Authentic vacations to Tahiti and her islands, at affordable prices !
Islands Adventures
Our tips and practical information
english.islandsadventures.com > Our tips and practical information
We offer you practical advice about Tahiti and her islands because we are convinced that by being correctly informed about local particularity you will avoid any surprises thus allowing you to fully devote your time to the joy of discovering a superb, fascinating and authentic Polynesia ...
- Preparing your trip to Tahiti and her islands
- Correctly choosing your accommodations
- Ways and customs
- Aspects of the lifestyle in the remote archipelagos and "motu" that it is best be acquainted with before making your trip.
- Making sure that you have understood which items are included and which are not.
- Everything that you should take with you.
- What to bring back from your trip:
- Useful Links
We think it will be useful to supply you with the following information and advice :
Time zone : Tahiti is -10 hours GMT and time difference between Tahiti and
- France is - 12 hours if you are on Summer Time, - 11hours if you are on Winter Time,
- California is - 2 hours,
- Santiago de Chile is - 6 hours,
- Australia and Tokyo is -19 hours
- and Auckland is -22 hours
Jet lag can be very fatiguing after a long flight and several days are frequently necessary to adapt to local time.
Our advice : take it easy especially during the first week. The Marquesas are 1/2 hour ahead of Tahiti and the Gambier Islands 1 hour ahead.
High season / low season :
The High season in our islands runs approximately from the beginning of July through to the end of October. During this period it is advisable to reserve several months in advance. In the Low Season (the rest of the year), it is possible to make late reservations, except if your dates fall during the school holidays or during a long week end. On these occasions many residents travel to the islands and they reserve well in advance.
Length of stay on each island :
Each island is different and well worth discovering. Your choice of islands will depend on your personal interests and the total length of your stay. Our general advice is that you spend 3 to 4 nights on each island. Avoid staying a single night on an island (much too short a time). Also avoid too long stay on the same island (10 to 15 days); you risk finding life monotonous unless your object is simply to take things very easy. Our travel counselors are there to assist you. Getting in touch with us
Budget and cost of life :
The cost of living is relatively high in Polynesia, a consequence of our geographical isolation, imported products and indirect taxation. All our fares and packages are quoted in Pacific francs
Meal budget : depending on the establishment
between 1000 and 2 500 CFP francs per person for breakfast
between 1 000 and 10 000 CFP francs per person (excluding drinks) for lunch or dinner.
Accommodation budget : depending on the establishment
between 5 000 and 10 000 CFP francs per person, per day, including half board (M.A.P.) in a Family Adventure lodge in a double room
between 5 000 and 10 000 CFP francs per person, per day, excluding meals in a Middle range hotel in a double room
between 15 000 and 40 000 CFP francs per person, per day, excluding meals in a Grand Luxury hotel in a double room
Excursion budget : according to the type of excursion and the operator
between 2 000 and 5 000 CFP francs for a half day and
between 5 000 and 15 000 CFP francs for a full day.
CORRECTLY CHOOSING YOUR ACCOMMODATIONS
However, please be aware that no official hotel classification system exists (it is currently in the process of being established).• General Remarks :
French Polynesia offers a large choice of accommodations, each offering a different experience, yet hardly comparable to European or American hotel standards. Between the luxury of a 5-star hotel’s overwater bungalow and the simplicity of a family pension in which you can live close to Polynesians, the possibilities as well as the prices are endless! Visitors should keep in mind that the cost of living in our islands is higher than in your native country which, on the whole, has an impact on the services requested…
Tourist guesthouses and small family “pensions” are small, receptive structures with less than 10 living quarters. These accommodations boast great success with travellers who love authenticity because they allow the opportunity of discovering Polynesia through contact with her inhabitants and sharing their way of life in a modest and welcoming environment.
The prices currently in practice are attractive and vary according to the level of comfort and services offered (from the rustic and economical to the sophisticated and more expensive).
The « Haere Mai » Federation (« come to us » in Tahitian) brings together all of the inhabitant-managed tourist accommodations such as guestrooms, guesthouse s , family pensions, small family hotels, camping (not currently offered by our services). Below are the various codes and their definitions which identify them (inspired by the official texts):
CH = Guestroom in the inhabitant’s home = accommodation with a shared or private bathroom inside the inhabitant’s home or in close proximity; meals are prepared by the host family and eaten communally : half board and/or full board meals except in the Society Islands (usually breakfast only).
FH = Guesthouse or small family motel = simple accommodation with a private bathroom and properly equipped for the preparation and the consumption of meals; ideal for independent travellers.
PF = Family pensions or Adventure lodges= simple, individual accommodations near the inhabitant’s home with a shared or private bathroom; meals are prepared by the host family and can be eaten individually or communally : half board and/or full board meals except in the Society Islands (usually breakfast only); the level of comfort varies from one pension to another.
