It was always my DREAM to visit either of these places and now that I have I want to take you through the comparison of Maldives Vs. French Polynesia.

When I got engaged I knew off the bat that I would try with all my power to make it to one of these spots for our honeymoon. They are the king and queen of honeymoon destinations after all! We ended up choosing Maldives and it was everything I thought it would be plus more. A few years later, we had the opportunity to visit French Polynesia and it is just wild to me looking back that I have had the chance to see BOTH. Like what is life?

After visiting both, the most frequent question I get is “Sooo which was better? Maldives or French Polynesia?”. Even when people ask me what my favorite place in the world is.. I simply cannot choose! So many unique and amazing things about each country and the same is true with these two similar, yet very different places.

There are few things to consider when making a choice as to which place you would prefer ( and let’s be serious either one is a WIN). Here are the factors to consider:

Thinking of heading to Maldives or French Polynesia, you might like these posts:

–Maldives VS French Polynesia: Comparing the two most exotic places on Earth!
–The #1 Hotel In The Maldives: Review
–The Ultimate Mo’orea Travel Guide: Everything you need to know!
–How To Travel to French Polynesia On a Budget

#1. LOCATION/GETTING THERE: MALDIVES VS. FRENCH POLYNESIA

There are popular and convenient stop overs to each of these places. It does depend where you live though! For us ( living near Toronto), we had the following options:

Maldives: Stop over in Dubai ( most popular) which is a 12 hour direct flight follows by a 4.5 hour flight to Maldives. Most people stop over for a few days in Dubai. Another option is through Hong Kong. It is a 15 hour direct flight to Hong Kong and then a 5 hour flight to Maldives. We choose this route as we wanted to experience South Asia and were not as interested in Dubai. If you are flying from Europe, India or Sri Lanka, there are direct flights to Male ( the international city/airport in Maldives). Sri Lanka is an hour flight and we wanted to visit this country after Maldives!! This combination is really popular for honeymoons and creates the perfect balance of paradise and adventure/culture.

French Polynesia: Stop over in San Francisco or LA which is a 5 hour direct flight from us followed by an 8.5 hour flight to Tahiti. We have been to California so many times and while it is ALWAYS a good time, we didn’t want to visit there or make a stop on our honeymoon. When we went to French Polynesia last year, we had a layover in San Francisco for 3 hours. We could have choose to spend 2-3 days there but again that adds up and we weren’t interested in that. If you haven’t done California though, this is an excellent and fun option to combine onto your French Polynesia trip. Even if you are coming from Europe, most flights still stop in California making the “Getting there” option pretty standard compared to the Maldives route.

#2. BEST TIME OF YEAR TO VISIT MALDIVES & FRENCH POLYNESIA

Maldives: High season runs December through April, and rainy monsoon season is from June-September. We visited in late August and had BEAUTIFUL weather every single day. If you go during off season ( Maldives or French Polynesia), expect MUCH cheaper room rates. Yes, you are taking more of a gamble but most locals/staff at the hotels said they only see a shower or two a day during this time of year and they usually don’t last long

French Polynesia: High Season here runs from May through October and rainy monsoon season from December-March. Given that this coincides with US and Canada’s winter/summer, you will find off season here still very busy as people want to get away!! We visited in late September and it was a bit more tropical than Maldives weather ie: raining one minute and then completely clear the following hour. I sort of love when the weather changes ( as long as the rain DOES in fact clear) because it really makes you feel somewhere exotic.

#3. COST OF MALDIVES VS. FRENCH POLYNESIA

Both locations are $$$. There is no getting around it. French Polynesia‘s food and drinks are more expensive than Maldives. Given that the location is much more remote, the cost of importing is HIGH.  BUT you can save in French Polynesia by bringing some of your own snacks and buying alcohol from the grocery stores. 

In Maldives you CANNOT bring alcohol into the country because it is a Muslim country. You also cannot buy alcohol from the airport and bring it into the resort. With the way I have wine (lolz), this can make Maldives food and beverages much pricier.  

