travelovingnurse

Thank you, everyone!

Good News!  Windstar added an afternoon Coral Gardens, so we were able to get our canceled shore excursion back!  Yay!

Petoonya, which snorkel gloves do you recommend?  

Thanks!

2 hours ago, Petoonya said:

@travelovingnurse

Did you get on the waitlist for it? They also often offer afternoon tours when they get the demand. So don't give up hope.

You can't do Coral Gardens from any other company besides Windstar  from Motu Mahaea, and truly they are the best offering 3 passes. But there are two other company's that offer it from Raiatea- Bruno's L' Excursion Bleue, and Arii Moana. The only problem is that they include visits to vanilla farm and pearl farm as part of the tour and it bores me to tears and wastes valuable snorkel time- and 1 pass at Coral Gardens. I've not done Te Mara Nui before but going to try this time. They offer coral gardens and two hours at Motu Ofetaro snorkeling at a reasonable price https://www.te-mara-nui.com/en/snorkeling-motus-en.html

The other option is an amazing jet ski with Raiatea Jet. All around Tahaa, coral gardens- Whatever you want to do. very reasonable. Dolphins nearly jumping over our jetski. https://www.raiateajet.com/copie-de-descriptifs-des-tours-1

Tell them you don't want to do the run distillery and all that rot.

Thank you!  Yes, we are on the waitlist.  I am kicking myself for canceling this shore excursion.  I felt sure we weren't going to get to go!  Surprise!  UGH!

Hi, we are on the 10/21/21  Windstar Dreams of Tahiti cruise. We thought we were going to cancel our cruise and canceled our shore excursions we had booked through Windstar so that we would get a refund. Now it looks like we are going to end up going since things are opening back up and COVID cases are dropping significantly. 
 

Unfortunately,  now the Windstar Taha’a Coral Garden drift snorkel shore excursion is sold out. 
 

I read that we don’t have to use Windstar for shore excursions. If that is true, who is a reputable company to use for this shore excursion?
 

Thank you!

Thanks so much, everyone!  

Thank you for your input, Strenz.
 

I really appreciate your help!  
 

Do you have other excursions you recommend for the other islands?
 

I also just realized that I left off the Motu picnic excursion on Huahine as one of the choices! 
 

Thanks again!

Hi,

Which Dreams of Tahiti shore excursion do you recommend on Huahine? 

The choices are:

E-Bike

Sacred Sites and Legendary Places

Scenic Huahine by ATV

4x4 Nature Adventure

Snorkeling Expedition

Safari Expedition

We aren't really interested in a Pearl Farm and Pottery tour, so I am not sure about the Safari Expedition since that is featured in the description.  

I appreciate your help!  

I recently read that the Lagoonarium is permanently closed.  Does anyone know if this is true? Thanks!

On 6/19/2021 at 1:33 PM, Tahitianbigkahuna said:

More than likely the same excursion, just from a different PU location. One of our favorite places to snorkel though I wouldn't call it Strenuous ... your drifting. As long as your confident on maneuvering your self as your drifting though the coral/water you will be fine. If your a bit big though the middle there can be places where you could scrape yourself if you can't maneuver through the passage. I've taken at least 15 rides through the drift snorkel  .... only once did I gat a little scrape but then again I'm a bit 'rounded' 🙂

 

Here is the drift ... something the Better Half and I put together.  Enjoy  ....

 

 

 

I signed up for this excursion, but I am not sure what you mean by "as long as you are confident on maneuvering yourself as you are drifting through coral/water you will be fine" means.  I have snorkeled a lot, but my husband hasn't, but I don't know what kind of maneuvering I need to be able to do for this drift snorkel.  It looks amazing and I sure would like to do it.  Thanks!

My husband and I are going on our pandemic delayed honeymoon on the 7 Day "Dreams of Tahiti" Wind Spirit cruise.  

It is our first time to French Polynesia.  

From recommendations found in this forum we are thinking of the following shore excursions:

Raiatea:   Jet Ski Raiatea 

Motu Mahaea: Tahaa: Coral Garden Drift Snorkeling 

Bora Bora: Snorkel Safari & Stingray Encounter 

We have a second day in Bora Bora and would appreciate other suggestions for shore excursions.  

