You’ve heard of Tahiti and if you haven’t been to Tahiti and French Polynesia, there’s a number of reasons it should be on your radar:
Where is it?
- It’s in the middle of the Pacific Ocean… south of the equator. It’s almost exactly half way between Hawaii and New Zealand, and approximately half way between South America and Australia.
How difficult is it to get to?
- There are direct flights from LA and San Francisco that take about 7.5 hours. There are also flights from Seattle that take about an hour longer. In logistic terms, it’s 2 hours further away than Hawaii.
Why do I want to go there?
- Unspoiled tropical beaches, friendly natives, and not nearly as crowded as other such places. Hawaii gets more tourists in a week, than Tahiti gets in a year.
What’s the difference between “Tahiti” and “French Polynesia”
- Tahiti is the largest island in the region of French Polynesia (somewhat like the Big Island of Hawaii). Other French Polynesian islands you’ve heard of: Bora Bora, the Marquesas, and Moorea. Much like we often call the Netherlands “Holland”, French Polynesia is often collectively referred to as Tahiti (just don’t make this mistake in front of the locals).
Is a cruise the best way to see it?
- It is certainly the most cost-effective was to see French Polynesia. However, if you want to plant yourself on a pristine tropical beach (or overwater bungalow), there’s plenty of land based options in French Polynesia as well.
What is the best time of year to visit?
- The weather is moderate year round, but the Austral winter months (May to October) are less humid, and have less rain. If you’re looking to escape our Northern hemisphere winters, I wouldn’t hesitate to go November through April… just be ready for a bit of rain, and some humidity (very much like planning a trip to Hawaii).
Fun Facts
- About 70% of Tahitians are Polynesian, and many of them still speak local languages. It is much like Hawaiian with a small alphabet, and lots of vowels. The official language is French (Bob tells me it is a very specific dialect (translation: he doesn’t understand it well)), but English is widely spoken in tourist areas.
- French Polynesia is a semi-autonomous territory of France. They have their own currency (don’t use the Euro), and their own government (there is a President), but receive financial and military support from France.
- French Polynesia is made up of 121 islands covering an area over 4 times as large as the Lower 48 states.
In Case You Missed It:
WINDSTAR: A Yachting experience is vastly different than a mega-ship cruise. With a maximum of 342 guests, and getting you to many less-frequented places, give WINDSTAR a look: https://youtu.be/ctytpPPx1tM
TRENDS WE’RE SEEING for 2026: Over-tourism, ETAs, air travel, new ships, and lots more: https://pamperedcruiser.com/preview-of-2026/
IT’S ALL TEMPORARY: You never know when opportunities are going to be taken away from you. Our policy: If it’s important, DO IT NOW. https://pamperedcruiser.com/its-all-temporary-so-travel-now/
Featured YOUTUBE Video:
TAHITI: Here’s our video blogs from our trip to TAHITI last year:
OVER WATER BUNGALOW: It’s a bit like living in a James Bond movie, and if you’re in TAHITI (or anywhere else where they have OW Bungalows) you really do need to give it a try:
Remember to SUBSCRIBE to our YouTube Channel while you’re there. It really helps us, and we can produce more content for you!
Today’s Travel Opportunities
TAHITI by YACHT with WINDSTAR
If you’d like to explore FRENCH POLYNESIA in a 320 passenger yacht, here are some options for you:
TAHITI & FRENCH POLYNESIA: Papeete round-trip for 7-days
- Tropical Beauty, Remote Islands, Dreamy Lagoons.
- Start in Papeete, and visit Moorea, Raiatea (overnight), Taha’a, Bora Bora (overnight), and Huahine before returning to Papeete.
- Departures year-round from $2999
- Here’s our video blog from when we did this cruise with WINDSTAR: https://youtu.be/ctytpPPx1tM
TAHITI & MARQUESAS: Papeete round-trip for 14-days
- If you really want to immerse yourself in French Polynesia, stay for 2 weeks!
- Start in Papeete, and then visit Fakarava, followed by 3 port stops in the Marquesas, then Rangiroa, Taha’a, Bora Bora (overnight), and Moorea, before returning to Papeete.
- Depart March 26 from $6088
- Depart April 29, 2027 from $6399
TAHITI YACHT CRUISE for 7-nights with 2-nights post-cruise OVERWATER BUNGALOW
- Start in Papeete, and visit Moorea, Raiatea (overnight), Taha’a, Bora Bora (overnight), and Huahine before returning to Papeete, and transfer for 2-nights to an OVERWATER BUNGALOW at Manava Beach Resort
- Departures October through December from $6299 per person.
