Who never dreamed about flying far away from the cold, the snow and the wind? Who never dreamed about lying down on a beach, the feet dig deep inside the warm sand and the eyes focused on the beautiful blue and turquoise sea?
For many years French Polynesia, and in particular Tahiti, has been a dreamy destination for those who look to relax and leave behind the pressure of modern-day lives.
Tahiti offers many advantages (the beach, the sun, the beautiful water), but as also a few flaws. Here are five things you need to know before buying your ticket to Paradise.
1- The Price
Tahiti is a far away destination for United States citizens. It is an eight-hour flight from Los Angeles, the only continental city from which you can fly to French Polynesia. If you live in Hawaii, it's a six-hour flight. The cost of a round-trip ticket is usually around $1,500 and $2,000.
But other than the plane ticket, the cost of living in Tahiti in fairly expensive. Despite a large number of hotels, it is hard to find a nice place for a low price. You will either have to settle for something cheap but with low standards or something expensive with great services. Tahiti has multiples chains such as Hilton, Beachcomber, or Intercontinental. The price for one night in those hotels averages $200 per persons. However, it will be worth it! The service is great, the swimming pool and the beach are beautiful and they offer to drive you to town every hour or so. Otherwise, if you like camping, a pension would be your best choice.
2- The Weather
One thing is sure, you won't have snow! Never! And the temperature will never be lower than 70. However, it is important to choose the right time to go as French Polynesia has only two seasons: A dry one and a rainy one. From November to February/March, this is the rainy season. Even though the temperature is still warm, you might have rain for two to five days straight. Not the best when your trip is only two weeks or so. Hurricanes might occur but they are not as strong as the one in Asia or in the Gulf of Mexico.
The dry season would then be your best option. But be aware, it is really hot! Temperature averages 95 and the humidity is hard to take when you are not use to it. Good thing there is water all over!
3- The Lengh of The Trip
French Polynesia is composed of more than 100 islands and cover a space the size of Europe. If some of the islands don't offer any hotels or place to stay, most of them offer mind-blowing sights and must-see views. So you will need to plan accordingly. Flying for eight hours just to stay in Tahiti is a mistake. Most of the time, your trip must be at least 20 days. That way, you would have time to visit Tahiti and the islands around. Keep in mind that Tahiti itself is not the beautiful post-card image. You will find that in other islands such as Bora-Bora, Tetiaroa or Rangiroa. French Polynesia has a lot to offer. Don't miss any!
4- Public Transportation
If you live in a big city, you are used to public transportation. Buses, taxis, subways are part of your daily lives. Well, forget all about it when you arrive in Tahiti. Sure, there is public transportation, but it is not the best. Buses are not always on time, sometimes they don't even stop at the bus stop. There is no subway and taxis are way to expensive. But since you are on holidays, you are not in a hurry. Try and take the Tahitian bus called "the truck." Again, trucks don't always stop when you asked for them too, but there are enough of them that you won't have to wait to long. Finally, your best choice might be the rent a car. You can find all you need at the airport.
5- The People
Tahitians are probaly one of the most friendly people on Earth. They are always smiling, laughing, playing music and dancing. They will always try to help you and a large majority of them speak fairly good English. As long as you speak slowly, they should be able to help you. However, keep in mind that they live on an island for time is abstract. They don't like to be rushed and pushed around. They like to take their time and do things their way.
So, try and do the same. Relax,enjoy the typical good food (Tahitians love coconut milk raw fish. Try it, it's delicious) and get a nice tan, so when you get back to work, you can impress everyone with your beautiful skin and the great memories you brought back!
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