In French Polynesia, the hotel options are a bit more limited. There are the handful of 5 star resorts and then a ton of standard Air Bnb’s/budget hotels. We found there wasn’t a ton of middle range options. If you are staying at the expensive/5 star hotels, they most often do not have an all inclusive option for food. The Maldives on the other hand has SO many hotels to choose from. Each of the atoll’s ( mini islands) are basically it’s own resorts and there is ALOT of them.

You can find the classic line up of St Regis’, Four Seasons, Fairmonts etc but then you also have more boutique 5 star resorts there which I personally love and prefer. A lot of their hotels are much more modern, updated and luxurious than their French Polynesia counterpart. A lot of the Maldives hotels, also have the option of doing Half Board or Full board which if you eat the way my husband eats, can save you a lot! Because there is a lot of competition with the Maldives hotels, you can find cheaper per night rates and still get the same, if not better, 5 star experience. 

I would say overall you get a lot more bang for your buck when visiting Maldives. You are getting pampered on either destination but if you choose to stay at a 5 star resort, the Maldives spoils you a bit more. This is the case when strictly comparing Maldives and Bora Bora!!! If you are comparing Maldives and Mo’orea ( another island in French Polynesia), then you can definitely spend WAY less in Mo’orea. Check out one of the Air Bnb’s we stayed at in French Polynesia!! Literally could stay for a week for a fraction of a cost of the hotels in Maldives or Bora Bora.

#4. VIBE/GEOGRAPHY: MALDIVES VS TAHITI/BORA BORA/MO’OREA

FRENCH POLYNESIA: Feels like you are in heaven, Jurassic Park or in the movie Moana. There is a lot more culture around you and there is also a lot more things to do. The thing to keep in mind is that French Polynesia is made up of many islands. What you will see on the island of Tahiti is much different than what you will see on the island of Bora Bora. Tahiti has black sand beaches and waterfalls. Mo’orea has lagoons, rugged terrain that you can ATV through and a good amount of restaurants to dine at. Bora Bora features view points of the iconic Mount Otemanu and black volcanic rock formations. The lesser known islands of French Polynesia also have distinctive features.  If you are looking for more variety, French Polynesia is for you!

In terms of the vibe at some of the resorts, I would say that people in Tahiti, Mo’orea and Bora Bora dress up a bit more for dinners compared to Maldives. 

MALDIVES: Feels like you are in a daydream, screensaver on a Laptop or a deserted island in your wildest dreams.  It feels more off the grid here. There are no elevation levels, view points of mountains or explorations that will take you to a different kind of landscape. It truly just looks like perfection everywhere you look

The vibe at our resort in particular encouraged you to never wear shoes so dinners and lunches were very laid back in terms of outfits. I still wore nice dresses every night but didn’t worry about trendy bags or stylish shoes- I was biking to dinner in the Maldives afterall!

#5. ACTIVTIES IN FRENCH POLYNESIA VS MALDIVES

I would say that the main draw of both these locations is the overwater hut/relaxation/hammock in the ocean vibes! However, if you are like my husband and I, we like to throw in some activities and get a bit ancy strictly staying at the beach ( I KNOW WHAT IS WRONG WITH US, right?).

Here’s the thing, in the Maldives you are essentially on a deserted island. You cannot just head to town to grab dinner or experience the local culture. Most of the resorts have a big list of activities to do. Ours had the option to do a day trip to experience “the Maldivian life” (how authentic though I am not sure). They also had wine tasting activities, scuba/snorkeling trips, catamaran options and lots of spa services.

In French Polynesia, the activities are endless. You can hike, you can ATV around the island, you can truly see the culture by visiting the main town and grabbing a dinner on your own. The snorkeling/scuba trips are also endless and they can be done with outside providers. In the Maldives, you are forced to select an activity based on what your hotel or resort offers. you can take a boat to the main island, and while it’s not the coolest town you’ll ever visit, it has some good restaurants and is cute enough

I’d also note that Bora Bora has an actual town which means that you can plan all kinds of activities with outside tour operators, which isn’t typically possible in the Maldives. This means the tours will often have lower costs (though they’re still far from cheap).

