JO DANIELS from Travel Plus Travel Services reviews her recent famil trip to Tahiti.
ABOUT A month ago I got a call from the Tahiti Tourisme team, asking if I was available to pay the islands a visit as part of their Specialist Programme.
I was so excited since, for most people, The Islands of Tahiti is the ultimate bucket list destination.
We were a group of eight travel agents, two representatives from Tahiti Tourisme and one from the national carrier, Air Tahiti Nui.
The seven-night itinerary was jam-packed with activities, which was great as there is lots to see in the destination.
We took the daytime Qantas flight from Australia with a connection in Auckland, which was seamless and a nice way to break up the flights. We then connected with Air Tahiti Nui to Papeete.
We were lucky enough to sample premium economy on the outbound flight, which is one of the better versions I’ve experienced, with extremely comfortable seating and the staff onboard were very friendly and attentive.
The great thing about these outbound flights is you arrive in Papeete in the evening and head straight off to bed so the next morning you wake refreshed and ready to explore the main island.
We spent our first night at Le Tahiti by Pearl Resorts, which is located alongside a beautiful black sand beach in the capital.
Our rooms were spacious with large balconies and it was lovely to wake up to the stunning view of the beach outside with a dramatic backdrop of the neighbouring island of Moorea.
The next day we did a tour of the mountains, which was very informative on local culture as well as scenic, and the following day we took the ferry to Moorea, which only takes 40 minutes from Papeete.
Moorea has lots of white sandy beaches and hotels with overwater bungalows, a signature offering in the Society Islands, so it’s a great destination for those short on time who want the complete island experience but want to stay near the main island.
I will say though that it is super easy to do a bit of island hopping as the airport procedure is simple and with the short domestic flights, you can easily access other islands.
The following day we took a short flight to Huahine, an island known for its lush vegetation and vanilla production. We stayed at the Hotel Le Mahana located on the beachfront, which has a very relaxed vibe.
I’m so glad we got to visit this lesser-known island as it really opened my eyes to the possibilities of the Society Islands past the more popular Moorea and Bora Bora.
We had a wonderful day on the water, ending up on our own private moto for a delicious lunch. I think these other islands offer more options for passengers with different budgets.
The following day we headed off on our 20-minute flight to Bora Bora, the jewel in the crown of the Society Islands, and a must for all visitors even if it’s just for a couple of nights.
I would also suggest that all visitors take the option of an overwater bungalow as it really is a magical experience. We were lucky enough to visit Conrad Bora Bora Nui to get a first-person look into this offering.
I had a wonderful time and look forward to sending lots of clients to all of The Islands of Tahiti with my newly gained knowledge and I am already planning my own trip back.
Travel agents who want to upskill themselves on the destination and have an opportunity to be invited on a trade famil to The Islands of Tahiti can join the Tahiti Specialist Programme here:
