? for TikiinTahiti

[Cruising Boomer]

TikiinTahiti - Thanks for all your help! :) What recommendations for independent tours guides do you have for Papeete, Bora Bora, Rangiroa, Moorea? My wife is French so renting a car would be relatively easy for us. Are any of these islands places you would recommend renting? We are two days in Papeete. Bora Bora is arrival at 4pm one day and departure at 11pm the next day. The other islands are the usual 8 to 5.

 

Thanks.

 

Doug

[Tikiintahiti]

Papeete - Patrick's on Tahiti, not Bora Bora for his inner island tour of the waterfalls.

http://www.papeete.com/patrick/index.html

 

 

Bora Bora:

http://www.maohinui.net/ Patrick – Best when skippered by Patrick himself. Connected with cruise lines now so it is harder to book direct and save. 12 passenger outriggers that are covered. A bit more touristy than others but still very good.

http://boraborasafarilagoon.com/BoraBora_Lagoon_Eng.html - Rannui Tours - Small Polynesian family ran outfit. Very personable, will hold your hand, off the beaten trek snorkel locations, 14 passenger covered boat. Best BBQ setting on Motu Tuba. Great tour at a fair price.

http://www.reefdiscovery.pf/us/index.html - Very personal, will hold your hand. Fast sleek covered boats, good snorkel locations, no BBQ.

 

 

Rangiroa - Do a Blue Lagoon tour or the 'Aquarium' area - terevaexcursions@mail.pf

 

 

Moorea - Rent a car (best island for driving around on your own)

Avis Contact: sandrine@avispacificar.pf

[JHAVE]

Hello,

 

I will be traveling to Tahiti and taking a cruise in January and hope you can answer a question. I was wondering about local currency. I believe they use the French Franc, but I was wondering how important it is to bring local currency or just use USD. I will be spending one night before in Papeete, so would need for cabs, food, etc......

 

I am also going to be taking independent tours so would other islands be taking USD or should I have local currency?

 

Thanks for the help,

 

Harvey

[Tikiintahiti]

You will always get a better deal by using the local currency French Pacific Franc abbreviation is XPF or CFP. This is very true with the tour operators.

 

There is an ATM at the airport, ferry terminal which is next door to the ship dock and across the street from the ship dock on the corner.

 

Cabs will accept USD

[JHAVE]

Thank you very much for your quick reply. I hope you don't mind I have two more quick questions. I am sure I will have many more as the cruise gets closer, but you do have a very good knowledge so I truly appreciate the help.

 

First, someone suggested the Radisson in Papeete? Would that be a good hotel for one night?

 

Second, our flight arrives in to Papeete very early in the morning, so we are not sure what to do until we can check-in? When we get off the cruise, our flight leaves late at night so we are not sure what to do all day? Any suggestions?

 

Thanks for your help!!

[Tikiintahiti]

The Radisson is way of the beaten trek. Nothing is close and no restaurants close by so your stick at the hotel and yes the food is expensive.

 

I would use Fare Suisse. They pick you up at the airport and drop you off at the ship docks for free. They are also within walking distance to downtown PPT, the roulottes & shopping. Very reasonable for FP.

 

On your last day I would grab a car rental (2blocks from ship dock) and drive around the island, grab lunch, see the museums, beaches etc.. The IC Tahiti has a change room for a quick shower and change before you head over to the airport where you can drop off the car right next to checkin. BTW, the IC does not charge for this service ........ my hat goes off to them ..........

[Mercruiser]

. . .

On your last day I would grab a car rental (2blocks from ship dock) and drive around the island, grab lunch, see the museums, beaches etc............

 

What is the name of this car rental company?

[Tikiintahiti]

Avis

[calita]

We are planning on the Raddisson just because it is away from the city and after the long over night fight it seemed like a place to relax.. The manager has been very quick to reply to any questions I had. He also said the "bus" stops near by or they would get a car rental for us and he concierge responded with the pricing. We would have to take a taxi to get to the hotel. We will tour Papeete the day we are in port at the end of the cruise..

[Mercruiser]

Avis

 

Thanks for the reply. On our last day in FP, we check out of the Hilton Moorea and then take the 2 AM Air New Zealand flight to Auckland for our cruise. So I am interested in renting a car by the ferry landing and dropping it off at the airport.

 

I reserved a Ford Fiesta (AC & manual tranny) for 11,650 XPF (taxes included) plus a 1,500 XPF one-way drop charge. The rental is slightly cheaper on the avis.com web site compared to http://www.avis-tahiti.com. Additionally, the avis-tahiti site wants pre-payment.

[JHAVE]

I am taking a cruise in January to the South Pacific and have a question if you don't mind answering.

