day trips from tahiti

[lam7609]

HI, I have a free day in tahiti precruise and am considering how to spend it. I would like to go to another island for the day. The IC has trips to Moorea, but they don't get in the water : (. Have tried to find a trip to Tetiroa without success. Or I could laze around at the IC pool? Any ideas?

 

thanks

lam7609

[Wendy The Wanderer]

We thought seriously about doing this on our upcoming trip, but decided that we'd be too jetlagged after getting in late the night before off the 4 o'clock flight from LAX. We're going to laze around the pool, walk the beach, perhaps go into Papeete for a bit, and have a nice dinner.

 

But from my research, it's quite easy to take a cab to the ferry dock and take the fast ferry over to Moorea. Others will give you details, but you could rent a car, book an excursion in advance that involved a snorkeling trip, or just wing it and decide what to do when you get there. You have to get back fairly early, since the ferries don't travel after dark, so something like 5:30 is your deadline.

[CruiserPK]

The IC in Tahiti was far nicer than we expected. Be sure to ask for a renovated room. We stayed their recently for three nights prior to a trip to Moorea, then the PG cruise. You will not be disappointed if you just spend the day at the IC.

Cheers, Pam

[Spikesgirl]

HI, I have a free day in tahiti precruise and am considering how to spend it. I would like to go to another island for the day. The IC has trips to Moorea, but they don't get in the water : (. Have tried to find a trip to Tetiroa without success. Or I could laze around at the IC pool? Any ideas?

 

thanks

lam7609

 

Have you check with L'Escapade (www.escapade-voile.pf). They offer a day trip to Tetiroa and has you back in Tahiti by 3:30 (departures from the dick at 6 a.m.) and it runs 130000 CFP.

 

Depending upon where you are flying from, you might have a world of jet lag to deal with. We (from CA) were up at the crack of dawn, swam, had breakfast and were at the airport to head over to Rangiroa by 10 a.m., so

it is possible to pack a lot into a few hours. We did crash and burn by about 2 that afternoon, but you'd pretty much be at the end of the day tour by then. It's something to think about.

[lam7609]

Thanks for your reply! I've already checked w/ that company and they will be out on a long haul charter that weekend. However, I have decided to get my dive card and will be doing my "checkout" dives with the IC dive shop instead. I will definitely be getting wet:D !

 

Karyn

[Spikesgirl]

Sorry that these guys aren't available for you, but at least you won't waste time being dry! We only spent two days of our three weeks in the islands dry. We felt snorkeling was best in Raiatea and Moorea. Very disappointed with Bora Bora. Tourism is taking its toll on the coral there.

 

Have a great time!!

[Wendy The Wanderer]

That's sad to hear about Bora Bora. I'm not really surprised though, since I've seen people abusing the coral, and I know the hotel construction has taken its toll as well. But with the coral suffering in Moorea as well, doesn't sound good overall. How was the coral in Rangiroa? I've got information about snorkeling from the shore, near the hotel--anything good to report there?

[Spikesgirl]

That's sad to hear about Bora Bora. I'm not really surprised though, since I've seen people abusing the coral, and I know the hotel construction has taken its toll as well. But with the coral suffering in Moorea as well, doesn't sound good overall. How was the coral in Rangiroa? I've got information about snorkeling from the shore, near the hotel--anything good to report there?

 

And they just opened three new hotels on Bora (on motus). The absolute best snorkeling was the coral garden on Taha'a, but we were very pleased with the snorkeling on Rangi as well. The Tiputa area was great, but there was good snorkeling just off the Kia Ora as well (you can't use their pools, but you can use their beach). Since KO has a habit of leaving bread out for their guests to feed fish, there are quite a number of fish who stay around in the area. It's easy access, there are restrooms just off the pool and the bar is pretty much open after noon (but expensive, as our table mates found out). We loved snorkeling on Rangi, but there isn't much else to do if you don't want to get wet.

[wristband]

I totally agree the snorkeling was spectacular at the coral garden on Taha'a. Fantastic - the very best of our several trips to Polynesia.

 

I disagree on snorkeling near the Kia Ora. I found it mediocre at best. Aside from going in the water to snorkel or swim, there is little to see or do on Rangi save the mangy dogs and seeking out shade. Natives sell overpriced crap - like coke can lid chains and rock - who buys that junk?

 

Kia Ora does indeed have a lovely (but expensive) bar and you can have lunch there after 12:30.

 

BTW, I was shocked to see TP passengers brazenly storm past the hotel's signs requesting privacy/no trespassing. Pax set up shop on the hotel property on KO beach chairs, climbed onto vacant beachfront villas. Some slobs hopped in KO hot tubs and cranked them on!

 

TP captain Stefano made a special plea (echoed in the Patter) before tender started to please respect the privacy of the hotel.

 

Fat chance!

[Spikesgirl]

Sounds like you won't be in a hurry to go back to Rangi and we have already decided that we are going back there. Different strokes, I guess. We had good snorkeling off of KO, so it might have had something to do with time of year? (I'm just thowing out wild cards here, because we had lots of fish.)

 

Our tables mates proudly announced that they used the pool at KO and we dressed them down for it. We had a similar request in the Patters, via Captain Servillo, but many didn't pay it any heed. I'm guessing that the hotel will soon be off limits unless the passengers start respecting the rights of KO's paid guests.

 

One thing about taking a taxi into Avatoru Village, there were lots of more localized goods in the two grocery stores - I bought a big jar of Rangi honey, some island made candy and a shell necklace and paid (no kidding) $9. We didn't even look at the stuff at the dock though. That's always high, but there will always be takers.

 

Sorry you hated Rangi!