#5. FOOD IN FRENCH POLYNESVIA VS MALDIVES

French Polynesia: There is a French influence obviously so you can find lots of Baguettes and French wine. Steak and frites is also a regular on most menus. We loved seeing the locals biking around the streets with fresh Baguettes popping out of their backpacks!!

You can also find a lot of local Polynesian influence with features like Mahi-Mahi and their famous Poisson Cru ( raw marinated tuna in lime juice and coconut milk). We personally like Poke bowls a lot better than these but they were still pretty good! We were surprised to not see as many healthy options like you would in Hawaii and there was a lot of “fast food” type places in Mo’orea and Tahiti. The resort food was delicious but I personally enjoyed the food in Maldives better.

Maldives: The food in the Maldives is greatly influenced by Indian & Asian cuisines. There is a lot of curry, coconut, and seafood on the menus. Resorts normally have a lot of restaurants on site and ours in particular had a Sushi restaurant that was hands down one of our favorite meals EVER. Like I’m talking the best sushi around. A lot of restaurants feature luxury dining options that have Michelin rated approval! However, if you want to head off the resort and see a “Mom and Pop” style place or get a really local feel of the food, this is not possible in the Maldives.

BELOW IS A LITTLE BREAKDOWN SHOWING THE COMPARISONS!!

(JUST KNOW THAT WHATEVER PLACE YOU CHOOSE, YOU WILL NOT BE MAD!!!! FRENCH POLYNESIA, TAHITI, MALDIVES- THEY ARE ALL PERFECTION)

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Known as the Heart of the French Polynesia ( the island is literally in the shape of a heart), it is a place you should never miss if visiting the French Polynesia. I am going to break down exactly what we got up to including the best Moorea AirBnb to stay at, where to eat and what are some Moorea must see’s!

Thinking of heading to French Polynesia or Maldives, you may like these other posts:

–Maldives VS French Polynesia: Comparing the two most exotic places on Earth!
–The #1 Hotel In The Maldives: Review
–How To Travel to French Polynesia On a Budget

HOW TO GET TO MO’OREA FROM TAHITI

Luckily for anyone flying into Tahiti ( PPT International Airport), Mo’orea is one of the closest and most accessible islands! You have a few options getting there but the most convenient way is by Ferry!

Ferry to Moorea from Tahiti

There are two ferry companies that service the routebetween Tahiti and Moorea and they are:

–Aremiti 

 –Terevau

Both ferries allow you to bring a car! If you are though, MAKE SURE TO BOOK THIS TICKET AHEAD OF TIME. If you are just travelling with luggage, you are fine to buy just before hand. Bringing a car requires a separate/different ticket. The travel time between the two islands is approximately 30-35 minutes and I would recommend booking

Regardless of the company you choose, it will cost you roughly $15 per person for a one-way ticket.

Flight from Tahiti to Moorea

If you want to bounce right from the Pape’ete airport, you can hop on a plane and get to Mo’orea just 10 minutes later. I’m listing this as an option but honestly if you factor in that you need to check in an hour before and check luggage etc, seems like way more work

HOW MANY DAYS DO YOU NEED IN MOOREA?

I would recommend anywhere from 5-8 days. I mean, I could also stay for a month if I am being entirely honest here lol but if you only have so much time, a full week is the perfect amount. We stayed 6 nights and got to do a full tour one day, drove around the island one day, relaxed a few others and also did some other activities.

BEST TIME TO GO TO MOOREA

It’s a tropical island, so you can expect sunshine and rain pretty much year round, but May – October is supposed to be the dry winter season. We went in September, stayed 12 nights and had 2 days of rain

WHERE TO STAY IN MO’OREA: MOOREA AIR BNB + HOTELS

Alright so here is the thing- there are either super expensive hotels on the island that are WORTH the splurge and are completely 5 star or there are over priced 3 star hotels that feel similar to a motel. Since we were splurging on a hotel in Taha’a, Mo’orea was our place where we we were going to hold back a bit. We figured that we would be out and about everyday exploring the island so it was a good place to do it

HOTELS IN MOOREA

Luxury Hotels:

• Sofitel Mo’orea
• Hilton Lagoon

PRO TIP: All of these hotels have day passes that you can buy for the day. We purchased a day pass at the Sofitel so we got to hang out at their pool, enjoy a 3 course lunch and even got to kayak around. It was perfect.

