Regatta: South Pacific 1st Timers! Tips/Insights?

[Starlaker]

We did taxi tours on several of the islands and were very happy with them.

[TLCOhio]

12 hours ago, Starlaker said:

We did taxi tours on several of the islands and were very happy with them.

 

Great follow-up and suggestion!!  On what locations or islands in the South Pacific did you do this type of tour?   At what rough cost?  Any challenges in having drivers who could communicate fairly well in English?  In Wellington, we did this and it worked super well.  Very personal, nice and fun, assuming you've got a driver with some personality, knowledge and local love.  

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Sydney to NZ/Auckland Adventure, live/blog 2014 sampling/details with many exciting visuals and key highlights.  On page 23, post #571, see a complete index for all of the pictures, postings.  Now at 220,331 views.

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1974139

[Starlaker]

Hi Terry in Ohio!  I was born and raised in Reynoldsburg, just outside of Columbus and am an Ohio State grad.  Nice to see another buckeye!

 

We did Taxi tours on Pago Pago, American Samoa,; Apia, Samoa; Suva, Figi, and Lautoka, Fiji.  All were great and the drivers were very informative and spoke good English.  I think the charge was about $20 per hour and we spent 3 or 4 hours per tour. They were waiting just outside the gate when you get off the ship.  I highly recommend.  We don't like group tours all that much and preferred the personal touch.

Edited May 8, 2019 by Starlaker

[TLCOhio]

33 minutes ago, Starlaker said:

Hi Terry in Ohio!  I was born and raised in Reynoldsburg, just outside of Columbus and am an Ohio State grad.  Nice to see another buckeye!    We did Taxi tours on Pago Pago, American Samoa,; Apia, Samoa; Suva, Figi, and Lautoka, Fiji.  All were great and the drivers were very informative and spoke good English.  I think the charge was about $20 per hour and we spent 3 or 4 hours per tour. They were waiting just outside the gate when you get off the ship.  I highly recommend.  We don't like group tours all that much and preferred the personal touch.

 

DOUBLE YES!!!!   Super appreciate BOTH learning of your Central Ohio connections AND for the details, comments and follow-ups about the specific locations where you did such highly personal touring.  Wonderful "tool" to see via a local cab and be able to explore what fits our interests and needs.  This would definitely gain better "value" for us in many case than what Oceania might offer.  In addition to Wellington/NZ,   For our first sailing with Oceania late last fall in the Middle East, their pricings tended to be rather "inflated" in cost and rather "average" in quality. Our ship tours with Oceania were "OK", but not great.  The private tours worked so much better in quality and value.   Sorry to be so blunt.  

 

Yes, know Reynoldsburg, your home town, very well.  Have many friends there and have done work in that community.  I am also an Ohio State grad.  We live in Clintonville or north Columbus, just a couple of miles north of Ohio Stadium and the OSU campus.     

 

CURRENCY NEEDS/FLXIBILITY??:  This option does raise the question as to how many these taxi drivers take American dollars, versus their local currency, etc.  Any take credit cards?  I will have to research more as to what is the local currency for these different island.  My assumption is that for French Polynesia, they take and deal with the Euro.  Right or wrong? 

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

For latest live/blog, see “Holy Lands, Egypt, Jordan, Oman, Dubai, Greece, etc.”, with many visuals, details and ideas for the historic and scenic Middle East while sailing for 20 days on the Oceania Nautica.  Connect for complete report at:

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2607054-livenautica-greece-holy-lands-egypt-dubai-terrypix’s/

[Starlaker]

Terry in Ohio,

We ended up using US dollars everywhere.  We planned to get local currency from the ATM at the Papeete airport, but it wasn't working.  I don't think the taxi drivers took credit cards.

 

If you are familiar with Reynoldsburg, then you probably are familiar with Tussing Rd.  I am a Tussing and we lived on the family farm on Tussing Rd.  The road was originally the private lane of my great, great grandfather who was a pioneer settler in the area.  It is sad for me to go back there now and see that it is all developed.  

[TLCOhio]

On 5/9/2019 at 2:55 AM, Starlaker said:

Terry in Ohio,  We ended up using US dollars everywhere.  We planned to get local currency from the ATM at the Papeete airport, but it wasn't working.  I don't think the taxi drivers took credit cards.    If you are familiar with Reynoldsburg, then you probably are familiar with Tussing Rd.  I am a Tussing and we lived on the family farm on Tussing Rd.  The road was originally the private lane of my great, great grandfather who was a pioneer settler in the area.  It is sad for me to go back there now and see that it is all developed.  

