French Polynesia Holidays & Resorts

Tahiti holidays conjure up images of beautiful women with long flowing black hair, of breathtaking tropical mountains tumbling into turquoise lagoons, snorkelling with manta rays, watching the sun set from an overwater bungalow and being invigorated by the sophisticated ambience which blends Mediterranean with the South Pacific. Unfortunately such beauty comes at a price: French Polynesia, with its glamourous French influence and high import costs make it one of the most expensive holiday destinations to visit in the world. But this only heightens the exotic appeal to its most common visitor - the affluent romantic couple - and it is no surprise therefore that a Tahiti honeymoon is amongst the most desirable for couples from Australia, USA and Europe.

To see which are our favourite accommodations to stay at, along with our very best deals be sure to look at our Tahiti Package Holidays.

Tahiti & Papeete

The main island of Tahiti offers stunning mountain scenery, good surfing beaches, the impressive Gauguin Museum and lively Papeete Town with its exuberant market. Also location of the Int'l airport.

 

Popular Tahiti Hotels

• Le Meridien Hotel - great base for exploring tahiti
• Tiare Hotel - in the heart of Papeete Town
• Vanira Lodge - secluded retreat on tropical Tahiti Iti

Bora Bora

Bora Bora is famous the world over for its beauty. With jagged mountains tumbling into a turquoise lagoon, this is the place for a romantic holiday in Tahiti with plenty of overwater bungalows.

 

Popular Bora Bora Hotels

• St Regis Resort - private island - luxury at its best
• Sofitel Beach Resort - good base for day cruises
• Hotel Matira - affordable on popular Matira Beach

Tuamotu Islands

These massive atolls consist of tiny coral islands surrounding deep lagoons and are prime for scuba diving with sharks, rays and dolphins in abundance. Come here also to chill out with the locals.

 

Popular Tuamotu Islands Accommodation

• Kia Ora Hotel - good base for scuba diving
• Pension Havaiki - on Fakarava Atoll close to village

Moorea

This lovely holiday island of Moorea lies just off the coast from Tahiti airport and offers the best value hotels in French Polynesia along with beautiful coastal scenery, mountain walks and plenty of day tours.

 

Popular Moorea Hotels

• Hilton Moorea - large resort on stunning lagoon
• Hibiscus Hotel - great value on Hauru Beach
• Hotel Kaveka - on Cooks Bay with magnificent views

Other Society Islands

Huahine, Raiatea, Tahaa and Maupiti all offer a more laid back holiday atmosphere with the Polynesian people going about their daily lives. Great scuba diving although beaches are only average.

 

Popular Society Islands Hotels

• Vahine Island Resort - private island in Tahaa
• Hotel Mahana - explore Huahine Island
• Pension Kuiri - eco retreat on beach in Maupiti

Marquesas Islands

The mysterious Marquesas are very remote tropical islands with a very traditional culture where full body tattooing is still widely practiced. This is an eco lovers paradise with great walks and historic sites.

 

Popular Marquesas Islands Accommodation

• Kaikahanui Lodge - explore remote Nuku Hiva
• Hanakee Lodge - eco retreat on Hiva Oa island

French Polynesia Holidays

If this is your first time visiting Tahiti for a holiday, we recommend you use our Tahiti holidays guide. Here you'll find detailed travel information about all the different regions to visit, what to do on your holidays and where best to stay depending on your interests and budget.

The islands of French Polynesia, the largest and most well-known being Tahiti, are scattered over 2.5 million square kilometres in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, and have a total land area of more than 4,000 square kilometres. There are some 130 islands and atolls in French Polynesia, grouped into five archipelagos. The Society Islands is the most popular to visit on holiday and include Tahiti Island (for which the country is often called), Moorea and Bora Bora. More than 80 per cent of tourism is based between these three islands. The Tuamotu Group is a collection of massive coral atolls, Rangiroa being the second largest in the world. These low lying atolls with huge inner lagoons have fantastic scuba diving as well as being production centres for Tahitian Black Pearls. The Marquesas in the far north are dramatic volcanic islands with sheer cliffs and traditional villages but little tourism.