Mid-Range Hotel:

• Hotel Kaveka
• Mo’orea Beach Lodge

Budget

• Marks Place
• Lagoon Dream
• Fare Tokau Moorea

MOOREA AIR BNBS

If are you staying over a week, I would grab an Air Bnb!

THE MOOREA AIRBNB WE RENTED: The one we rented had a super simple interior but the grounds and beachfront were seriously OUT OF THIS WORLD! A good majority of the photos were taken on the private beach that we had there. The property also had a long dock that allowed us to jump from and the larger portion of it at the end even had a table on it so we could eat dinner out there. It felt like we were at a fancy restaurant. Another pro of this Moorea Airbnb was that it was A: in a prime location ( 5 minute walk to a great restaurant) and B: reasonably priced.

WHAT TO DO IN MO’OREA

What I loved the most of Mo’orea is that you actually can find a ton of stuff to do on the island…..or you can do nothing at all. It really is great for the people who want to laze around and sun bath and also great for the adventurous traveller. My husband and I fall somewhere in the middle which is why I think we liked it so much!

#1. BELVEDERE LOOK OUT

See panoramic views of Moorea at Belvedere Lookout. With uninterrupted sights of Cook’s Bay, Opunohu Bay, Mt. Totui, and the lush vegetation of Opunohu Valley, the viewpoint offers great photographic opportunities. From sunrise to sunset, the extensive panorama takes in much of the island and its coastline. Bring a picnic with you, or head to the souvenir and snack stand before heading further into the hills or making your way back down. The point is easily accessible by car or on foot, as well as being a stop-off destination for a range of tour groups. 

#2. BOAT TOUR

I believe that every beautiful island should be seen my boat! It offers such a different view point from being on land and you also get to see different shades of water. We did a tour with Voila Mo’orea and absolutely loved it! Our guide Leo, originally from France, knew everything about the island. He not only took us to the best spots but he also took amazing photos of us! We swam with sting rays, schools of colorful fish and even sharks!

#3. DRIVE AROUND THE ISLAND

We loved driving around the island so much that we actually did it twice LOL. We had our car rental for the entire time we were there as we had planned on venturing out and seeing different beaches. There is literally ONE single road that follows the perimeter of the island so even if you are directional challenged, you should be more than fine to do this.

It will take you about 1.5 hours to go around the island without stopping. I definitely recommend stopping for some hard to beat photo op-‘s ( LIKE THIS PALM TREE FOREST ABOVE (!!!)). There is also some food trucks here and there which we found to be awesome

#4. CHECK OUT SOME LOCAL MOOREA FOOD SPOTS

Is there anything better than eating local food and learning about the culture through cuisine? NOT IN MY EYES!! The restaurants and food stands in Mo’orea are super simple. Don’t expect trendy restaurants with granite countertops. They simply don’t exist. A lot of the restaurants close between lunch and dinner and are only open certain days so make sure to check ahead of time before you truck anywhere!

Our favorites were:

• Allo Pizza
• Manuia Grill
• Le Lezard Jaune Cafe
• Snack Mahana
• Lilikoi Garden Cafe

#5. RENT A QUAD

While we only did 1 tour ( cons of travelling with a baby), we would have done more if we didn’t have Chloe with us! I think the next best tour would have been one of the Quad ones! You can go off roading near the Belevedere Look out and see some things that a car would not be able to get to. Check out some of the ones below:

Mo’orea Snorkelling Trip

Quad Tour of the Island

Glass Kayak Tour

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A lot of people fly into Tahiti and quickly make their way to another island or stop over for only a night. We thank the heavens that we ended up staying for 3 nights as we got to explore this beautiful and underrated piece of paradise! We also are not sure if we fell more in love with our stay in Tahiti because of our hotel- the Tahiti Ia Ora Beach Resort Managed by Sofitel

With a lagoon style pool, overwater bungalows ( not super common in Tahiti) and just a short 10 minute drive from the airport, the hotel had everything we would want plus more!