 

Do you know if there are internet cafes in some of the ports (Bora Bora, Raiatea, Rangiroa, Moorea etc.....) as I try to avoid paying the large costs for internet on the ship?

 

Also, are you aware of any good long distance cards that I can buy to be able and call the U.S or Canada from French Polynesia?

 

Thanks for the help!!!!!

[Tikiintahiti]

Most ports/tender locations will have internet cafes.

 

You can buy a Vini card when you get there or many people simply use Skype .......

[Cruising Boomer]

We are still undecided on Bruno because of reading that Raiatea has other interesting sites. On another forum you wrote: "visit the cultural sites as this is the hub of Polynesia culture,"

 

If we want to visit these sites instead of Bruno's L'Excursion Bleue, is there a tour operator you recommend? I have also heard of a 4x4 tour - worthwhile?

 

Thanks.

 

Doug

[cowprintrabbit]

Just noticed that we are booked into the Hilton Moorea for one night after our cruise, which goes in/out of Papeete. How far apart are Moorea, the cruise port in Papeete and the airport?

[Tikiintahiti]

Doug - rent a car, there are rental vendors in the building next to the ship dock.

 

Cow print rabbit - Moorea is 15 miles from Tahiti. The ferry to the island is next to the cruise ship docks.

 

Moorea ferry schedule

http://www.aremiti.net/

 

Once you get to Moorea you will need to take a transport to the Hilton. Make a reservation.

 

Moorea transport company from ferry to hotel - www.toreanui.com or http://www.albert-transport.net/p3_gb.asp

 

You will need to take the transport back to the ferry dock on Moorea. Once you get back to Tahiti grab a taxi at the ferry terminal and take it to the airport, about $20 USD

[cowprintrabbit]

Doug - rent a car, there are rental vendors in the building next to the ship dock.

 

Cow print rabbit - Moorea is 15 miles from Tahiti. The ferry to the island is next to the cruise ship docks.

 

Moorea ferry schedule

http://www.aremiti.net/

 

Once you get to Moorea you will need to take a transport to the Hilton. Make a reservation.

 

Moorea transport company from ferry to hotel - www.toreanui.com or http://www.albert-transport.net/p3_gb.asp

 

You will need to take the transport back to the ferry dock on Moorea. Once you get back to Tahiti grab a taxi at the ferry terminal and take it to the airport, about $20 USD

 

That sounds like a lot of fuss for just one night - is it worth it in your opinion?

[Cruising Boomer]

Doug - rent a car, there are rental vendors in the building next to the ship dock.

 

Cow print rabbit - Moorea is 15 miles from Tahiti. The ferry to the island is next to the cruise ship docks.

 

Moorea ferry schedule

http://www.aremiti.net/

 

Once you get to Moorea you will need to take a transport to the Hilton. Make a reservation.

 

Moorea transport company from ferry to hotel - www.toreanui.com or http://www.albert-transport.net/p3_gb.asp

 

You will need to take the transport back to the ferry dock on Moorea. Once you get back to Tahiti grab a taxi at the ferry terminal and take it to the airport, about $20 USD

 

We will be on Raiatea for the day on a cruise ship. Was wondering about tour guides to the cultural sites rather than Bruno's trip. We will have been on Moorea before this stop so do not need to go back there.

 

Doug

[Tikiintahiti]

Cow print rabbit - I have gotten off the ship in Moorea and stayed a few nights before heading back to Tahiti and the airport. Usually Moorea is the last stop before the end of the cruise so it a natural. From the tender drop off location on Moorea it's only a short trip to the Hilton. Take a taxi. On the way back the easiest way it to grab the transport (contact already provided) and go to the Moorea airport, take a plane directly to the Tahiti airport, no fuss :)

 

If you do this make sure you tell the ship your getting off at Moorea.

[Tikiintahiti]

Doug - there will be tour vendors in the same building asking for your business. I don't know of any myself so I can't give a recommendation. Personally I would rent a car, most rental places will have an outline for "do it yourself" tour so you don't miss anything.

[cowprintrabbit]

Cow print rabbit - I have gotten off the ship in Moorea and stayed a few nights before heading back to Tahiti and the airport. Usually Moorea is the last stop before the end of the cruise so it a natural. From the tender drop off location on Moorea it's only a short trip to the Hilton. Take a taxi. On the way back the easiest way it to grab the transport (contact already provided) and go to the Moorea airport, take a plane directly to the Tahiti airport, no fuss :)

 

If you do this make sure you tell the ship your getting off at Moorea.

 

Yes, we thought about this option, but finally decided to cancel and just book an additional night at our pre-cruise hotel, Le Meridien. Thanks for all the help here and in other threads!

 

(PS - yes, I can imagine they would be pretty upset if you got off without saying anything :eek:)