THE HAIRY GIRAFFE… IN FRENCH POLYNESIA
We spent five weeks in French Polynesia, three of which were in the Society Islands.
Here, we present our detailed itinerary for these three weeks. We covered the islands of Tahiti, Maupiti, Raiatea, Taha’a, Huahine, Bora Bora, and Moorea.
For an overview of our 5-week itinerary in French Polynesia (including the Tuamotu and Marquesas Islands) and essential destination information (budget, health, safety, etc.), please check out:
Can’t stress it enough: French Polynesia captured our hearts. Find our Travel Reflections articles on French Polynesia here:
Three-week itinerary in the Society Islands
Day 0: Departure from Paris with a layover in Los Angeles. The layover is mandatory for refueling the plane, but it can be quite tedious and last several hours: the U.S. customs process isn’t always very fast (or friendly!).
Day 1: Arrival in Papeete (Tahiti) early in the morning. After getting some rest, we spent the afternoon at the Paofai Gardens, where we witnessed a fruit-carrying competition as part of the Heiva festivities, an annual event held every July.
Day 2: After a good night’s sleep, despite the 12-hour time difference, we set out to explore the island of Tahiti. We drove along the west coast: visiting Marae Arahurahu, Maraa Cave, and spent the night in Taravao on the peninsula (Tahiti Iti).
Day 3: We drove south to Tahiti Iti, reaching Teahupoo, the zero kilometer point of Tahiti. This spot is globally renowned for surfing. Then, we headed up the east coast of Tahiti Nui: visiting Aubail and Faarumai waterfalls, Pointe Vénus, and had our first swim at the beach near King Pomare’s Tomb. In the evening, we attended the dance performances at the Heiva finals held at Place To’ata.
Day 4: After a quick stop at Papeete’s market, we flew to Maupiti. Spent the afternoon at Pointe Tereia Beach.
Day 5: We set off in the morning to hike up to the summit of Mount Hotu Paraoa. The hike was quite challenging; we should have started earlier to avoid the intense heat. However, once at the top, we were rewarded with an exceptional view of Maupiti’s lagoon. Probably, the most breathtaking viewpoint of our trip in French Polynesia.
In the afternoon, we walked across the lagoon to relax on the motu Auira.
Day 6: The day was dedicated to an excursion with the owners of the guesthouse where we were staying (the people of Maupiti voted against the construction of hotels on the island). The agenda included a timeless experience swimming with manta rays, a traditional Polynesian meal, and snorkeling.
Day 7: We returned to Motu Auira and enjoyed our day on deserted and stunning beaches.
Day 8: Last day in Maupiti: we made the most of our time at Pointe Tereia Beach.
Day 9: After a short flight, we arrived in Raiatea, greeted with music. We spent the day in Uturoa, the main town on the island.
Day 10: We toured Raiatea by car. The island is much larger than Maupiti and notably lush. Our itinerary included Faaroa Botanical Garden and the Taputapuatea Marae.
Day 11: Another day of exploration: we circled Taha’a by boat. Taha’a, Raiatea’s neighboring island, is known as the ‘vanilla island’ due to its extensive production of this spice, which fills the air with a sweet scent of vanilla. We started the day swimming with sharks.
Then we visited a vanilla plantation, a great opportunity to purchase some pods. After a short snorkeling session, we had a meal on a motu before visiting a pearl farm.
We wrapped up the tour with some snorkeling at the coral garden of Motu Tautau: a truly magnificent experience.
Day 12: We had plans to head to a small motu facing Uturoa, but the weather had different plans for us: it poured rain all day! So, it turned into a day of relaxation on the terrace… In the late afternoon, we caught a flight to Huahine.
Day 13: It’s François’s birthday! We toured Huahine by car. Our itinerary included Fare Pote’e, fish traps, snorkeling at the coral garden near the former Sofitel hotel, and a visit to the sacred blue-eyed eels. We drove to the south of Huahine Iti for lunch at a restaurant.
We made a quick shopping stop at the pareo house before heading back north in Huahine, passing by the Tefarerii viewpoint. In the late afternoon, we returned to the coral garden near the former Sofitel hotel, where beautiful clownfish awaited us.
Day 14: We took a lazy day on Fare Beach, between occasional rain showers!
Day 15: We spent the day between the beach and the town of Fare before catching a flight to Bora Bora.
Day 16: Once again, we embarked on a day-long excursion. The agenda included sharks and stingrays, leopard rays, snorkeling, a meal on a motu with feet in the water, pareo workshop, and coconut opening.
Day 17: It’s time to explore and stay on the island of Bora Bora, where we’re staying. The island is often overlooked by tourists who stay on motus, especially in luxury hotels with overwater bungalows. Nevertheless, we absolutely loved Bora Bora.
We started the day with a hike to the top of Mount Popoti, offering a superb view of Bora Bora’s lagoon. Then, we bought Tahitian pearls at an unbeatable price, much lower than those at the pearl farms in Taha’a. A short break at Matira Beach, then we headed up to Anau Cannon before returning to our accommodation.
Day 18: It’s already time to leave Bora Bora. We would have liked to stay one more day. Flight back to Tahiti.
Day 19: For a change, we took the boat to switch islands, heading to Moorea, opposite Tahiti. We got our car and admired the incredible view from the Toatea lookout point. It’s hard to believe the photos aren’t edited, but we promise, no filters or touch-ups here (we stick to our promises)!
Since the weather forecasts for the upcoming days aren’t favorable, we immediately drove to Mount Rotui, arguably the most iconic viewpoint in Moorea. We spent the rest of the day snorkeling at the beautiful Temae Beach.
Day 20: The weather forecasts were accurate: the bad weather is here and it’s going to last… Nonetheless, François decides to take a chance and goes offshore to see if he can spot some whales. Get out the magnifying glass: yes, that tiny black dot in the photo is indeed a whale… He had better luck spotting whales in Greenland and Quebec.
Day 21: We visited the Rotui factories (fruit juice and rum) to avoid the rain. Did a bit of snorkeling, but the sun still wasn’t shining.
Day 22: Informative visit to the Te Mana o Te Moana turtle clinic before doing a bit of snorkeling.
Day 23: The weather becomes a bit more forgiving. François happily indulges in a poutine at a restaurant run by a Quebecer: quite the clash of cultures! We once again enjoy the fish and corals at Temae.
Day 24: Last day in Moorea, where the weather is finally nice again! We went snorkeling again and had an unforgettable evening: the owner of our accommodation invited us to join a va’a lesson he was conducting. So, we spent the evening paddling in Opunohu Bay. A magical moment to beautifully conclude our stay in Moorea, where we’ve had more rain than sunshine…
Day 25: We return to Papeete by boat. It’s already time to leave French Polynesia. But before that, François gets a final souvenir: a Polynesian tattoo.
The suitcases are very heavy, filled with gifts and all sorts of souvenirs. But most importantly, we return with thousands of beautiful images in our minds and the desire to return to French Polynesia very soon.
As you can see, it’s entirely possible to spend less time in Moorea to fit the itinerary into a maximum of three weeks.
Check out all our other articles on French Polynesia (detailed itineraries, travel reflections, focus on Polynesian culture…):