THE GROUNDS

The Tahiti Ia Ora Beach Resort managed by Sofitel is called a resort for a reason. It is not a small little beach hotel. The grounds and property is expansive and that could very well explain why 3 nights went by in a blink of an eye there. You can spend 1 day at the sanded lagoon pool, another day on the private beach, another day walking along the coastline and another day taking part in some of the activities on site. There are various ponds that sit throughout the property with my favourite being the one that wraps around the breakfast area. It felt tranquil and peaceful eating breakfast every morning….and that says a lot when you are travelling with a 1 year old!

Design wise, the main building has a tropical art deco feel. The open concept build really makes you feel like you are away with warm breezes sweeping through as you walk around in it. It has a traditional polynesian vibe mixed with the classic contemporary touch that the Sofitel brand is known for! This design is echoed throughout the property and can be felt in the 3 different restaurants/bar that are situated on the property. We would eat breakfast every morning in the main restaurant called, La Plantation and later make our way to happy hour at Le Carre which has a beautiful deck overlooking the water and some seats that sit directly in the sand. We did leave the resort one night to try out the food trucks in town but you really don’t need to leave if you don’t want to!

THE ROOMS

With just over 140 rooms, you have the option of either staying in the main building or in an overwater bungalow. Regardless of what you choose, you will have a view of the ocean as every single room faces that direction. Win-win! We had the pleasure of staying in an overwater bungalow for 2 of the nights there and stayed in the main building for our last night. It was nice to get the experience of both and naturally, we would choose the overwater bungalow in a heart beat. Can you blame us? That’s not to say, we didn’t love the other room though! It was beautiful too but the overwater bungalow felt like a small apartment in terms of space and well, you are OVER THE WATER! The design of them is also much more modern as they were renovated in 2016 and it shows. Seriously one of the most modern rooms we have stayed at in a long time. While the rest of the resort is much more traditional, the overwater bungalow rooms feel like you are #LIVINGTHEFRENCHWAY which is the hashtag of the Sofitel brand. So sleek and visually pleasing. Each of the overwater bungalows had a glass floor piece which was so fun to watch at night and see some fish swim by! This also kept our 1 year old super occupied! Ha!

The bathroom was equipped with double sinks, a separate room for the washroom, Hermes bath products, and a massive tub that offered spectacular views of the sunset from it (and you know I indulged in that!).

The amenities in both style rooms were the same: Robes, Nespresso machines, Unlimited Mini Bar ( which included beer by the way), ocean views and a welcome bottle of Champagne!

IMPORTANT TIDBITS

Budget in French Polynesia? No way.

When people think of French Polynesia, the first thing that comes to mind isn’t “budget trip”. Bora Bora on a budget isn’t really a common search term. And that’s fair. There is no denying that it is a pricey and expensive place to visit! It is often tied to luxurious honeymoons that include overwater bungalows and over the top fruity cocktails that cost $28 USD. While this represents a part of the French Polynesia, the islands are SO much more than that so don’t let this deter you from making your way there!

#1. MIX UP YOUR ACCOMMODATIONS IF YOU WANT TO DO BORA BORA ON A BUDGET

Staying at an overwater bungalow is NOT CHEAP! If you do have some money in your budget to stay at one, do so at the end of your trip! Save the best for last sort to speak. Some of the fancier hotels have options where if you stay 3 nights, you get the 4th free so make sure to look that up as well!

There are a TON of reasonably priced Air Bnb’s there! This is also key because you can cook your own food! We made pasta one night, made eggs for lunch and had yogurt for breakfast with granola we brought from home! This is the Air Bnb we stayed at and the property was SO BEAUTIFUL! The interior was super simple and not fancy by any means but did the job! Bora Bora on a budget or Moorea/Tahiti for that matter can definitely be done when you do it with AIR BNB!