We aren't sure what to choose for Moorea as we have 5 nights on Moorea planned before the cruise and don't know what to do while we are there and what to choose while onboard.  We are thinking of doing the Dr. Poole Dolphin and Whale Watch eco-tour during our 5 night stay in Moorea.  

We also need shore excursion suggestions for Huahine.

Thank you in advance for your help!  

On 8/13/2019 at 12:51 PM, Petoonya said:

Thanks TBK,

When you last posted this I looked and relooked at it. It's spectacular. Helps to have the best videographer with you, and to be an amazing photographer yourself! Be sure to see this video everyone.

 

There are a few different ways to do the Coral Garden drift snorkel....one is with your ship.

Another is with Bruno at L' Excursion Bleue. Bruno is a sweet man. We saw sharks and rays in Moorea, BB and Rangiroa, but nothing like what we saw with Bruno! Very isolated spot with the most sharks I've seen anywhere. But about 1/3 the day was spent at a vanilla farm and pearl farm and I could have done without. He also does the drift snorkel but only one run.

 

Your ship is probably the best way to go- ours (Wind Spirit) did 3 runs in Coral Gardens and the more you can do the better.

Try to see if you can find out how many runs there are in whatever you book. Very sharp coral though- we had water shoes, gloves, leggings and rash guards for protection. The boat ride to and from the Coral Gardens is also gorgeous.

 

TBK,

Where did your kahuna photo go?

What kind of leggings and water shoes do you recommend to protect your legs and feet? 

7 minutes ago, Tahitianbigkahuna said:

Rainy season is late December - the end of February. November is usually no problem.

 

You book American to Tahiti from Seattle. the LAX-PPT will be on Air Tahiti Nui as a code share.

Thanks so much!  That's a relief!

Just now, Tahitianbigkahuna said:

 

If you fly American from Seattle and book the ATN code share under American at the same time they will tag your bags straight through to PPT if you ask. Any other airline and you will need to grab your bags and go through security again plus check you bags again. If that is the case figure a minimum of 3.5 hours at LAX to be on the safe side. 

 

Also American allows you to use the tunnels and over head to get to the International terminal which saves a bunch of time. 

Thank you!  Showing my ignorance, but what does "an ATN code share under American" mean?  

Also, we are now considering the 10/28/21 Wind Spirit cruise due to vacation approval at work, but I read that November is rainy season and cyclone season.  I do not want to go to Tahiti during the rainy or cyclone season.  Any advice about November weather?  

Thanks so much!

Hi, my husband and I are trying to plan a Windstar cruise to Tahiti.  We will be flying from Seattle to PPT.  I am looking at Air Tahiti Nui flights from LAX to PPT.  What is a SAFE layover time in LAX in order to get our luggage off the Seattle to LAX flight and then to the Air Tahiti Nui flight to PPT?

Thanks in advance for your help! 🙂

Thanks everyone!  I have had the same concerns about the once per week flight.  Our flight would arrive the night before the October 17th cruise.  We are still trying to get our vacation at work approved, so we will probably lose the great price we have on hold.  I have been trying to reach a supervisor at HA to get details on what they have historically done if there is a mechanical problem with the plane causing a delay.  So far, I have had no luck hearing back from one.  I will reach out to the person that Tahitianbigkahuna gave me the email for.  I appreciate everyone's input!  

Hi,

My husband and I are considering the Windstar Tahiti and Tuamotu Islands cruise in late October. We found some great rates on Hawaiian Airlines out of Seattle, but they only fly once a week on Saturdays. Do any of you have experience flying Hawaiian Airlines to Papeete? I’ve never flown them, but Air Tahiti Nui is much more expensive and I refuse to fly United (nuff said). 
 

Thanks in advance for any advice. 

On 1/31/2019 at 3:14 PM, Petoonya said:

Salman,

It's very hard to say which ports are must dos for snorkeling as they are all worthy and you'll get lots of advice from many others here.