 

Wonderfully appreciate this helpful added information and this follow-up about the various currencies in the South Pacific. Knowing that U.S. dollars can be used in many of these location is great. When visiting this many different "countries", there is lots to research and consider.  Keep it coming!!  Good info

 

Regarding Tussing Road, know that area.  Clearly before Interstate 70 was built with the interchanges at Brice Road and SR 256 south, things were much, much different there.  Now and more recently, there has been some "mixed" developments as some anchors such as Andersons and J.C.Penney are gone now.   Much has changed in that regions.  Not all for the best.  

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

AFRICA?!!?: Fun, interesting visuals, plus travel details from this early 2016 live/blog. At 45,435 views. Featuring Cape Town, South Africa’s coast, Mozambique, Victoria Falls/Zambia and Botswana's famed Okavango Delta.

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2310337

[RonaldL]

The evening shows  are normally at 9:30 pm.  If/when you book a time at one of the specialty restaurants keep that show time in mind.  Book the restaurants at the earliest possible time as they quickly fill up.  

 

Lots of people selling tours on the south sea islands.  Most of them  about 1/2 the price of the ship tours.  and the same tour.

[WESTEAST]

As this is a future cruise we would like to take we counted on sailing onboard the beautiful Marina ship but now understand the Regatta does this itinerary.  Does anyone know the rationale for changing ships?  Presume capacity was a factor - Regatta with 684 guests versus Marina with 1250 guests? 

[Wendy The Wanderer]

11 hours ago, WESTEAST said:

As this is a future cruise we would like to take we counted on sailing onboard the beautiful Marina ship but now understand the Regatta does this itinerary.  Does anyone know the rationale for changing ships?  Presume capacity was a factor - Regatta with 684 guests versus Marina with 1250 guests? 

 

Regatta is much better suited for FP.  In fact the R ships were originally designed for French Polynesia when Renaissance mainly sailed there.

 

Terry, I can only speak for French Polynesia.  I've been there 6 times, all on the Paul Gauguin, plus various island stays.

 

If you're interested in WWII history, you might appreciate a land excursion on Bora Bora.  They have them using 4x4's, if your back is in good shape.  They go up very high, and the other poster is right, the views up there are extraordinary, highly recommended.  The other day you should definitely be out on the lagoon, in the water.  If you're that kind of person, you might like Bloody Mary's, the famous bar (can't really recommend it myself, but others love it.)

 

Raiatea is a yachting island.  It's lovely, but quiet.  The Paul Gauguin used to stop there, but some time ago they switched islands.  There's a dock there, which is unusual (built to accommodate the Renaissance ships.)  There is a nice trip up the river, and around the island by boat, also a 4x4 trip around the island.  Good snorkeling (at least there was, the reefs are changing), at the south end of the island, as I remember.   There are also pearl farms there, so if you want a tour, this is the place.

 

Things to shop for in FP: black pearls (high end), mother of pearl jewellery (low end), pareos (wraps), vanilla beans, monoi tiare oil, and other tiare-scented products like soap.

[TLCOhio]

On 5/21/2019 at 9:09 AM, Wendy The Wanderer said:

Terry, I can only speak for French Polynesia.  I've been there 6 times, all on the Paul Gauguin, plus various island stays.  If you're interested in WWII history, you might appreciate a land excursion on Bora Bora.  They have them using 4x4's, if your back is in good shape.  They go up very high, and the other poster is right, the views up there are extraordinary, highly recommended.  The other day you should definitely be out on the lagoon, in the water.   Raiatea is a yachting island.  It's lovely, but quiet.  There's a dock there, which is unusual (built to accommodate the Renaissance ships.)  There is a nice trip up the river, and around the island by boat, also a 4x4 trip around the island.  Good snorkeling (at least there was, the reefs are changing), at the south end of the island, as I remember.   There are also pearl farms there, so if you want a tour, this is the place.

Things to shop for in FP: black pearls (high end), mother of pearl jewellery (low end), pareos (wraps), vanilla beans, monoi tiare oil, and other tiare-scented products like soap.

 

YES!!!  Super wonderful info and background from Wendy.  Very helpful.  Plus, the follow-ups from RonaldL and WESTEAST.  Lots of great sharing.  Keep it coming!!