While we did stay at this Air bnb, we did splurge in Tahiti and Taha’a which you can see HERE AND HERE

#2. MAKE SURE BREAKFAST IS INCLUDED AT YOUR HOTEL

A lot of hotels offer breakfast included in their rates. If you can get it thrown in for you at no additional cost- added bonus! Most of the buffets and breakfasts at some of the resorts are INSANE! They have tons of different offerings- tons of pastries, hot breakfast items, lunch offerings even! We would go a little bit later than normal to breakfast- around 9AM ( which feels late when you have a baby haha) and we would make sure to eat a lot and most of the time, it would tide us over until dinner. Sometimes, we also would make ourselves a little sandwich from breakfast and sneak it into our bags to nibble on later!

#3. BRING SNACKS, FOOD AND ALCOHOL WITH YOU

Before leaving Canada we made sure to pack crackers, noodles, granola, and other items to munch on so we weren’t spending much money on careless snacking! This helped us a lot. We also brought a bottle of rum with us in our packed luggage ( I am not sure if this is legal lol) and bought all our wine at duty free. Wine and alcohol are not super expensive at the grocery stores which is awesome. Most bottles ran us about $15 USD! 

#4. USE YOUR TRAVEL POINTS FOR FLIGHTS

We used our travel points for our flights to French Polynesia and it cost us $190.00 each. If you are in Canada and use Aeroplan, it will ding you 90,000 points round trip and $190.00 in taxes. We found this to be an incredible deal as some flights to Europe will cost you 65,000 points and over $500.00 in taxes! If you do not have a ton of travel points, there is the budget airline French Bee that flies direct from San Francisco! Flights were under $1000 round trip on here!

#5. GO OFF SEASON TO TAHITI

Hotels and flights are SIGNIFICANTLY cheaper during off season. Off season in French Polynesia runs from late October until April! We went end of September so we were still at the tail end of high season but we noticed that nightly rates were chopped in half when you travel in the off season months!

#6. EMBRACE THE “FREE” TOURS & ACTIVITIES

There are tons of great hikes, waterfalls and beaches on the islands of Tahiti! Good news is they cost you $0 dollars! From the Belevedere look out in Mo’orea to the 3 Cascade Waterfall on Tahiti, you can fill up your days with these activities that are so fulfilling and do not require a guide! When we stayed in Taha’a, the natural coral garden that sat next to the hotel was the BEST activity we did and it was FREE. I would recommend splurging on one boat tour where you can swim with sting rays and see the island from a different perspective! We went with Voila Moorea and the tour will not set you back too much at all. At $100 per person, it was worth every penny!

#7. STICK TO A BUDGET

This might seem like a “DUH” statement but sometimes when we travel we don’t think about budgeting too, too much. Here though, we definitely did! We decided to try to stick to $50 per day for food/fun! This didn’t include days we got groceries or alcohol though keep in mind. If we knew we were going to go out for dinner, we would split an entree that was say…$25 and each have a beer for a total of $45 with tax and tip. We would eat breakfast and lunch at our air bnb or at the hotel ( all our breakfasts were included). Some days we came under and some days we went over. It helped us to know roughly how much we would be spending in total!

#8. SKIP BORA BORA AND SEE MO’OREA TO STAY ON BUDGET

Some people would say “Why would you visit French Polynesia and not go to Bora Bora” but as I mentioned above, French Polynesia is so much more than Bora Bora if you really read up on it. Of course if budget is no problem, then forsure make your way there! However if you are budgeting, Mo’orea is WAY cheaper than both Tahiti and Bora Bora! It was one of the most beautiful islands I have been to so you are not selling yourself short by choosing this paradise! You will just happen to save some mula! Everything on Bora Bora is triple the cost compared to Mo’orea!

ITEMS THAT WILL COST YOU THE MOST?

-Inter-island flights at roughly $350 roundtrip. Air Tahiti has a monopoly and is the only airline that services all the islands so that is the one thing that is hard to save on. If you are hopping from island to island ( and if you are, I am assuming won’t be budgeting too much haha) but they do have an inter-island pass that you can get that allows for so many flights!

-Another thing that is pricey is mixed cocktails! All of them are $20 USD and up!

If you are looking for more exotic destinations that are affordable, make sure to check out Laura from A Life With Frills’s post HERE – lots of great places on her list!

