Island hopping in French Polynesia

French Polynesia consists of no fewer than 118 islands, spread across an enormous area of the Pacific Ocean. Most travellers are mainly familiar with Bora Bora, but a trip through French Polynesia is only truly complete when you visit several islands. Each island has its own unique charm. On Moorea, for example, you will find impressive mountain landscapes and a relaxed atmosphere, while Bora Bora is famous for its turquoise lagoon and luxurious resorts.

In this article, I share our route for island hopping in French Polynesia, useful tips for planning your trip and everything you need to know to create your own unforgettable journey through French Polynesia.

Travelling between the islands in French Polynesia

There are two main ways to travel between the islands of French Polynesia: by boat or by plane. From Tahiti, you can fly to many of the islands or take the ferry to Moorea, which is located close to Tahiti.

There are two main airlines operating inter-island flights in French Polynesia: Air Tahiti and Air Moana. Both are good airlines, and tickets can also be found through flight comparison websites such as Skyscanner. Make sure you pay close attention to the weight limits for both your checked luggage and hand luggage, as the airlines can be quite strict. We saw several people who had to remove items from their suitcases because their luggage was too heavy.

Depending on how many islands you want to visit, purchasing an Air Tahiti Pass may be a convenient option. This pass allows you to visit several islands for a fixed package price. The available passes, eligible islands and travel conditions vary, so it is important to compare the pass with the price of booking separate flights. More information about the Air Tahiti Pass can be found here.

Some islands can also be reached by boat, including Moorea from Tahiti. You can find ferry tickets here. Other islands, including Bora Bora, may also be reachable by boat services, but the journey takes considerably longer than flying. For most travellers, taking a domestic flight is the quickest and easiest option for travelling to Bora Bora.

How many days do you need in French Polynesia?

If you want to visit several islands in French Polynesia, you will need at least one and a half weeks. This is enough time to combine, for example, Tahiti and Moorea or Moorea and Bora Bora. If you want to visit more islands, we recommend travelling for around two to three weeks. This gives you enough time to truly enjoy this incredible destination without having to rush between the islands.

The best route for two to three weeks of island hopping in French Polynesia

The most common route for island hopping in French Polynesia is from Tahiti to Moorea, from Moorea to Bora Bora and then from Bora Bora back to Tahiti.

Tahiti: 1–3 days

Tahiti is the island where you arrive when travelling internationally to French Polynesia.

It is also the main island and home to the country’s large international airport. Direct flights arrive from the United States regularly. We chose to spend a week in Los Angeles and the surrounding area before continuing to Tahiti. A direct flight from Los Angeles or San Francisco takes around eight hours. Flights are also available from Europe, with many routes departing from France. These journeys usually include a stop in North America because of the long distance.

Tahiti is a good island on which to recover from a long flight and adjust to the significant time difference with Europe.

If you have less time in French Polynesia, we recommend skipping an extended stay on Tahiti. You can, for example, take a taxi directly from the airport to the ferry terminal and continue to Moorea. Because we had two weeks in French Polynesia, this is the option we chose.

However, if you would like to spend a few days exploring Tahiti, that is certainly possible.

Fun things to do in Tahiti:

• Relax at a beautiful resort

• Shop at the local market in Papeete

• Visit Fautaua Waterfall or the Faarumai Waterfalls

• Visit the Museum of Tahiti and Her Islands

Moorea: 7–10 days

We absolutely loved Moorea! We stayed here for just over a week, but we could easily have extended our visit by another seven days. Moorea is smaller than Tahiti but larger than Bora Bora. You can drive around the entire island in approximately one and a half hours, but there is still plenty to see and do.

Moorea is easy to reach from Tahiti by ferry. Several ferry companies travel between the two islands multiple times a day. A one-way journey takes around 30 to 50 minutes, depending on the ferry service. We chose to travel directly to Moorea after arriving on our flight from the United States. We boarded the ferry early in the morning, shortly after landing in Tahiti.

Once we arrived on Moorea, we were able to collect our rental car relatively quickly. We rented our car from Auto Rent Moorea. Renting a car on Moorea is very convenient, especially when you are planning to explore different parts of the island.

One of the most special things about Moorea is the opportunity to see humpback whales during their annual migration. If you visit between approximately July and November, booking an excursion to see these impressive animals is an experience you should not miss. Always choose a licensed and responsible operator and check the current regulations, as the rules for approaching and entering the water with whales may change. Want to read more about our experience swimming with whales in Moorea? Continue reading here.

Moorea is also a perfect destination for hiking and swimming or snorkelling with different marine animals.

Want to know more about everything there is to do in Moorea? Read more here.

Bora Bora: 3–6 days

From Moorea, we flew to Bora Bora. The flight takes around one hour, and you get an incredible view of the islands and atolls below along the way. For one of the best views when approaching Bora Bora from Moorea, try to sit on the right-hand side of the aircraft.

Once you arrive in Bora Bora, you can choose to travel directly to a beautiful resort or first spend a few days on the main island. You can find all the advantages and disadvantages of both options here.

We chose to stay on the main island first so we could take several excursions. Because Bora Bora is considerably smaller than Moorea, renting a car is not essential. A bicycle can be useful for exploring the main island.

More information about everything there is to do in Bora Bora can be found here!

After spending a few days on the main island, we travelled to InterContinental Bora Bora for a few relaxing days surrounded by luxury. Want to know more about this resort? Read more here!