The main island of Tahiti is the population centre with the energetic capital city of Papeete, with great nightclubs and restaurants, craft markets and duty-free boutique shops selling fashion and pearls. The island of Moorea, one of the most popular holiday destinations in French Polynesia (and perhaps the South Pacific), boast a mix of world-class resorts with invigorating spas and affordable beach hotels. Popular activities include exploring the exhilarating twin bays of Cooks and Opunohu, enjoying inland safaris, coastal tours, diving the fabulous reefs, relaxing, lazing, people-watching and celebrity-sighting, golfing, riding, deep-sea fishing, outrigger canoeing in the lagoon, and more. Bora Bora, an island of legend and beauty about 230 km from Papeete, is surrounded by a lagoon and a barrier reef. In the centre of the island are the remnants of an extinct volcano rising to two peaks. Most of the accommodations are over-water bungalows, the best way to see the Pacific from bed. The majority of tourist activities happen in the waters of Bora Bora, including swimming with rays and feeding sharks in the clear, turquoise waters.

French Polynesia Hotels

French Polynesia is about as close to the ideal Polynesian getaway paradise as you will find. Even though Moorea and Bora Bora in the Society Islands are two of the most popular tourist destinations in the Pacific, and attract the rich and famous from around the world, it remains a tropical haven. There is a selection of very high end, international hotel and resort accommodations to be found on many of the islands; for those who prefer the simpler and more authentic local experience, there are several types of accommodation which come under either fares (bungalows) or pensions (guest houses). Be aware that everything is very expensive in French Polynesia, including the simpler accommodations, restaurants, and even groceries.

There's a good selection of accommodation in French Polynesia with plenty of large brand resorts (Hilton, Intercontinental, Sofitel, Le Meridien and Pearl have resorts on all the major tourist islands) as well as more affordable and intimate guest houses, although at these, English may not be readily spoken. Please view our recommended Bora Bora hotels from the links below for detailed information including room interior photos and independent reviews.

Luxury € 400 +

Tahiti has numerous over water bungalows

 

Best Luxury Resorts in French Polynesia

• Bora Nui Resort - stylish holidays in Bora Bora
• Tahaa Island - exclusive private island retreat

Afford: € 150 - 250

From family hotels to secluded pensions for travellers

 

Best Economy Hotels in French Polynesia

• Fare Vai Moana - affordable bungalows on Moorea
• Temanuata Beach - visit Bora Bora on a budget

Deluxe: € 250 - 400

Boutique resorts on Moorea and Bora Bora

 

Best Deluxe Resorts in Tahiti

• Intercontinental Moorea - convenient base
• Pearl Bora - quiet resort for couples or families

Budget: € 50 - 150

Cheap Tahiti accommodation is rare but there

 

Best Budget Hotels in Tahiti

• Les Tipaniers - Haura Beach on Moorea
• Pension Hiti Moana - coastal bungalows on Tahiti

Tahiti Resort Specials

If you're searching for the ideal place to stay at the right price, we have created a unique Tahiti resorts specials highlighting our specials which have been hand created by our own travel specialists. The directory features both the popular large beach resort and hotels sold by most travel agents, as well as highlighting the smaller, lesser-known properties which include luxury villas, boutique self-catering bungalows and affordable holiday homes for families or couples looking to do their own thing.

French Polynesia Travel Information

Located in the heart of the South Pacific, Tahiti is a 7-hr flight from Australia and New Zealand, or a 6-hr flight from Los Angeles from which it receives direct flights connecting on to Europe, it's main holiday market. French-speaking, the islands of French Polynesia are amongst the most exotic in the South Pacific but unfortunately are amongst the most expensive in the world for a holiday.

Although lacking the stunning beaches of Fiji and the Cook Islands, French Polynesia is an upmarket honeymoon destination with exquisite overwater bungalows which on stilts over the lagoon (some even have glass portals in the floor so you can watch the fish beneath). The islands are popular amongst French holiday-makers and Japanese honeymooners but it also makes a great destination for exploring (Tahiti and The Marquesas) and sightseeing (Moorea and Bora Bora) as well as having good scuba diving and snorkelling (Bora Bora and The Tuamotu Group).

The most affordable beach and sightseeing holidays are on beach-less Tahiti, although for beach-lovers Moorea is just 1-hr by ferry from the capital Papeete and the international airport. Stunning Bora Bora, on many people's "must see list" is sold at a premium with overly expensive accommodation, tours and food.

The main airport is Faa'a International Airport, built on the lagoon about 5 km west of Papeete, near several major hotels. There are many places to hire a vehicle to find your way around the larger islands; on the smaller islands, which you can get to by boat or small plane, there is usually public transport of some sort, or places where you can hire a bicycle to see these tropic paradises up close and personal.