Jump to content

Papeete (Tahiti)


Sun 4-ever
 Share

Recommended Posts

Glad I was helpful :D

 

Tahitianbigkahuna,

Your posts are very informative! Perhaps you can give me your opinion on this: we will be on an Oceania cruise that will be ending in Tahiti in the morning and our flight will not be until close to midnight. I need to decide how to spend the whole day for the most enjoyable but also the most economical. My options are:

(1) We can rent a car and circle the island and then return it to the airport office, but then we would be on our own without a tour guide.

(2) We can reserve an inexpensive hotel room for the day and take a formal tour around the island. This would be more expensive than (1).

(3) We can try to get a day room at the Intercontinental with transportation and dinner included. This would probably be the most expensive. (I have emailed Intercontinental but have not gotten an answer yet.)

Do you have any opinions or any other ideas. Thanks for your input.

Barbara I.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Tahitianbigkahuna,

Your posts are very informative! Perhaps you can give me your opinion on this: we will be on an Oceania cruise that will be ending in Tahiti in the morning and our flight will not be until close to midnight. I need to decide how to spend the whole day for the most enjoyable but also the most economical. My options are:

(1) We can rent a car and circle the island and then return it to the airport office, but then we would be on our own without a tour guide.

(2) We can reserve an inexpensive hotel room for the day and take a formal tour around the island. This would be more expensive than (1).

(3) We can try to get a day room at the Intercontinental with transportation and dinner included. This would probably be the most expensive. (I have emailed Intercontinental but have not gotten an answer yet.)

Do you have any opinions or any other ideas. Thanks for your input.

Barbara I.

 

If I don't book the day room at the IC with transfers (depends on price) I rent a car from Avis which is within walking distance to the ship. I walk there myself and then drive back to the ship to pickup my better half and our bags. THe bags go in the truck so they are out of view. We tour around the island, go shopping for souvenirs, picture taking. You can't get lost once you leave PPT, it's pretty much one main road around the main island.

 

We time out our day so we end up back at the parking area around the ships and eat dinner at the Roulottes. Take your time, enjoy the eats and usually some local polynesian music groups. Around 8:30pm we head for the airport with the care. There is a charge of $15 to pickup in town and drop off at the airport. Avis at the airport is in the parking area very close to the terminal, no more than 150 feet. We check in the car and head for check-in. Avis is very quick at getting you handled.

 

See attachment

PPT airport.pdf

Edited by Tahitianbigkahuna
Link to comment
Share on other sites

You should put chickens on your airport map. For me, it was one of those moments that just seem odd when there are chickens wandering freely in the parking lot of an international airport.

Edited by RZ3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

If I don't book the day room at the IC with transfers (depends on price) I rent a car from Avis which is within walking distance to the ship. I walk there myself and then drive back to the ship to pickup my better half and our bags. THe bags go in the truck so they are out of view. We tour around the island, go shopping for souvenirs, picture taking. You can't get lost once you leave PPT, it's pretty much one main road around the main island.

 

We time out our day so we end up back at the parking area around the ships and eat dinner at the Roulottes. Take your time, enjoy the eats and usually some local polynesian music groups. Around 8:30pm we head for the airport with the care. There is a charge of $15 to pickup in town and drop off at the airport. Avis at the airport is in the parking area very close to the terminal, no more than 150 feet. We check in the car and head for check-in. Avis is very quick at getting you handled.

 

See attachment

 

Thank you - good suggestions. I have actually reserved a room at Tiare Tahiti Hotel (which I can cancel up to 3 days before) for $91.00, and I have also reserved a Hertz car with unlimited mileage for 7432.53 XPF (I believe that is approximately $67.00 - also I can cancel). So I will keep trying to get a day room at the Intercontinental, but I probably will decide on the car so we can visit the whole island, but I will have to do some research to plan an itinerary. Do you have any suggestions as to planning the best sites, descriptions, etc.? Thanks again.

Barbara

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thank you - good suggestions. I have actually reserved a room at Tiare Tahiti Hotel (which I can cancel up to 3 days before) for $91.00, and I have also reserved a Hertz car with unlimited mileage for 7432.53 XPF (I believe that is approximately $67.00 - also I can cancel). So I will keep trying to get a day room at the Intercontinental, but I probably will decide on the car so we can visit the whole island, but I will have to do some research to plan an itinerary. Do you have any suggestions as to planning the best sites, descriptions, etc.? Thanks again.

Barbara

 

Busy right now, give me a day and I'll answer ;)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thank you - good suggestions. I have actually reserved a room at Tiare Tahiti Hotel (which I can cancel up to 3 days before) for $91.00, and I have also reserved a Hertz car with unlimited mileage for 7432.53 XPF (I believe that is approximately $67.00 - also I can cancel). So I will keep trying to get a day room at the Intercontinental, but I probably will decide on the car so we can visit the whole island, but I will have to do some research to plan an itinerary. Do you have any suggestions as to planning the best sites, descriptions, etc.? Thanks again.

Barbara

 

You will be in the heart of PPT at the location of the hotel you have reserved. I would suggest you go around the island, I prefer clockwise.

 

Stops at Venus lighthouse will be the first stop. Nice old lighthouse and park.