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Le Taha’a Island Resort & Spa, part of the Relais and Chateaux family, was both our last and best stop! While many people opt for Tahiti, Mo’orea and Bora Bora during their French Polynesia circuit, we decided we wanted to visit a more remote island so we decided on Taha’a which is just 20 minutes by plane to Bora Bora.   Without a flicker of hesitation, I would recommend you do the same. 

If Le Taha’a and Bora Bora were sisters, Le Taha’a would be referred to as the cooler and more interesting sister. Yup- I said it! The resort is on it’s OWN island after all!! Don’t get me wrong, Bora Bora is stunning but none of the 5 star hotels there can say they have their own island! The tranquility, peace and beauty that you feel upon arrival is something that you can’t put into words and we feel truly lucky that we got to experience it! 

Planning a trip to French Polynesia or Maldives? You might enjoy these other posts too:

• Maldives VS French Polynesia: Comparing the two most exotic places on Earth!
• The #1 Hotel In The Maldives: Review
• The Ultimate Mo’orea Travel Guide: Everything you need to know!
• How To Travel to French Polynesia On a Budget

HOW TO GET THERE TO LE TAHA’A RESORT & SPA

To get there you must land at the Raiatea airport and then take a 40 minute speedboat to the resort (speedboat is arranged through the hotel). On our boat ride back to the airport, we were lucky enough to witness our favourite sunset of the entire trip. So while some people might think of the journey as a bit of a trek, it did not feel like that at all.  How to get to Le Taha’a isn’t easy overall obviously but we felt lucky to see the island from the boat

THE GROUNDS AT LE TAHA’A RESORT AND SPA

What I loved most about this resort was the blend of luxury and sustainability. The resort stays true to the roots of what Tahitian culture is all about and crafted a space that reflects not only that but also the island’s love for nature and traditional Polynesian design .

You have little details like the inviting aroma of Vanilla that can be smelled throughout the grounds. This is such a subtle, yet comforting detail as the island of Taha’a is actually known for just that: vanilla! At the same time, you have luxurious amenities like the beautiful cascading infinity pool that is surrounded by spacious, modern beach loungers. And lastly, let’s not forget about the main restaurant which makes you feel like you are eating in a 5 star treehouse overlooking the property. Heaven!

The food at Le Taha’a Resort and Spa was something to write home about as well and we could have spent hours enjoying our coffees and breakfast each day ( and well-not to throw my husband under the bus or anything- but I did practically have to drag him out of the buffet one day! He claimed the croissants there were the best he has ever had- and he just wanted oneeeee more!)

The food was not only a hit but so were the cocktails! Each night we tried a different cocktail at the beach bar and each one was hand-crafted with a lot of thought! “I want something fruity but light- not too sweet either”- I said on the first evening there. Without hesitation, the bartender whipped me up the best concoction and the icing on top was the colorful ceramic Tiki glass it came in!

Pro tip: Hit up happy hour there every night from 4-6 where cocktails are 2 for 1!

Now of course we had to work off all of the calories we burned so we enjoyed the complimentary activities that the resort offered: kayaking, paddleboarding, the fitness center, snorkelling but the BEST ONE EVER was the coral garden that sat adjacent to the resort. It was sincerely the most unique water experience we have ever taken part of!

You start off at the top of the lagoon and “drift snorkel” back towards the hotel. The current from the lagoon area naturally guides you through the coral garden so you almost feel as if you are on a ride at an amusement park. The marine life was ENDLESS and we saw everything from clown fish to sea anemone to blue clams! This is a must do activity in Taha’a!

THE ROOMS AT LE TAHA’A RESORT AND SPA

With 57 rooms, there are lots of room options at your fingertips at Le Taha’a! The biggest decision you will have to make though is: overwater bungalow or beach villa!

Not the worst decision you will have to make in your life that’s forsure. Both offer something special but we couldn’t resist waking up every morning to the open air deck over the water. There are a few different room types for the overwater bungalows in particular.

These include: Bora Bora View ( which is just how it sounds- views of the incredible Bora Bora), Taha’a Island View (lush mountain views of the close by main island of Taha’a) or the Sunset View bungalow (best sunset view in the house).

