Tahiti, Bora Bora and other places of the South Pacific

OP you could not find two idyllic paradises more different than Tahiti and Hawaii.

No judgement, but from the sounds of you, I’d say that Hawaii is the place for you.

Tahiti? Not so much. Too far from wherever you are. Too expensive. Too foreign.

I was just thinking about this on Sunday and right now during Covid, Tahiti is the better bet.

Tahiti is open to international travel with no quarantine, but Hawaii still has a 14 day quarantine in effect. Which means you are stuck in your hotel room for fourteen days, before you can venture out. That's total bullshit. Who's going to put up with that?

However, pre-Covid, Hawaii was much more convenient. All of the same types of sites and attractions as Tahiti, but with less travel time and much more of what Americans are used to. Also, no customs bullshit.

French Polynesia is what you want, but not the main island Tahiti. The outer islands. Bora Bora, Moorea, etc. You won't regret it, seriously.

R2 Hawaii, at least Oahu, is reopening to tourists without going through a 2 week quarantine. The new restriction requires getting a specific type of Covid test within 72 hours of your flight. Kaiser Permanente and certain drugstores will have the tests available for about $80-100 and the results will be emailed if I recall correctly. You can then forego the 2 week quarantine with a passing grade. You can also choose to quarantine (but why!). I think this program begins October 15th. Check with the airlines, or with the government to receive more info.

Hawaiian Airlines has partnered with a lab as well.

R5 Thanks, I wasn't aware of that. I must admit that I have not missed tourists. Our islands have had time to heal somewhat from over-tourism and that's a great thing. Beaches and reefs are recovering and the local population for the most part, has been happy with fewer people on the roads, beaches and with restaurants and shopping. For those still not working, I feel badly, but the rest of us have loved this break. It's coming to an end and I'm not looking forward to what is just around the corner.

R1 Hawaii would be 2nd choice for me personally and I live in Hawaii. The islands of French Polynesia have incredible beauty but getting there and staying there can be very expensive, especially if you're hoping to stay in an over-water bungalow. Don't misunderstand, Hawaii is one of the most beautiful places on Earth. The thing is, French Polynesia is magic. Pure magic.

Tahiti? It's a magical place.

I would absolutely love a week or two in Bora Bora, it is super expensive though, much more expensive than Hawaii. I would quite like to go to Hawaii as well but a lot of the hotels are the mega-complex type which I assume will be stuffed full of American tourists stuffing their fat faces at the all you can eat buffets, which really puts me off to be honest.

Bali Ha'i may call you ...

I read Moorea is very beautiful. Reading Lonley Planet books and dreaming is keeping me sane. I was looking at places in the Indian Ocean, like Sri Lanka and Seychelles too, then I started remembering the 2004 tsunami....

The island of Tahiti is surprisingly disappointing. We only stayed on it long enough to get a plane to Bora Bora and Moorea.

Bora Bora and Moorea would two of the prettiest places I have ever been.

Don't waste time with Tahiti.

Tahiti is trashy, touristy, and expensive.

It's also kind of ghetto.

Ra'iatea and Bora Bora are beautiful but Bora Boring. Only couples who spend the entire week fucking, would enjoy it there.

Also, they speak French and Tahitian. So good luck with that.

Hawaii is also a shithole. Packed with tourists, traffic, consumerism and very expensive.

"Paradise" isn't really paradise any more.

If you really want a taste of Polynesia, go to Samoa, Tonga, or the Cook Islands. Easter Island (Rapa Nui) is also quite an adventure, but it is part of Chile, so they speak Spanish there.

Those islands are much smaller and much more "primitive," but you'll also get a more authentic South Pacific experience than you would in Tahiti or Hawaii.

[R12] Thanks. I had heard that Tahiti has a lot of strip malls now. I already have plenty of those in my life as an American, and don’t want to pay big bucks to see more of them.

I've heard the Cook Islands are wonderful and something of a bargain. If you decide to travel to any of the islands mentioned I hope you'll let us know what your experience was like. A less expensive way to see some of these islands is by cruise ship. I hear Windjammer does a good job and Gauguin is a nice, smaller cruise ship. I have friends that did the Gauguin 2 years ago and also planned an extended stay on Moorea at a more local, reasonably priced bungalow. They are dying to go back. French Polynesia is #1 on my bucket list.

Would "Coconut Radio" still be the thing on Tahiti? Went out once with a hotel manager who worked for a short time on the island. Told me he couldn't wait to leave as there was nothing to do and everyone loves to gossip.

If its coconuts you want you can get them in Puerto Rico or the South Bronx.