After our two weeks of vacation in paradise, it’s already time to head back to Tahiti. JB never thought he’d say this, but he’s “sad to be coming back to Tahiti.” Whereas before, for us, Tahiti = paradise. After visiting the smaller islands, it’s easier to understand why Polynesians find Tahiti as awful as Paris (too many people, too much pollution, too much noise). The ferry ride is very long (departure at 9:30 am, arrival at 4 pm). New Airbnb in Arue On top of that, we’re in a new Airbnb in Tahiti, so the next day (Sunday), we have to go pick up the suitcases left at JB’s colleague’s…

We were supposed to visit Taha’a then Bora Bora, but due to my complicated calculations, I preferred to put Bora Bora before Taha’a. That said, after snorkeling in Bora Bora, I wonder how Taha’a can beat Bora Bora in experiences since the island is so tiny. Fate works in mysterious ways because we’re ending our vacation with the best of the best. Part 1: Travel JournalPart 2: Practical Tips Part 1: Travel Journal If it were up to me, I would have stayed longer in Bora Bora but accommodation is still very expensive and considering the ferry schedules, if we stayed too long in Bora, we would have had only…

The long-awaited day has arrived: today we’re going to Bora Bora, the dream destination. The name Bora Bora evokes the same things in the imagination as the Maldives or the Seychelles – it’s synonymous with paradise, the end of the world, destinations for the rich, overwater bungalows, 5-star hotels… Part 1: Travel JournalPart 2: Practical Tips Part 1: Travel Journal One of my dreams is to spend at least one night in an overwater bungalow. And Bora Bora = Bungalows (in my imagination). Thanks to miles American Express, we could have treated ourselves to a night in a bungalow at Westin Bora Bora (Booking link) or St Regis Bora Bora…

On the way to Raiatea, the ferry first stopped at Huahine. Seeing its white sand beach and shades of blue, we slightly regretted not starting our vacation in incredible Huahine, but in the end it worked out better that way because, given the ferry schedule, going in this direction lets us spend 4 nights in Huahine instead of 3. This travel journal is part of our French Polynesia Road Trip series, read part 1 first Part 1: Travel JournalPart 2: Practical Tips Part 1: Travel Journal JB finds us an airbnb / family guesthouse on the waterfront for €160 a night. But reading the listing carefully, I discover the owner…

Since our arrival in Tahiti in April 2026, this is only the second time we have gone on vacation. This time, we’re heading to the Leeward Islands, accessible by ferry from Tahiti. So our itinerary has to be built around the ferry schedule. Part 1: Travel JournalPart 2: Practical Tips Part 1: Travel Journal Transport I didn’t overthink it, I looked at the unlimited pass (for 30 days) fromApetahi Express to plan my itinerary. This pass costs 24,000 XPF per person (€201). That’s still very affordable compared to flying. To save even more, we’re bringing our scooter with us to get around the islands since there’s no public transport, even…

I’m going to do a quick check-in at the quarter mark of our Polynesian adventure to tell you what’s happening in Tahiti right now. Why do I say “quarter”? Because JB decided to extend by a few months our stay in Tahiti. Nine months (the initially planned duration) didn’t seem long enough to fully enjoy this paradise, so we’re staying two extra months. In 3 months, we haven’t had much time to travel after all. On weekends, we stay in Tahiti; there was a little tour around the island, a round trip to Moorea , and 6 days of vacation. Since we already live in a vacation spot, just a…

We take the ferry to Moorea in the middle of the afternoon. We’ve been to Moorea twice (the first time 10 years ago and the second time for a scouting trip two months ago), but this is the first time we’ve brought a scooter with us. Our itinerary spans five days, but you can do exactly the same thing in two days. Part 1: Travel JournalPart 2: Practical Tips Part 1: Travel Journal Day 1 For the ferry ride, we were told that scooters don’t need a reservation, but cars must book in advance because there aren’t many spots—especially for the last daily ferry between Tahiti and Moorea. Many people…

Our Airbnb in Tahiti being booked for a few days by someone else, we take the opportunity to go on vacation. Even though we now live in Tahiti, you can still “go on vacation” while staying on the same island, because according to a buddy we’re “already living on vacation” 😀 We chose Intercontinental Resort Tahiti because it’s the best hotel on the island. Part 1: Travel JournalPart 2: Practical Tips Part 1: Travel Journal We’ve been here several times before, once with a pool pass and other times for lunch, but this is the very first time we’ve booked a room. And frankly, in the low season, it’s more…

After several weeks of coding telling Claude Code to code, we need to get some fresh air and completely forget that computers and AI exist. The obsession and appeal of AI are real, but we live in paradise, so that can help us disconnect. So we decide to have lunch at Hilton Hotel Tahiti. It’s a 4-star hotel very popular with tourists because it’s really close to the airport, and there’s a walkway connecting the hotel to a shopping center. Those who have to wait for their flight (planes usually take off around 11pm from Tahiti) are very happy to either sleep in this hotel (Booking link), or pay for…