We had the Bora Bora view and we were not mad about it. We got to see the sun peak up from behind the mountain of Bora Bora and it felt like MAGIC. I get chills just thinking of it!

Our room itself felt incredibly spacious which isn’t always the case when travelling with a baby ( and having a crib in the room to boot). We had a King bed and it was made up of the softest sheets imaginable.

We spent the mornings lounging in the bed in our robes and we felt like we were in our own little house. My favourite part of the room was the real life aquarium that sat at the foot of the bed. You could open up the glass chest and literally see fish swimming underneath you.

Each morning we would feed them some bread and it made it hard to not sit here for hours watching them swim by in little groups. The minute you stepped outside on the expansive deck though, you quickly forgot about the inside and were transformed into what felt like another dimension.

IMPORTANT TIDBITS ABOUT LE TAHA’A RESORT AND SPA

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While I did do some research before we left, I was still left pleasantly surprised by a few things! Each of these things made me appreciate the islands that much more.

Heading to French Polynesia or Maldives, you might like these other posts:

–Maldives VS French Polynesia: Comparing the two most exotic places on Earth!
–The #1 Hotel In The Maldives: Review
–The Ultimate Mo’orea Travel Guide: Everything you need to know!
–How To Travel to French Polynesia On a Budget

#1. THE OFFICIAL LANGUAGE ON THE ISLANDS OF TAHITI IS FRENCH

While this may seem like an obvious thing since it is called the French Polynesia, I expected there to be more people speaking the native language of Tahitian! Most of the Tahitian people speak French and I was also surprised at how many actual French people lived on the islands! We met tons of people who picked up and left Europe for this perfect paradise. I would recommend having Google Translator downloaded on your phone as the language barrier can be real! With that being said, that means that a lot of the Tahiti food options are FRENCH! Which brings me to my next point..

#2. BAGUETTES ARE A TAHITI FOOD GROUP!

Morning, noon or night on the islands of Tahiti- you can expect baguettes to be on the menu! It is an island staple and we often would see locals riding their bikes while juggling loads of baguettes in the front basket! Not the typical food we were expecting in Tahiti!

We saw one man at the grocery store with over 5 in hand and we asked him “Are you having a big family feast tonight?”. He laughed and replied that the baguettes were actually for his dogs!! haha. Another time at a breakfast restaurant we ordered “toast”. Sure enough we were served a whole baguette! You also can expect Steak and Frites, Crepes and Croissants! Basically, it is worth travelling to for the food alone. The food in Tahiti also offers more budget options compared to places like the Maldives.

#3. TAHITI & FRENCH POLYNESIA IS VERY UNDERDEVELOPED! 

Given that the French Polynesia is one of the most tropical, romantic and luxurious places in the world, it is still incredibly untouched which is honestly amazing. Other tropical places like Thailand or destinations in the Caribbean where tourists flock to, have been victim of chains like Starbucks or Taco Bell buying up real estate! You will not find this here. It feels like it has only been discovered a few years ago and that you are really, really out there! 

#4. TAHITI IS NOT JUST FOR HONEYMOONERS

Since we were venturing there with our family, we expected to be the odd ones out! We figured our plane would be filled with girls wearing hats that said “Just Married” and couples who had that newlywed glow! While there was some people like this, we were surprised at how many other families we met…some of which were on their 2nd or 3rd trips to the islands! We also met some backpackers and some retired friends who decided to do a trip of a lifetime!

The people of Tahiti were SO SO incredibly accommodating to Chloe and were always willing to lend a hand. The Tahiti food options also cater to more families actually. They do more “family style” menu choices are local restaurants and fancy restaurants are few and fare in between!

#5. THERE ARE OVER 115 ISLANDS TO DISCOVER IN TAHITI

Before coming to Tahiti, I naively thought there was Bora Bora, Tahiti and Mo’orea. Once I researched a little more, I started to see how many different islands there are to visit. 115 to be exact. I also was surprised to see that a lot of them require getting on a plane! We had the opportunity to visit the lesser known island of Tahaa and we are SO glad we did! We stayed HERE if you want to check it out. SUCH A GOOD HOTEL!

Next on our list when we travel back here is definitely the island of Naku Hiva

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