Excursions every day? Reef/water shoes info

Hi, cruising September 23, 7 days Tahiti. They say to bring reef or water shoes. What do they look like? I've seen some like socks, some like boat shoes, etc. What do you recommend since we'll be snorkeling.

Is there a thread that lists the most popular or top rated excursions? Do most people take an excursion every day or should we spend more time shopping in town or on the ship?

Lastly, should we book an excursion for the day at Moto Mahana?

Thank you!

When you snorkel you will use fins but water shoes are essential as they protect your feet from the coral.

Unless you are looking for high end pearls and maybe a pareo or two its not a place to shop.

Take excursions in all your ports. If you enjoy snorkelling the Tahaa coral garden snorkel in Motu Mahana is well recommended.

Thank you! That was really helpful!

I use water shoes ... Ryka is the manufacture. I've used several over the last 20 years ... these seem the best bang for the buck.

As you are on the 7 night you will have a great day on Motu Mahana, no real need to do an excursion though the drift snorkel is very good. You will have 2 days on Bora Bora. I would suggest you take a lagoon tour of some sort one day and then enjoy the private motu the other day.

On Moorea you will have two days. I would suggest a land based excursion such as a 4X4 or quad and then the other day rent a car and tour the island on our own.

There is tons of suggestions on this site, you just need to take some time and go though the most recent few pages of links and glean from what people have shared.

In summary think water based excursions on Bora Bora. Land based excursions on Moorea. Motu Mahana is really nice without having to take an excursion.

Perfect! That's the kind of info I was looking for! Thank you for saving me time in planning. Can't wait to go!

Depending on where you live, inexpensive water shoes are often available at places like Walmart. No, they are not like socks (unless you're a diver I think), but rather like slippers. You can find them at dive shops too, but usually they are more expensive--I paid about $8 for my last pair, in season here in Ontario.

Excursions are your own choice. If it were my first trip, I'd certainly want to do perhaps a land excursion on Bora Bora and Moorea, along with a couple of water excursions on the other days, and one on Huahine. If you are beach people, lying around on the exquisite Bora Bora beach is free, as is of course Motu Mahana.

There is some great window shopping in Bora Bora, and it's just a stroll from the dock. More difficult on Moorea, although there is usually a shuttle that will take you to an area with some pearl shops. But in general strolling through town isn't very satisfying.

My favourites:

Dr. Poole's dolphin watch on Moorea

Shark and Ray feeding (or similar) on Bora Bora

4x4 trip around Bora Bora

Any land tour on Moorea that gets you up to the Belvedere (scenic viewpoint)

Sunset cruises on any island

I'm hoping to have some new favourites soon, although sine this will be our sixth trip, we won't do as many planned excursions this time. :D

google neoprene dive booties. I love these when snorkeling as you can wear them as you walk over any rocks or broken coral on shore and into the water. Once in the water you leave them on and put on your fins. Without them you have a challenging entry into the water. If snorkeling off a boat they are not needed. Also, your fins may have a full heel so they fit like a shoe. They instead may have a heel strap that is adjustable. I find the ones with a heel strap painful without the booties.

For muddy or wet hikes these boogies are not good and you need some type of water shoe like Tevas

Depending on where you live, inexpensive water shoes are often available at places like Walmart. No, they are not like socks (unless you're a diver I think), but rather like slippers. You can find them at dive shops too, but usually they are more expensive--I paid about $8 for my last pair, in season here in Ontario.

 

Excursions are your own choice. If it were my first trip, I'd certainly want to do perhaps a land excursion on Bora Bora and Moorea, along with a couple of water excursions on the other days, and one on Huahine. If you are beach people, lying around on the exquisite Bora Bora beach is free, as is of course Motu Mahana.

 

There is some great window shopping in Bora Bora, and it's just a stroll from the dock. More difficult on Moorea, although there is usually a shuttle that will take you to an area with some pearl shops. But in general strolling through town isn't very satisfying.

 

My favourites:

 

Dr. Poole's dolphin watch on Moorea

Shark and Ray feeding (or similar) on Bora Bora

4x4 trip around Bora Bora

Any land tour on Moorea that gets you up to the Belvedere (scenic viewpoint)

Sunset cruises on any island

 

I'm hoping to have some new favourites soon, although sine this will be our sixth trip, we won't do as many planned excursions this time. :D

Your 6th trip?! Wow! I trust your experience. Thank you!

google neoprene dive booties. I love these when snorkeling as you can wear them as you walk over any rocks or broken coral on shore and into the water. Once in the water you leave them on and put on your fins. Without them you have a challenging entry into the water. If snorkeling off a boat they are not needed. Also, your fins may have a full heel so they fit like a shoe. They instead may have a heel strap that is adjustable. I find the ones with a heel strap painful without the booties.

 

For muddy or wet hikes these boogies are not good and you need some type of water shoe like Tevas

Did you have any problem fitting your shoes into the fins? I've heard that often they don't fit. I would love something like this.

The dive booties will fit with any fins with the heel strap. I don't think they will fit if you have full heel fins.

Thanks!

Your 6th trip?! Wow! I trust your experience. Thank you!

Believe me, there are many veterans here who have been more often than us! Beware the Polynesian Flu, it's catching!

This really comes down to your activity ...

If your going to dive or use fins snorkeling a bootie is the way to go ...

If your going to only snorkel and not wear fins an actual shoe is probably the better 'fit' :)

I do not use fins so a shoe is my preference as I like the full protection and support a water shoe gives while around sharp objects either in or out of the water.

BTW, 18 trips for me to FP ... 6 on the PG :)

I like your idea. Those booties are really unattractive. Friends just returned from a PG cruise and they had booties and they did not fit into the fins. I have some inexpensive water shoes i'll take for sure. Thank you very much for your help. Everyone has been so kind.