REGENT 7 SEAS South Pacific Voyages Including TAHITI
REGENT is the most inclusive cruise line, and they have several itineraries that include port stops in TAHITI and FRENCH POLYNESIA:
TAHITI to FIJI departing January 23, 2027 for 12-nights
- Start in Papeete, then visit Raiatea, the Cook Islands, Alofi, Tonga, and 3 port stops in Fiji
- Fares from $9299
LOS ANGELES to TAHITI departing January 6, 2027 for 17-nights
- Board in California, and then visit 4 ports of call in Hawaii, before heading south to Bora Bora, Huahine, and finishing in Papeete.
- Fares from $13,699
AZAMARA: Affordable small-ship cruising:
With their fleet of R-Class vessels, carrying only 680 guests, AZAMARA makes small ship cruising accessible for everyone.
SAN FRANCISCO to TAHITI departing January 5, 2027 for 18-nights
- Visit 3 ports in Hawaii (with an overnight in Honolulu), then go to Moorea and Bora Bora before finishing in Papeete
- Veranda fares from $5159
TAHITI to NEW ZEALAND departing January 23, 2027 for 14-nights
- Depart Papeete, and visit Bora Bora, American Samoa, Apia, 2 port stops in Fiji, Norfolk Island, and then finish with an overnight stay aboard the ship in Auckland
- Fares from $6379
TAHITI & FRENCH POLYNESIA in OVERWATER BUNGALOWS
You won’t see as many of the islands in the region, but if you prefer to stay in an OVERWATER BUNGALOW, here are several options: https://www.virtuoso.com/advisor/bobbrad77410/travel/destinations/south-pacific/french-polynesia
UNIWORLD BOUTIQUE RIVER CRUISE COLLECTION
UNIWORLD is on all the rivers in Europe with custom built ships designed and decorated for the region they sail through. Here’s some of their itineraries OUTSIDE EUROPE:
EGYPT for 12-days (4-nights Cairo and 7-nights on the ship)
- See the Pyramids and Sphinx, the Egyptian Museum, Temple of Karnak, Temple of Luxor, Valley of the Kings, and a Nile Felucca ride.
- 2026: September – December from $7919
- 2027: January – May from $6299
- Details here: https://pamperedcruiser.uniworld.com/us/river-cruise/egypt/nile/splendors-of-egypt-and-the-nile/2025-cairo-to-cairo
INDIA: Ganges River Cruise for 13-days between New Delhi and Kolkata
- If the other cruise lines are sold out in India, we can still find you space on UNIWORLD.
- Few countries simultaneously fascinate and frighten travellers as much as India, so visit it in comfort while still being exposed to the things that make this country so unique.
- Visit New Delhi, Jaipur, Agra (Taj Mahal), Kolkata, Cruise the Ganges, Kalna, Matairi, Murshidabad, Baranagar, Khusbagh,, Mayapur, Chandannagar.
- Includes 4 UNESCO World Heritage sites, and internal flights.
- 2026: Depart September – December from $7039
- 2027: Depart January – March from $6799
REMOTE EXPLORATIONS with HX
Outdoor ALASKA: Vancouver to Anchorage for 10-days
- Depart Vancouver, sail the Inside Passage, then to Misty Fjords, Klawock, Fjords of the Alaskan panhandle, Icy Strait Point, Glacier Bay, Valdez, Prince William Sound, and then on to Anchorage
- 2026: Departures May through July from $4286
- 2027: Departures May through July from $5299
- Here’s our ship tour video if you want to see the ship: Tour of the MS Roald Amundsen – YouTube
GALAPAGOS ISLANDS and Quito for 9-days
- 2-nights in Quito, then fly to Galapagos (included in fare) for 6 nights. Visit Mosquera Inlet, Santa Fe, South Plaza, Santa Cruz, Charles Darwin Research Station in Port Ayora, Espanola Island, Eden Islet.
- 2026: February through December from $6652
- 2027: January through December from $7050
- See our video blog from when we did this trip: https://youtu.be/3F38Km2EEjQ
Do You Have an Upcoming Viking Cruise?
Viking’s BON VOYAGE incentive allows you to book your next Viking cruise in the 35 days BEFORE you board, and get some extra goodies for doing so:
- $100 per person on board credit
- 6-month final payment date
- $100 per person OFF one-week cruises, and bigger discounts for longer itineraries.
If you’re planning a trip, I’d love to help! Click here or call 800-876-0168 to get in touch today.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Sue Bradley
Sue Bradley