 

From the New York Times earlier this month, they had this headline: “How Was Polynesia Populated? Two New Books Explore the Pacific’s Mysteries”  with this opening highlight and question: “It is an old, coral-encrusted question, puzzled over for the last three centuries, and usually posed in three parts. It concerns the inhabitants of the 10-million-square-mile triangle of blue-water Pacific real estate now known as Polynesia, which is bounded by New Zealand, Easter Island and the Hawaiian archipelago. The people who live there, seemingly magically marooned in a tropic Arcadia in the middle of a vast oceanic nowhere: Where did they come from, when did they get there, and how?”

 

There are many details as relates to the Maori, plus as related to the summer of 1769 with Capt. James Cook and a person called a "remarkable Tahitian islander named Tupaia".  It is noted that this native "would transform Cook’s knowledge and understanding of the Pacific, and hasten his 'discovery' of other Pacific islands, which of course included Australia and New Zealand."  Interesting background, history and insights from these book reviews!!

 

Here is another highlight from this NY Times review: "Separated by 3,500 miles of open ocean, and yet the people spoke a recognizably similar language. This revelation, which was to be confirmed many times over during the rest of the 1769 expedition and in later years of crisscrossing many more miles of sea, displayed that whoever these people were, they were effectively one, and to get where they did, they must be possessed of extraordinary navigation skills."

 

This review also focuses on the book titled "ENDEAVOUR. The Ship That Changed the World ".  This relates to the HMS Endeavour, a British Royal Navy research vessel that Lieutenant James Cook commanded to Australia and New Zealand on his first voyage of discovery from 1768 to 1771. Much great history in this region of the world.  

 

Full story at:

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/14/books/review/polynesian-history-christina-thompson-sea-people.html

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Barcelona/Med: June 2011, with stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Great visuals with key highlights, tips, etc. Live/blog now at 245,969 views.

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

[TLCOhio]

From the Telegraph newspaper in Australia a week ago,, they had this headline: “Inside guide to Bora Bora: 3 top stays you need to know about”  with these highlights: “Bora Bora in the French Polynesian South Pacific is one of those rare places not even social media can enhance.   'The feedback is that the photos people see online versus reality does show Bora Bora is — in fact — paradise,' says Rob Thompson, regional director of Tahiti Tourisme. 'It’s one of the only places with a large lagoon, with so many shades of blue.'   According to Rob, while you should definitely take a 'sharks and rays excursion', visit Kaina Hut and Bora Bora Yacht Club for food and cocktails and hike the Valley of Kings, one of the best experiences happens before you even exit the plane.”

 

Nice tips and ideas for Bora.  Looking forward to visiting there while doing a first time visit to this region of the South Pacific.  Below are a couple of nice visuals from this newspaper profile. 

 

Full story at:

https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/travel/world/new-zealand-pacific/inside-guide-to-bora-bora-3-top-stays-you-need-to-know-about/news-story/f79b861d6ec902beb9a140f87d31b4db

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise from Copenhagen, July 2010, to the top of Europe. Wonderful scenic visuals with key tips. Live/blog at 235,191 views.

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

 

From this Aussie newspaper profile, below is first an overview visual from Bora Bora.  Look nice?  Second is a resort sample from the Conrad Bora Bora Nui.:

(Open your screen/viewer wider to see these pictures larger/better!)

 

[TLCOhio]

From the CNN cable news network yesterday, they had this headline: “19 best places to travel for the summer of 2019”  with these highlights focused on French Polynesia: “Weather-wise, Tahiti may not seem like an obvious choice for summer travel, but as it's located in the Southern Hemisphere, winter there means comfortable temperatures averaging around 80 degrees Fahrenheit and less humidity. A newer airline competitor also means it's now more affordable than ever to visit this bucket-list spot.  In May 2018, budget airline French bee quietly launched a new route from San Francisco to Papeete, Tahiti, starting at just $660 round trip, opening up French Polynesia to more than honeymooners.  There's also more to French Polynesia than the popular islands of Tahiti and Bora Bora (the latter known for its dreamy overwater bungalows).
Among the 118 islands are ones like Rangiroa, a haven for divers and snorkelers who come for its famed Blue Lagoon, pearl farm and the only coral winery in the world.  Moorea is another neighboring island that offers everything from trendy restaurants to shopping, without feeling overdeveloped.”

 

YES, this picture and these details seem wonderful.  Cannot wait to explore for the first time there in early 2020.   

 

Full story with these many, different travel ideas/options at:

https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/summer-travel-places-2019/index.html

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Sydney to NZ/Auckland Adventure, live/blog 2014 sampling/details with many exciting visuals and key highlights.  On page 23, post #571, see a complete index for all of the pictures, postings.  Now at 220,459 views. 