 

Next is a nice waterfall on the west side. There is a large market located around the area where the roads converge between Nui and Iti parts of the island.

 

Continue clockwise and just after Papeari you will come to the Gauguin Museum and the Botanical gardens. They are right next to each other. Well worth the stop.

 

Continue on to the east side where you will have views of distant waterfalls.

 

Continue clockwise. just before Pa'ea you will come to Marae Arahurahu. Nice cultural preserve are, once a place of worship and sacrifice.

 

In Puna'auia there is the Museum of Tahiti, it's free and well worth it. The museum is just south (1/3 mile) of the Le Meridian.

 

Continue clockwise and just before the cutoff to Faaa the largest shopping center on the island will be on your left, it's called Moana Nui. This a a great place to buy stuff made in French Polynesia and/or France. Best prices on stuff imported from France.

 

Back to your hotel, relax, take a shower, head over to the Roulottes after 6pm. Head to the airport around 8:30pm

Edited by Tahitianbigkahuna
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

You will be in the heart of PPT at the location of the hotel you have reserved. I would suggest you go around the island, I prefer clockwise.

 

Stops at Venus lighthouse will be the first stop. Nice old lighthouse and park.

 

Next is a nice waterfall on the west side. There is a large market located around the area where the roads converge between Nui and Iti parts of the island.

 

Continue clockwise and just after Papeari you will come to the Gauguin Museum and the Botanical gardens. They are right next to each other. Well worth the stop.

 

Continue on to the east side where you will have views of distant waterfalls.

 

Continue clockwise. just before Pa'ea you will come to Marae Arahurahu. Nice cultural preserve are, once a place of worship and sacrifice.

 

In Puna'auia there is the Museum of Tahiti, it's free and well worth it. The museum is just south (1/3 mile) of the Le Meridian.

 

Continue clockwise and just before the cutoff to Faaa the largest shopping center on the island will be on your left, it's called Moana Nui. This a a great place to buy stuff made in French Polynesia and/or France. Best prices on stuff imported from France.

 

Back to your hotel, relax, take a shower, head over to the Roulottes after 6pm. Head to the airport around 8:30pm

 

Thank you Tahitianbigkahuna. It sounds like a plan - very interesting.

Barbara

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

Tahitianbigkahuna,This is a great source of information you have posted.Thank you.We have booked an Oceania cruise,disembarking in Papeete.Having read a few reviews I am getting concerned about the late flight out the same day as disembarking.( flights not out yet).

I have copied all your info and feel reassured we can get out and about in a car.

Now all I need is the flight details and decide whether to stopover on our way back to England.

Again,thank you.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Tahitianbigkahuna,This is a great source of information you have posted.Thank you.We have booked an Oceania cruise,disembarking in Papeete.Having read a few reviews I am getting concerned about the late flight out the same day as disembarking.( flights not out yet).

I have copied all your info and feel reassured we can get out and about in a car.

Now all I need is the flight details and decide whether to stopover on our way back to England.

Again,thank you.

 

If your on ATN the flight out will typically be 11:30 pm or 11:59 pm. If your on AF the times have fluctuated but have been 7:30 am to 9:30 am. Thanks for the Kudos

Link to comment
Share on other sites

...

 

Continue clockwise and just after Papeari you will come to the Gauguin Museum and the Botanical gardens. They are right next to each other. Well worth the stop.

 

 

When I went there in November 2014, the Gauguin Museum was closed and looked abandoned. Has it reopened?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We will also be stopping in Moorea without plans. Bora Bora is taken care of.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

 

As you will have opportunity on Moorea and Bora Bora for beach and lagoon stuff have you given any thought about heading to the interior of Tahiti and see the waterfalls, beautiful.

 

Most of the big resorts lay claim to the better beaches on Tahiti.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 year later...

:(

As you will have opportunity on Moorea and Bora Bora for beach and lagoon stuff have you given any thought about heading to the interior of Tahiti and see the waterfalls, beautiful.

 

Most of the big resorts lay claim to the better beaches on Tahiti.

 

I have thankfully just found this thread and hoping you are still subscribed to it as you sound so knowledgeable.

 

We are coming off a cruise in November with the same scenario, our flight leaves at 11pm so we need to be at the airport by 8pm.

 

At first we were thinking g of taking a tour all day somour luggage would be stowed the. Heading over to the airport however one of the women we were traveling with, felt this would be tiring before our long flight back home.

 

I have emailed several hotels to inquire about day rates but have only heard back from Le Meridian. Do you know how their beach and pool areas are? We wanted a lovely area to sit and relax, get lunch and good service before heading home. Any input would be so greatly appreciated.

Thank you,

Wendy

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
 Share

  • Forum Jump
    • Categories
      • Welcome to Cruise Critic
      • New Cruisers
      • Cruise Lines “A – O”
      • Cruise Lines “P – Z”
      • River Cruising
      • ROLL CALLS
      • Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
      • Special Interest Cruising
      • Cruise Discussion Topics
      • UK Cruising
      • Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
      • Canadian Cruisers
      • North American Homeports
      • Ports of Call
      • Cruise Conversations
×
×
  • Create New...