If I had to say which to do, out of four days I'd do at least one on Bora Bora and I'd do that with Tohora Bora Bora. The price is more reasonable other providers in BB at $100pp  and you'll see everything there is to see snorkeling. That was the most memorable for us. Be sure to tell him you want time to see the lemon sharks. There is a beach about 5 miles from the dock, Matira Beach that is beautiful and you can catch Le Truck to see it, but know that it's VERY hot and little shade. Then the other 2 days you might visit the dock area in Bora Bora and do the sports platform.

Next I would do Raiatea and any excursion that includes the Coral Garden. You might just do the ship's tour. The Coral Garden is magnificent and a must see. Le Excursion Bleue and Arii Moana are all day tours and do vanilla and pearl farm which we thought were boring. But we loved the rest of the snorkeling with them,  and especially the Coral Garden. If the ship's Coral Garden tour is cheaper I'd just do that as that's what you want to see.

Probably next would be Ato's tour on Fakarava- excellent snorkeling and Fakarava's snorkeling is truly a must see. Don't do the bicycles- much too hot!

You have 3 Moorea days and I'd do a snorkel tour. We did jet ski's $175 for 2 people and it included. There are lovely beaches about 8-10 miles from the dock in Moorea, one is Temae Beach, and you can get reasonable transport from Torea Transport or Alberts's. The best option would be to rent a car for the day and scout out beaches and places you'd like to see. We paid $75/day for a car booking early at Avis.

Huahine is gorgeous but there is really nothing close by to DIY. Honestly I didn't thing what we saw on the tours surpassed Bora Bora and the other places I've mentioned. But if you do go Huahine Nautique and Tahiti Sailing Charter are $100pp for the day.

Rangiroa- there's not a lot to do that you can access from the ship. Your best bet is to at least do a snorkeling trip to the Aquarium that includes a drift snorkeling run, about $65pp.

Don't waste your dollars on Papeete as there is so much more to see on the other islands.

 

Unfortunately it is a place in which there is little DIY, but since many places you visit have more than one day you can stretch your dollars. You do one tour each on Bora Bora, Fakarava, Raiatea, Moorea and Rangiroa- maybe leave out Huahine as we did not think the snorkeling was as good as the others. My husband was a little bored doing a lot of the places a second and third time and doing the sports platform would have been fine with him. It really is a lot of fun especially tubing. If you change your mind and want to add on tours at the last minute there are snorkel tours from the dock in Bora Bora, Moorea, Rangiroa, and Raiatea. You might think of getting a car Bora Bora to save too. Someone on our boat was even able to hire a snorkel tour on little Fakarava. But I'd pre-book as much as you can in advance to get the best operators.

Please post if you have questions about any of this.

Maybe others will chime in on other DIY in the islands.

Nancy

This is such helpful information. Thanks 

On 4/22/2021 at 5:18 PM, Tahitianbigkahuna said:

Fortunately the current protocols mean nothing for PG cruisers as the ship isn't sailing until at least August 28, 2021. Think about it  ... the current protocols would require a couple to spend around $1000 for covid related requirements, even after having a current vaccine. And if your on a Windstar cruise you will not only need to follow the current protocols but be required to utilize ship excursions or a ship chaperone if your walking into town. 

 

Hopefully things will greatly change over the coming months and there won't be near the required protocol's.  In the current letter, "This new formalities are available below and may change in the coming weeks." 

 

Frankly I'm glad my July 2021 cruise was cancelled ... just to many protocols at this time. Keeping my hopes up for later this year  ....

 

 

It costs $1000 for COVID related requirements to travel here? Would you please share more information? Thanks 

On 10/17/2018 at 1:25 PM, Tahitianbigkahuna said:

The norm is if you have one or two days to simply stay on Tahiti at a nice place like the Intercontinental Resort. For 3 or more days it is worth heading over to Moorea. I've been to the islands 20 time now and I host a large group on-line for the area so I get feedback all the time so what I'm sharing goes way beyond mt suggestion 😉

 Tahitianbigkahuna, I hope it is not against the rules to ask for information about the large online group you host. I’m trying to get as much firsthand advice about this area as I can. Thanks!

Thanks to everyone giving advice. This will be our first cruise to French Polynesia. 

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