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1974139

 

Here is one visual featured by this CNN profile to highlight French Polynesia.  They summarize that it may be difficult to get to this area, but its scenery is an easy sell.:

(Open your screen/viewer wider to see these pictures larger/better!)

[Heartfelttraveler]

We just did the Marina (first Oceania cruise) Tahiti 10 day in January/February 2019.  Our February weather was ideal.  If it rained at all it was either far away or only for a few minutes.  There was constant soft breeze that kept the temperature balmy but not too hot.

 

We did book 6 of 8 excursions through Oceania and were pleased with them. 

 

My favorite Oceania excursion was Raiatea: Taha'a Coral Garden Snorkeling w/Drift Snorkel.  There was some walking involved to get to the starting point of the drift.  The snorkeling itself was easy and beautiful.  We actually did four drifts and then had some time to snorkel at the end point before heading back.

 

In Bora Boar we did a private tour with H2O Bora Bora.  It was outstanding.  It is a small very well kept new boat and he only takes 4 per excursion.  We did four hours and we went to four different places to snorkel that were outstanding.

 

When I booked this I looked at the cruise competition that ports in Tahiti year round.  Comparing the ships, price, and experience I think Oceania was a great value for this location.  We loved the Oceania experience and the French Polynesian experience.  In fact we loved it so much we are booked again (another cruise line) in 2020.

 

I usually wear a long sleeved rash guard when snorkeling, but for this trip I also wore long pants rash guard.  Not only did it keep me from burning the back of my legs, but I did not get one coral abrasion on my legs.  I noticed that there were several people who wore pants rash guards also.

 

 

[deus]

Hi Terry - we did a 18 day from San Antonio, Chile to (Easter Island 2 days - yeah) Papeete and then a 10 day Papeete to Papeete - January 2019.  The best tour snorkelling wise was with Tohora Bora Bora.  He takes 6 people to a beautiful coral garden, and then three other stops, saw a huge manta ray, 22 eagle rays and to an area where there are hundreds of small fish which we fed right out of our hands!  Best advice to you and your wife - bring an inflatable life jacket and wear it!!!  We bought ours from Amazon and it was worth every penny.  We met a couple who told us that on a tour with Oceania someone was swept away 200 metres from the tour boat.  They luckily got the man but he and his wife were pretty shaken by the incident as well as everyone on the tour boat.  So bring a life jacket and wear it.  I was wearing my life jacket on one of my tours and I was trying to fix my goggles in the water and I got taken away by a very slight current may be 75 meters from the boat and one of our guides quickly came and brought me back.  I didn't even realize I was that far from the boat - it happens quickly.  

 

If you are thinking about buying pearls, buy them from the actual pearl farms, I think they are cheaper.  

 

I luckily bought my vanilla beans from the market in Papeete.  A fellow cc member, drbuster, gave me the exact stall that was the cheapest - $22 US for five beans.  We had only one tour that was going to a vanilla farm and they had no vanilla beans left.  I was able to buy vanilla paste so I purchased that at the farm.

 

It is so beautiful in French Polynesia - it actually is paradise on earth!!  We loved it there!  

[deus]

Hi Terry

 

I just had a couple of more things to add, don't wear your life jackets in the coral gardens.  The current is very swift and you go through too quickly and have no control - so don't wear them there.  We bought water shoes and goggles at Costco at this time of the year - they were good enough.  Just spit in the masks and wash it out and they stayed clear.  Don't put them on your forehead where they get mucked up with sunscreen.  Both my husband and I got slight cuts from the coral.  We washed them out on the tour boat with our bottled water and when we got back to the ship for about 15 minutes in the show.  Also we bought Tamanu oil $20US in Bora Bora and applied that to our abrasions and we got no infections.  We brought antibiotics with us just in case but we never used them.

[TLCOhio]

15 hours ago, deus said:

Hi Terry - we did a 18 day from San Antonio, Chile to (Easter Island 2 days - yeah) Papeete and then a 10 day Papeete to Papeete - January 2019.  The best tour snorkelling wise was with Tohora Bora Bora. If you are thinking about buying pearls, buy them from the actual pearl farms, I think they are cheaper.  I luckily bought my vanilla beans from the market in Papeete.  A fellow cc member, drbuster, gave me the exact stall that was the cheapest - $22 US for five beans.  We had only one tour that was going to a vanilla farm and they had no vanilla beans left.  I was able to buy vanilla paste so I purchased that at the farm.  It is so beautiful in French Polynesia - it actually is paradise on earth!!  We loved it there!  