PHF = Small family hotels = different from family pensions in that they offer individual accommodations with a private bathroom and are more comfortable and offer more elaborate services, all the while staying just below classic hotel standards; the different services offered and comfort levels vary from one establishment to another.
These codes are assigned according to the information available about the different accommodations at the time our sales documents are edited and serve only as references to facilitate your choices without constituting an engagement on our part.
General characteristics
• General characteristics of our selection:
Rooms
Rooms or separate bungalows are small simply decorated and furnished. Doors and windows do not always have a lock; in fact traditionally Polynesians do not lock up their homes.
Meals
Services
• Small hotels :
This type of accommodation is somewhat more comfortable than a family adventure lodge, offering more a sophisticated service, but still of lower standard than a regular hotel.
If you prefer hotels, several categories are at your disposal which we have classified as :
• MG = Medium-class hotels :
A medium-class hotel corresponds to a 2 or 3-star establishment.
• HG = Deluxe-class Hotel :
A deluxe-class hotel corresponds to a 4 or 5-star establishment.
Ways and customs
• The Polynesians
- The population of Polynesia is around 220 000 inhabitants. Mostly racially composite, the people include Polynesians or "maohi" in Tahitian, "Demis" a historically recent class (a blend of French, Tahitian and Chinese), Chinese referred to as "Tinito" and expatriate French or "Farani". The term "Popaa" designates Westerners in the wide sense of the term.
- Polynesians are very religious : the Protestant Church is the dominant religion followed by the Catholic Church and a multitude of religious denominations (Sanito, Mormon, Adventist, etc...). Whether or not you are a church goer, be sure to attend a church service in the islands; it is a highly colourful experience not to be missed.
- Polynesians are happy and easy going : they like festivity and they have a natural gift for singing and playing music (guitar, ukulele). There are many traditional dance shows. If you visit our islands in July or August, don't miss spending an evening admiring the spectacular "Heiva" dance and choral contest (an annual event consecrated to Polynesian live-arts). For those who find a full evening's entertainment too long (it lasts at least 4 hours with several successive singing and dancing groups), at the closure of the festival the hotel Tahiti Beachcomber Intercontinental proposes a "mini-Heiva". In this lightened version of the show the prize-winning dance groups entertain you around a sumptuous buffet dinner.
- Polynesian culture : over the last few years there has been a revival of "maohi" culture. You will therefore frequently encounter young men with long hair, tatoos and the appearance of ancient warriors. For those interested, there are a number of tatoo artists, especially in Tahiti, Moorea and in the Marquesas.
- Traditional sports: fruit bearers race, "ofai" or heavy-weight rock lifting competition, canoe races, …. These are some of the highlights of annual festivities such as the "Heiva" already cited. Sports are very much part of Polynesians' daily lives, especially board-sports (surf, fun-board, skate board...), as well as fishing and many other activities both on land and in the sea...
- Finally : Polynesians are naturally hospitable and helpful, although often shy at first they will readily return your smile. Tipping and bargaining are not part of local customs.
Don't be disconcerted by the Polynesian habit of using the familiar "tu" form when they speak to you in French.
French and Tahitian or "Reo maohi" are the official languages. Frequently a mixture of French and Tahitian is employed; a local jargon artfully combined with a few Anglo-Saxon terms from neighbouring California. However, each archipelago does possess its own language, difficult to understand for the inhabitants of the other archipelagos. Thus, to put it simply, the following languages are spoken : Marquesian in the Marquesas, Paumotu in the Tuamotu Archipelago, Tuhaa Pae in the Austral Islands, and Mangarevan in the Gambier islands. Within each archipelago different dialects are spoken from one islands to another. Reo Maohi" is a general term for Polynesian languages also applied to those spoken by other related peoples in the Pacific : Maoris of New Zealand, Cook Islands, Easter Island...
On the whole our islands offer a good choice of quality gastronomy based on fresh local products (delicious fish, fruit and vegetables) as well as imported food (excellent meat from New Zealand, diverse products from France, the United Sates and elsewhere...). Local cooking benefits from French, Chinese and Tahitians influences. Restaurants in Tahiti and Moorea offer diverse snack and dining possibilities at a wide range of prices. As you move out in the archipelagos there is less and less choice. Generally speaking it is better if you enjoy fish, especially in the remote archipelagos where western dishes and meat are rare. You should taste : the famous raw fish salad with coconut milk, our "national dish".
We are lucky to live in a country with practically no dangerous animals. But on the other hand
-insects are part of our daily life and they may disturb people who are not used to them, especially cockroaches, ants, lizards and spiders. It is important to bring a mosquito repellent ("monoi" with lemon-grass works well). There are insects in all the archipelagos. In the Marquesas you must beware of the "nonos", cousins of the mosquito about the size of fruit flies. "Mosquito coils" (a mosquito repellent) will generally be provided in hotels and adventure lodges. The "scolopendre" or local centipede is the only insect capable of giving you a painful venomous bite.
