Recommend an Island to Visit After 10-day Paul Gaugin Cruise.

Our June 1st cruise leaves from Papeete, with stops in Huahine, 2 days in Bora Bora, Rangiroa, Fakarava, Taha'a, 2 days in Moorea, and back to Papeete, with only 1 day at sea.

We will only have time for one day and night in Papeete pre-cruise, 2 at most - is that enough for Papeete or should we plan another day post-cruise there?

After the cruise, we'd like to go to an island for 3-4 days and while we were thinking about going back to Bora Bora or Moorea, we are open and welcome your thoughts on those or other islands and resorts. We can arrange "Extend Your Trip" to select islands/resorts through Paul Gaugin or we can make our own arrangements. Again, we welcome your feedback.

Having never been to French Polynesia & being relatively new to cruising, we don't know how much we will see & do on the cruise at each island, so it is hard to know in advance which island - or new island - we want to visit post-cruise.

A bit about us: We are active seniors (mid-60's and late 60's). We definitely want to enjoy the beauty and culture of the islands, as well as the sea & beaches. We like to snorkel but I am not a strong swimmer, and neither of us dives. My husband is active but has a knee that gets sore when walking/hiking long distances, or on very steep inclines & uneven surfaces.

Thanks in advance for your feedback.

B&B - Your Gauguin cruise visits almost all the islands which most tourists go to. Only Tikehau in the Tuamotu group is missing. Now, Tikehau is gorgeous and there are two nice hotels there. You might think of going there. Further afield you might think about flying up to the Marquesas or down to the Austral group where there are no fancy resorts, just family-run places. This is the French Polynesia of your dreams, uncontaminated by the sort of US-French chain hotels and tacky honeymoon culture that has overtaken Bora Bora and Moorea.

There is also The Brando, on an atoll near Tahiti called Tetiaroa, once owned by Marlon Brando. It's by far the most expensive resort in French Polynesia and utterly brilliant by those lucky enough to have stayed there. It's been built to high environmental standards and thus lacks those awful overwater bungalows which have scarred the landscape of many other islands.

You also have the time to consider leaving French Polynesia and flying to the Cook Islands and staying on their more laid-back, simpler version of Bora Bora which is called Aitutaki.

I am sure the Brando is spectacular but at $3000 per night with a 3 night minimum I will never see it. There is a weekly flight to Rarotonga in the Cook Islands that is an interesting option. Visiting any island other than Moorea will cost about $400-$450 per person in air. Moorea can be visited via a $30 round trip ferry which leaves from the pier adjacent to where you will dock on the PG, a simple 50 yard walk.

Although you have visited Moorea during the cruise I would go back, as I have done 3 times after the cruise. I love the Hilton and while I recognize the opinion of some that overwater bungalows have destroyed the view I love them.

I am sure the Brando is spectacular but at $3000 per night with a 3 night minimum I will never see it. There is a weekly flight to Rarotonga in the Cook Islands that is an interesting option. Visiting any island other than Moorea will cost about $400-$450 per person in air. Moorea can be visited via a $30 round trip ferry which leaves from the pier adjacent to where you will dock on the PG, a simple 50 yard walk.

 

Although you have visited Moorea during the cruise I would go back, as I have done 3 times after the cruise. I love the Hilton and while I recognize the opinion of some that overwater bungalows have destroyed the view I love them.

Thanks for the feedback. If I win the lottery, I will be sure to book the Brando, but sadly it is not in the budget. So torn between Bora Bora and Moorea, and not knowing until after the cruise where we will want to go back to. Staying in an overwater bungalow is part of the bucket list.

2N pre cruise Moorea. BoraBora after? I felt these both the best two islands.

I am sure the Brando is spectacular but at $3000 per night with a 3 night minimum I will never see it. There is a weekly flight to Rarotonga in the Cook Islands that is an interesting option. Visiting any island other than Moorea will cost about $400-$450 per person in air. Moorea can be visited via a $30 round trip ferry which leaves from the pier adjacent to where you will dock on the PG, a simple 50 yard walk.

 

Although you have visited Moorea during the cruise I would go back, as I have done 3 times after the cruise. I love the Hilton and while I recognize the opinion of some that overwater bungalows have destroyed the view I love them.

There is an excursion from Papeete that sails to the Reef where the Brando sits so there is a lower cost alternate. Check out trip advisor.

There is an excursion from Papeete that sails to the Reef where the Brando sits so there is a lower cost alternate. Check out trip advisor.

hmmm any idea who runs this excursion?

hmmm any idea who runs this excursion?

I went thru the tourism Board of Tahiti

Also the hotel concierge at the Intercontinental, Papeete has the info. Sorry I don't have the name of the provider.

hmmm any idea who runs this excursion?

One option:

http://www.poecharter.com/journée-tahiti-tetiaroa/

By cutting our Memorial Day weekend short here at home, we managed to squeeze in a couple of days pre-cruise to stay at the Intercontinental Moorea to recover from jet lag. As much as we'd love to spend a few days post-cruise by returning to Bora Bora, we will sadly be heading home. I hope we don't get too bad a case of the FP flu!;)

Thanks everyone for your suggestions.

You'll love that time in Moorea! And you will be operating on Island Time when you board the ship!