 

Appreciate from deus in British Columbia these great comments, information and follow-ups.  Very helpful sharing!!  Keep it coming.  Where in British Columbia do you live?  We will be coming out your way soon.  Departing in 51 days for Calgary and for our first time, we will be seeing Jasper/Banff, doing the Western Canada Rocky Mountaineer rail adventure, having three days in Vancouver, then sailing up to Alaska, doing a post-cruise excursion to Denali, etc.  Only previously been once in Victoria, BC.  Looking forward to seeing these exciting, new areas.  

 

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

SE Asia/Mekong River, Etc.!  Live/blog from early 2018, first adventure through SE Asia, stops in Hong Kong and Bangkok, before exploring all over Vietnam and Cambodia, seven days sailing on the Mekong River. Now at 46,736 views.

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2591474

[deus]

Terry - That is a beautiful area  you will be seeing in Alberta and then again up to Alaska.    We did an Alaska cruise a few years ago and loved it.   Vancouver is a beautiful city and I am sure you will enjoy it.  If you are interested, my husband and I are always up to being tour guides for a day.  Just leave your email and I will contact you.

[TLCOhio]

14 hours ago, deus said:

Terry - That is a beautiful area  you will be seeing in Alberta and then again up to Alaska.    We did an Alaska cruise a few years ago and loved it.   Vancouver is a beautiful city and I am sure you will enjoy it.  If you are interested, my husband and I are always up to being tour guides for a day.  Just leave your email and I will contact you.

 

Appreciate this wonderful follow-up from deus in British Columbia.  Such a kind offer to help us in understanding more on Vancouver.  We have over the years heard so much excellent about this scenic and dramatic city.  To reach me via e-mail, you can send to TLCohio at aol dot com.  Look forward to learning more.  

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Venice: Loving It & Why??!!  Is one of your future desires or past favorites? See these many visual samples for its great history and architecture.  This posting is now at 82,791 views.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1278226

[TLCOhio]

From the below article for a major New Zealand newspaper last year, they had this headline: “Noumea: Eat your heart out”  with these story highlights: “Travelling to Nouméa with a small group of passionate foodie writers is an experience in itself.  There's the obligatory photo shots of every course at every meal, the serious taste debates, and then there's the wish list.   We do find is a real touch of Paris behind the doors of several patisseries, chocolatiers and épicieries. The French have brought their mouth-watering traditions to this island paradise, from the colourful macarons, madeleines, tarts and pastries at La Vielle France to exquisite chocolates at Chez Tonton Jules, and imported truffle oils and tapenades at Chez Alexandre. Everything is, of course, beautifully displayed, and not one of us leaves without making a purchase. But be warned, New Caledonia is not cheap.”

 

This profile has many visuals and other details.  This includes this key segment: "The Tjibaou Cultural Center, named after assassinated Kanak political leader, Jean-Marie Tjibaou. It's thrilling to stand inside a traditional pointy Kanak hut, which is cool even on the hottest day. But it is equally thrilling to walk, for the first time, inside a building designed by architectural maestro Renzo Piano. Piano's ephemeral, soaring shells, which can be seen from right across the bay, make this a powerful building that references traditional Kanak chiefs' huts while also speaking of future growth and development."

 

Full story at:

https://www.stuff.co.nz/travel/destinations/pacific-islands/100529471/noumea-eat-your-heart-out?rm=a

[deus]

Hi Terry - I just sent you an email, please let me know if you got it.

[TLCOhio]

1 hour ago, deus said:

Hi Terry - I just sent you an email, please let me know if you got it.

 

YES!!  Received and responded back.  Appreciate your offer, help and interest.  Will have lots of ideas and tips for your planned and upcoming Oceania Nautica in February 2021 Capetown to  Singapore.  Can offer many ideas for those stops in South Africa, plus Maputo, Mozambique.  Great, exotic itinerary!!

