Our French Polynesia
Honeymoon —
20 Days, 5 Islands, No Filter

Our French Polynesia honeymoon — early October 2023, 20 days, 5 islands

Tahiti — arrival night

We flew Air Tahiti Nui — French Polynesia's own airline — for the local experience from the very first minute: you're handed a small flower as you board. We flew economy, but paid the small supplement for the front-row seats with extra legroom — worth it on a long-haul flight. One stopover, and we landed in Papeete late in the evening.

We stayed at the Hôtel Kon Tiki — right in Papeete's city centre, about 10 minutes by car from the airport, and perfectly placed both for the town itself and for the ferry embarkation point to Moorea the next morning. We were far too wired to sleep after the flight, so we walked out to the marina right across from the hotel and ate at one of the roulottes — the mobile food trucks that line the waterfront at night. We had chow mein, one of the dishes French Polynesia is genuinely known for, distinctly local despite the name. A taxi from the airport to the hotel cost us €20.

That first night is when it happened, without either of us planning it: we looked at each other and said we wanted to come back — not just to visit, but to live here. Neither of us was thinking about a business at that point. What we noticed, over the following weeks, was how much practical information simply didn't exist anywhere online: things as basic as whether you need to exchange currency before arriving (you don't — a local ATM withdrawal works fine everywhere). That gap is the direct reason MyLittlePolynesia exists — the island-by-island guides, how many days to spend where, what to actually do. We moved to Moorea the following year, and we've gone back to retest many of the same spots since, as residents rather than tourists.

The next morning, early, we took the ferry to Moorea — several boats run daily, no need to book ahead.

Moorea Taahiamanu beach — one of the most beautiful beaches in French Polynesia. The island that surprised us most on our honeymoon.

Moorea — 4 nights · Moorea Island Beach

The whale watching in Moorea was the number one experience of our entire trip — and honestly, of our lives. We were in the water, snorkeling, 15 metres from a humpback whale and her calf. They came towards us, dove, surfaced, dove again — for 15 solid minutes. "Magical" isn't a strong enough word. We also dived several times: stingrays, blacktip reef sharks, turtles and lemon sharks on every dive. Lagoon excursion on day three, snorkeling from the beach at sunrise every morning. We loved Moorea so much we came back to live there the following year.

Bora Bora — 3 nights · Conrad Bora Bora Nui

Overwater bungalow at the Conrad — the lagoon, Mount Otemanu, the colours that don't look real. Three nights was perfect. The standout: a full-day lagoon tour swimming with manta rays. Watching them glide beneath you in that turquoise water, just centimetres away, is something you don't forget.

Conrad Bora Bora — our overwater bungalow with the largest terraces over the water and direct view of Mount Otemanu

Taha'a & Raiatea — 4 nights · Pension Opoa

Pension Opoa in Raiatea was our number two experience of the entire trip in terms of accommodation — independent bungalows, impeccably designed, private pontoon directly on the lagoon. Almost no tourists. Completely underrated. Raiatea's Marae Taputapuātea is exceptional — the largest sacred site in all of Polynesia, UNESCO-listed. Taha'a's shared lagoon with Raiatea is one of the most beautiful in French Polynesia. We visited a vanilla plantation, a rum distillery, a pearl farm — at our own pace, fully autonomous. We had considered Maupiti but stepped back: frequent boat and plane cancellations when there's swell or wind. Good decision.

Fakarava lagoon excursion — crystal-clear water, extraordinary coral, total silence. One of the most beautiful atolls in the Pacific.

Rangiroa — 5 nights · Kia Ora Resort

Kia Ora Resort — overwater bungalows above the lagoon of the largest atoll in French Polynesia. We chose Rangiroa over Tikehau or Fakarava because beyond diving, those two atolls don't have much to do. Rangiroa is different — the dolphins in Tiputa Pass are there every day, and the excursions are exceptional. Two full days: Reef Island and the Blue Lagoon. Two of the most beautiful days of the entire trip. Diving with dolphins in the morning, boat excursion in the afternoon, sunset from the Kia Ora pontoon in the evening. Perfect rhythm.

Fakarava — the most preserved atoll in French Polynesia, UNESCO biosphere reserve. A completely different honeymoon experience from the Society Islands.

Tahiti peninsula — 4 nights

We finished on Tahiti — but not in Papeete. We went straight to the wild, unknown peninsula, and it was a genuine coup de cœur — the part of the trip we expected least and loved most. One night at Pearl Resort to access the Papenoo Valley the next day — a 4x4 through the volcanic caldera, forests, waterfalls, total silence. Then Teahupo'o from a boat, watching pro surfers take 5-metre waves right in front of us. The Polynesia that tourists who stay in Papeete never see.

Would we choose the same islands again?

Mostly, yes — with Maupiti still the one exception we're glad we skipped. We later ranked every island by honeymoon suitability, with our honest take on each and which combinations actually work depending on how many days you have.

The overwater bungalow — what it was actually like for us

The "wow" moment wasn't just the view. It was the combination: on the water, a glass floor panel so we could watch fish pass beneath us at night, stepping off our own deck to swim at any hour, waking up to a lagoon that looked filtered — except it wasn't. The Conrad Bora Bora has the largest terraces over the water. The Kia Ora in Rangiroa gave us the same overwater feeling at a noticeably lower price.

What we actually spent — our own 20-day budget

French Polynesia is expensive. Anyone who tells you otherwise hasn't been. This is what our trip cost us, not a generic estimate.

What we'd do differently

Thinking a travel agency costs more — it doesn't

This was our mistake. We booked independently assuming it would be cheaper. It wasn't. Local French Polynesia agencies negotiate directly with hotels and airlines — they access rates that aren't available online, especially on inter-island flights which are actually cheaper booked from France or abroad than locally. We'd use an agency if we did it again.

Almost adding Maupiti — glad we didn't

We had considered it. We stepped back because of frequent boat and plane cancellations when there's swell or wind — and with an already tight 20-day circuit across 5 islands, a cancelled connection could have cost us a full stop elsewhere. Good decision, but one we only made by asking around locally, not from anything we'd read beforehand.

Not routing carefully enough at first

Our early draft itinerary had us backtracking through Papeete mid-trip for a connection — it would have cost a full day and real money. We caught it before booking and restructured into a clean loop instead: Moorea, then the Leeward Islands, then Rangiroa, back to Papeete only at the very end.

Trusting star ratings over renovation dates

We learned this on the ground, comparing properties in person once we lived here: a brand-new 4-star gives a better experience than a 5-star that hasn't been renovated in 10 years. Ask about renovation status before booking — it matters more than the star count.

Our full honeymoon guides, by topic

FAQ — our honeymoon experience

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