Island options ... (from top) taste authentic French Polynesian fare; take a ferry to the white sandy beaches of Huahine.Credit: AFP
Despite its reputation as an expensive destination, Tahiti can be done on a budget – just ask the French, writes Caroline Gladstone.
WHEN travellers think of Tahiti, images of palm-fringed islands lapped by azure seascome to mind. Rarely does the word budget crop up. There are, however, ways to keep the finances under control on a trip to French Polynesia, the collective name for those 118 lovely islands of which Tahiti is the largest. After exploring the region for two weeks, I discovered the secret to an economical trip is to do as the French tourists do.
The French stay a long time and steer clear of the big resorts. Australians tend to buy resort stays, spending big on luxurious romantic packages in which a night in an overwater bungalowon Bora Bora can set them back $1000. But with a little planning, a holiday can be stretched out if you're prepared to forgo some of the finery.
Here are a few tips.
Get a package fare It's cheaper to buy a flight-and-accommodation than a point-to-point fare. The best fares available noware about $1055 return (including taxes), as long as you buy two nights' accommodation. This rule ties in perfectly as Air TahitiNui flights arrive late into the capital Papeete and leave early in the morning, so two nights pre-booked is a must. See HideawayHolidays for fares, hideawayholidays.com.au.
Get an air pass If plans include several islands, a travel pass is good value. A point-to-point fare between Papeete and BoraBora costs $528 return, however, a Leeward Islands Airpass connecting Papeete with Moorea, Raiatea,Huahine, Bora Bora andMaupiti is just $585 low season ($620 high). There are seven different passes and travel is valid for 28 days fromthe first flight. See hideawayholidays.com.au or the domestic airline Air Tahiti, airtahiti.aero, for more information.
Take the ferry toMooreaMoorea is about 19 kilometres fromTahiti, but costs about $120 return to fly and just $35 return by ferry. Two car-ferry companies operate on the route: www.aremiti.pf and mooreaferry.pf.
Take the ferry further It's now possible to do a loop around the Leeward Islands ofHuahine, Raiatea, Tahaa andBora Bora from Papeete on the new King Tamatoa ferry, which began services in April.
Operating twice aweek, it takes four hours to reach Huahine and another 41⁄2 hours to get to Bora Bora. Tourist-class fares toBora Bora are about $75 one-way.www.raromataiferry. pf (Frenchwebsite).
Ferry it toMaupiti To visitMaupiti, 40 kilometres fromBoraBora, use theMaupiti Express, for about $60 return. See maupitiexpress.com. Stay in a pension or guesthouse Staying in locally owned accommodation is a great way to experience authentic island life.
Pensions and small hotels differ in standard and price; most are either on or near the beach. The most basic, and most remote, lack hot water but many are very smart and have airconditioning.Notable pensions are Vanira Lodge at the famous Teahupoo surf beach on Tahiti Iti (about $200 a night for up to four people); Pension Poe Iti on Huahine ($95 a night for two) and Relais de Josephine on Rangiroa in the Tuamotus (about $170 a person a night). A good pensionwebsite is haere-mai.pf. Check out Tourism Tahiti, tahitinow.com.au, and HideawayHolidays, hideawayholidays.com.au
Hire a villa It sounds exotic but villas are affordable when several people share the cost. Tucked into the hillside with sensational views of Moorea'sOpunohu Bay is Fare Hamara, which sleeps eight and costs $US1600 ($1960) aweek. See farehamara.com.On the edge of Opunohu Bay isRobinson'sCove, with a choice of villas for about $2500 for five nights for four people.
See robinsoncove.com. The island ofHuahine has two villa complexes next to each other, set back from Maroe Bay.CalledHuahine Vacances, huahinevacan ces.com, and VillasBougainville, villasbougainville. com, they are owned by the same family. The rates, starting fromabout $350 a night for four to five people sharing, also include a small car and motorboat per villa.
Mosey aroundMoorea This island has the best spread of accommodation in French Polynesia. Someof the cheaper hotels have sensational views, such as the three-star, part time-share, part hotel Club BaliHai on stunning Cook's Bay. This is the last remaining hotel of a handful thatwere started by the BaliHai Boys, three Californian guys whocame to Moorea in the early 1960s and "invented" the overwater bungalow.
See clubbalihai.com. A range of discounts onMoorea transport, hotels, excursions and restaurants is running all year. Check out the MooreaMadness promotion on tahitinow.com.au.
Get your own wheelsDriving is easy in French Polynesia as most islands have only one coastal road. It's worth hiring a car for a day or two to explore remote bays and find picnic spots. Rental rates range from$100 to $125 a day; scooters are about $70 a day, with prices lower for longer rentals.Many resorts and pensions provide complimentary bicycles or charge a small fee. Albert Transport has good deals onMoorea, see www.albert-transport.net. Fare- Maeva Pension onHuahine is good for car rental and accommodation. See fare-maeva.com.
Eat out If you're staying in a resort, don't buy the meal package. It may sound like a good deal but it locks you in for aweek and resort food is often bland and disappointing. Eat out in small, family-run restaurants or at the food caravans called roulottes. Vans specialise in just a few dishes, the meals are huge and cost about $20 a serving.Many restaurants on Moorea and Bora Bora offer their diners free hotel pick-up and drop-off services.
Go cruising If you want to see several islands in luxury, a cruise aboard the five-star ship Paul Gauguin is ideal. The daily perperson fare for a seven-night cruise visiting five islands is about $480, which is less than a night in an overwater bungalowon many islands. The fare includes all meals, wines and spirits, a mini-bar replenished with soft drinks and beer, roomservice and a day on a private island. See pgcruises.com.
Hop aboard L'TruckBright public buses, with open sides and bench seating, knownas L'Truck, operate on the coastal roads throughout Tahiti,Moorea andBora Bora. Short trips in Papeete cost $1.50 ($2.30 at night), while a trip around an entire island may only cost a few dollars. Inquire about L'Trucks at the tourist office in Papeete and at the airport/ port inMoorea and Bora Bora.
Caroline Gladstone travelled courtesy of Tourism Tahiti. She is one of the writers of Fodor'sGuide to Tahiti&French Polynesia, 1st edition.
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