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

For latest live/blog, see “Holy Lands, Egypt, Jordan, Oman, Dubai, Greece, etc.”, with many visuals, details and ideas for the historic and scenic Middle East on the Oceania Nautica.  Connect at:

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2607054-livenautica-greece-holy-lands-egypt-dubai-terrypix’s/

 

[Hawaiidan]

On 5/25/2019 at 3:54 PM, deus said:

Hi Terry - we did a 18 day from San Antonio, Chile to (Easter Island 2 days - yeah) Papeete and then a 10 day Papeete to Papeete - January 2019.  The best tour snorkelling wise was with Tohora Bora Bora.  He takes 6 people to a beautiful coral garden, and then three other stops, saw a huge manta ray, 22 eagle rays and to an area where there are hundreds of small fish which we fed right out of our hands!  Best advice to you and your wife - bring an inflatable life jacket and wear it!!!  We bought ours from Amazon and it was worth every penny.  We met a couple who told us that on a tour with Oceania someone was swept away 200 metres from the tour boat.  They luckily got the man but he and his wife were pretty shaken by the incident as well as everyone on the tour boat.  So bring a life jacket and wear it.  I was wearing my life jacket on one of my tours and I was trying to fix my goggles in the water and I got taken away by a very slight current may be 75 meters from the boat and one of our guides quickly came and brought me back.  I didn't even realize I was that far from the boat - it happens quickly.  

 

If you are thinking about buying pearls, buy them from the actual pearl farms, I think they are cheaper.  

 

I luckily bought my vanilla beans from the market in Papeete.  A fellow cc member, drbuster, gave me the exact stall that was the cheapest - $22 US for five beans.  We had only one tour that was going to a vanilla farm and they had no vanilla beans left.  I was able to buy vanilla paste so I purchased that at the farm.

 

It is so beautiful in French Polynesia - it actually is paradise on earth!!  We loved it there!  

 

Just a reminder..... EVERYONE   in Bora Bora who has a boat and does a tour...goes to the SAME spots.   No one has any special secret spots.    Thus other than the boat its self there are really no difference in your experience    That said  the best Bora experience  is the Wave Runner tour !    In picking a tour there is a huge tourist  pavilion where the  tenders come in  will have dozens of vendors.     However, this will NOT be the case for most of the other ports...Taxi's are few   Don't expect the smaller islands to be all that developed....  The ship will overwhelm most ports....

[deus]

From "Hawaiidan" Just a reminder..... EVERYONE   in Bora Bora who has a boat and does a tour...goes to the SAME spots.   No one has any special secret spots.    Thus other than the boat its self there are really no difference in your experience    That said  the best Bora experience  is the Wave Runner tour !    In picking a tour there is a huge tourist  pavilion where the  tenders come in  will have dozens of vendors.     However, this will NOT be the case for most of the other ports...Taxi's are few   Don't expect the smaller islands to be all that developed....  The ship will overwhelm most ports...."

 

Actually Hawaiidan that was not the case with me and my husband.  We did Patrick's tour and it was completely different that Tohora Bora Bora's.  Tohora Bora Bora's we went to a coral garden that was a "drift" snorkel but not so with Patrick's tour.  Patrick's we went to his motu and swam with some sharks, swam over a small coral area, no small fish area.  So two completely different tours and sights. 

[Petoonya]

10 hours ago, Hawaiidan said:

 

Just a reminder..... EVERYONE   in Bora Bora who has a boat and does a tour...goes to the SAME spots.   No one has any special secret spots.    Thus other than the boat its self there are really no difference in your experience    That said  the best Bora experience  is the Wave Runner tour !    In picking a tour there is a huge tourist  pavilion where the  tenders come in  will have dozens of vendors.     However, this will NOT be the case for most of the other ports...Taxi's are few   Don't expect the smaller islands to be all that developed....  The ship will overwhelm most ports....

 

Don't know about this advice. Did four days in BB in December using a different snorkel provider each day after doing lots of research. It paid off. Used Tohora Bora Bora, Lagoon Service, Pure Snorkeling and H2O Bora Bora. There was some overlap, but there really are different experiences. There may not be "secret spots", but some providers can definitely give you something unique.

[Hawaiidan]

On 5/30/2019 at 9:30 PM, Petoonya said:

 

Don't know about this advice. Did four days in BB in December using a different snorkel provider each day after doing lots of research. It paid off. Used Tohora Bora Bora, Lagoon Service, Pure Snorkeling and H2O Bora Bora. There was some overlap, but there really are different experiences. There may not be "secret spots", but some providers can definitely give you something unique.

A note on beaches.....with  a small exception  Bora has no public access beaches.   Beaches all are owned by a hotel or some one and you have to pay to use then.    Almost all beaches are in the lagoon not on Bora Bora  and require a boat  tour to get to.   In the 5 times in Bora  I have found no real difference in snorkeling.