-When you go swimming it is best to wear plastic sandals to avoid cutting your feet on corals or getting stung by sea urchins or the "nohu" stone-fish with venom which can sometimes be fatal. Sharks and conger eels, although well fed in nature and not usually harmful to man, are dangerous animals not to be approached.
The "fare" or traditional houses are mainly built of local materials : roof of plaited "pandanus" leaves, walls of bamboo, wooden beams, floor covered with white sand... an exotic decor sure to enchant you... However, there are a few little rules to know in order to appreciate your accommodation :
- it is best not to smoke indoors so as to avoid risking a fire;
- Polynesians take their shoes off before going inside and they expect you to do the same;
- a slight gust of wind may cause small thatch particles to fall from the ceiling, but this does not mean the "fare" is dirty;
- insects as well as humans appreciate lodging in local architecture!Some visitors are surprised that traditional constructions are getting rare : a local "fare" costs more than a modern construction especially for upkeep. Besides the inhabitants of remote archipelagos have got into the habit of covering the roof with corrugated iron so as to collect rain water to fill their cisterns for washing purposes.
You can find out more about Polynesia by consulting the web sites of the Polynesian Tourist Office :
www.tahiti-tourisme.com (general)
www.gototahiti.com (USA)
www.tahititourisme.de (Germany)
www.tahiti-tourisme.com.au (Australia)
Aspects of the lifestyle in the remote archipelagos and "motu" that it is best to be acquainted with before making your trip.
• Water : On the atolls (Tuamotu) or on "motu", water is a rare and precious commodity. There is no natural water supply except for the water table, pockets of brackish subterranean water, not drinkable, but often used in bathrooms. The inhabitants also collect rainwater in cisterns. In both cases the water is used directly in bathrooms or it is filtered to provide drinking water. We advise you to drink local or imported mineral water shipped in by boat (you have to pay for it).
• Electricity : There are practically no electric power stations. The local inhabitants frequently depend on generators (quite noisy and only in use at certain times of the day or night), or alternatively they use solar electricity.
Making sure that you have understood which items are included and which are not :
• Taxes included : VAT (Value Added Tax) and RPT (Tourism Promotion Tax) on the services covered by the package.
• Stay tax is not included : It amounts to 150 CFP per day and per person in hotels, and to 50 CFP per day in adventure lodges.
• Meals :
A night at half board (MAP) includes one breakfast and one dinner per night.
Similarly a night at full board (AP) includes one breakfast, one lunch and one dinner.
All supplementary meals must be paid directly to the hotel at the prices quoted by the hotel.
There is generally a charge for drinks, particularly alcoholic drinks, where available.
Meal codes on your vouchers :
EP = accommodation only (European Plan)
CB = accommodation + continental breakfast : the basic breakfast formula consisting of coffee, tea, bread, butter and jam.
AB = Accommodation + American breakfast : it includes the continental breakfast plus fruit and eggs. In large hotels they often serve a complete buffet.
MAP = Accommodation + half board (Modified American Plan) +: breakfast and dinner
AP = Accommodation + full board (American Plan) : breakfast, lunch and dinner
* For more detailed information, consult our "General conditions" (lien)
Remember to bring with you :
- plastic shoes
- anti-mosquito products
- sun tan oil
- and if you are staying in an adventure lodge : towels, soap, shampoo and cash for extra expenses
What to bring back from your trip:
The Polynesians are an artistic people, clever with their hands. Some archipelagos are especially reputed for a particular craft:
- the Marquesas Islands : wood and stone sculpture, coconut shell carvings, "tapa" (hand printed bark-cloth), seed, bone and wooden beads, "monoi" perfumed with sandalwood, etc...
- the Austral Islands: basket-work (hats, mats, baskets...) and "tifaifai" (patchwork bed-covers)
- the Tuamotu Archipelago: black pearls, shell necklaces.
- the Gambier Archipelago: mother of pearl carving, black pearls with particular colors.
- in Tahiti, Moorea and the Leeward Islands: elaborate shell necklaces, pottery, painted tableware, mirrors decorated with shells, paintings, books, cloths, lamps...
And everywhere you will find the traditional printed or hand painted "pareo" and also "monoi". In Tahiti you can also find handicrafts from the archipelagos, in particular at the covered market in Papeete or in curio shops. There are many black pearl jewelry stores in and around Papeete.
Useful Links
You can perfect your knowledge on French polynesia by visiting the Tahiti tourism office's websites:
www.tahiti-tourisme.co.uk
| top of page |
Island combos
