cook's Bay (we had also looked at pearls there in 2003). One couple bought a very pricey necklace directly at a black pearl farm, but I'm not sure on which island it was located. For snorkeling, I think it is hard to beat the coral gardens on Bora Bora. (We experienced these during the Stingray and Shark Feeding excursion, which I think is similar to the excursion now called the Sting Ray Ballet and Snorkel Safari.) We didn't find Rangiroa to come close for snorkeling--at least not where we were.