Tahiti & Bora Bora: South Pacific Dream

Duration

7 Days

Embarkation

Papeete (Marina Taina)

Disembarkation

Bora Bora (Vaitape Quay)

Best season

May – October

Total distance

160 NM

Overview

French Polynesia is the ultimate South Pacific paradise — volcanic peaks draped in tropical rainforest, surrounded by coral reefs and lagoons of impossible turquoise. This 7-day itinerary takes you from the cultural heart of Tahiti to the legendary beauty of Bora Bora, with stops at the Society Islands' most enchanting destinations.

Highlights

• Bora Bora's iconic lagoon
• Moorea's Opunohu Bay
• Huahine's sacred eels
• Taha'a vanilla plantations
• Raiatea's Taputapuatea marae (UNESCO)
• Manta ray snorkelling

Day by day

1. Day 1: Tahiti — Heart of Polynesia

   Papeete, Tahiti

   Morning: Arrive at Faa'a International Airport and transfer to Marina Taina. Board your yacht with a traditional Polynesian welcome — flower leis and fresh coconut water.

   Afternoon: Explore Papeete's vibrant market (Marché de Papeete) for black pearls, vanilla, and monoi oil. Visit the Museum of Tahiti and the Islands.

   Evening: Dinner at Les Roulottes, Papeete's famous food trucks on the waterfront — fresh poisson cru, grilled mahi-mahi, and crêpes.

2. Day 2: Moorea — Magical Island

   Tahiti → Moorea · 12 nm

   Morning: Cruise to Moorea, the most beautiful island in the Society chain. Enter Cook's Bay, flanked by dramatic volcanic peaks.

   Afternoon: 4x4 safari to the Belvedere viewpoint for panoramic views of both Cook's Bay and Opunohu Bay. Visit a pineapple plantation and taste fresh tropical juices.

   Evening: Anchor in Opunohu Bay and enjoy dinner aboard with the volcanic peaks silhouetted against the sunset.

3. Day 3: Huahine — The Garden Island

   Moorea → Huahine · 75 nm

   Morning: Early departure for the crossing to Huahine, the most authentic and least developed of the Society Islands.

   Afternoon: Explore the island's archaeological sites, including the largest collection of marae (sacred temples) in French Polynesia. Visit the sacred blue-eyed eels at the Faie bridge.

   Evening: Dinner aboard in the lagoon, with the sound of ukulele drifting from the shore.

4. Day 4: Raiatea — Sacred Island

   Huahine → Raiatea · 20 nm

   Morning: Cruise to Raiatea, the sacred island and historical centre of Polynesian culture.

   Afternoon: Visit Taputapuatea, a UNESCO World Heritage Site — the most important marae in all of Polynesia, where ancient navigators set out to colonise the Pacific. Kayak up the Faaroa River, the only navigable river in French Polynesia.

   Evening: Dinner at Opoa Beach Hotel with traditional Polynesian dance performance.

5. Day 5: Taha'a — Vanilla Island

   Raiatea → Taha'a · 8 nm

   Morning: Short cruise to Taha'a, which shares a lagoon with Raiatea. The island is known as the 'Vanilla Island' for its plantations.

   Afternoon: Visit a vanilla plantation and learn about the hand-pollination process. Snorkel the coral garden at the southern tip of the lagoon — one of the best in French Polynesia.

   Evening: Dinner aboard featuring vanilla-infused cuisine — vanilla lobster, vanilla crème brûlée, and vanilla rum cocktails.

6. Day 6: Bora Bora — The Pearl of the Pacific

   Taha'a → Bora Bora · 15 nm

   Morning: Cruise to Bora Bora, the most famous island in the South Pacific. The approach — with Mount Otemanu rising above the turquoise lagoon — is one of the world's great arrivals.

   Afternoon: Snorkel with manta rays and blacktip reef sharks in the lagoon. Visit the Bora Bora Lagoonarium for an up-close marine encounter.

   Evening: Dinner at Bloody Mary's, the legendary open-air restaurant where you choose your fish from the display and it's grilled to perfection.

7. Day 7: Bora Bora Lagoon — Final Paradise

   Bora Bora

   Morning: Final morning in the Bora Bora lagoon. Jet ski tour around the island, or simply float in the warm, crystal-clear water.

   Afternoon: Disembark at Vaitape Quay. Transfer to Bora Bora Airport for your flight to Papeete and onward connections.

   Evening: Or extend your stay at one of Bora Bora's legendary resorts — Four Seasons, Conrad, or St. Regis.