Re: French Polynesia (Tahiti, Bora Bora, etc.) Honeymoons!!!!!!

After looking at your pics. I am real excited now.. Cant wait 5 more months

Re: French Polynesia (Tahiti, Bora Bora, etc.) Honeymoons!!!!!!

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Posted by luckybride2004

Thank you all We really had the most amazing time. None of you will regret your decision to go there! As far as the sunsets, even the locals said they have never seen anythign like it!
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Best advice - bring water shoes! Dh bought his there at a supermarket if you forget. Get to know the locals. They are all really nice

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Thank you for sharing your HM pics... they're amazing. My FH and I thought about going to Rangiroa and Raiatea/Tahaa.. but, we're not good snorkelers.. so, picked another island.

Again, thanks for the detailed info.

Re: French Polynesia (Tahiti, Bora Bora, etc.) Honeymoons!!!!!!

I have a Question!!!!!

I know you need to be certified in diving.... Do I need anything for snorkeling?????

Re: French Polynesia (Tahiti, Bora Bora, etc.) Honeymoons!!!!!!

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Posted by gina674

I have a Question!!!!!

I know you need to be certified in diving.... Do I need anything for snorkeling?????

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I'm pretty sure you do..they offer classes at the Javits Center..and I want to do this.

Re: French Polynesia (Tahiti, Bora Bora, etc.) Honeymoons!!!!!!

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Posted by luckybride2004

Thank you all We really had the most amazing time. None of you will regret your decision to go there! As far as the sunsets, even the locals said they have never seen anythign like it!
Now for advice:
As far as restaurants - on Tahiti we got in really late so we only had breakfast at the Sheraton. You might have all heard this already but the food is SOOOO expensive! The continental breakfast was something like $20 per person My advice would be to bring some bagels or something from home!
In Moorea, we ate at the hotel twice. Also very pricy but fun too. Since it was raining we really didn't venture out too much. We did go to Chez Capo one noght. It was fantastic. Very traditional. The man in those pictures is Mr. Capo himself! He is a really cute little man
The next 10 nights were were on a cruise so we were not able to experience any of the other restaurants. Bloody Mary's was closed when we were there (they are closed the month of December) but still, I have heard it is a tourist trap but a lot of fun!
Oh, and if you stay at an overwater bungalow, go for the breakfast they bring to you by boat. Even if only for the pictures, it is so much fun.

Excursions (we did all of them through the cruise but you can find local people to go through - no advice of who to use):
We did a jeep tour in Moorea - tha was kind of cool since we actually got to see much of the island
There is nothing to do on the Marquesas Islands (if you are staying there try to get to where Survivor was, we didn't have enough time) except lay out
Rangiroa - also not much to do but lay out. Keep in mind that the French Polynesian Islands are not known for their beaches. Don't be dissapointed! They are mostly motus, not islands! Basically a motu is an inside out island (the water is on the inside). FP was mostly formed by inactive volcanos.
Raiatea - we went snorkling and to a Pearl Farm on Ta' haa (the sister island). That is all there really is to do there
At least once, if not more, try to get to a Polynesian Feast. It is a lot of fun
you HAVE to do the helmet dive in Bora Bora. that was unbelieveable. If you can, try not to be hung over though, that is not fun


Best advice - bring water shoes! Dh bought his there at a supermarket if you forget. Get to know the locals. They are all really nice

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HOw did I miss this????
OMG>....Your making me REALLY excited..I'm doing the Tahitian Cruise also!! Im super excited about the excursions..dolphins, snorkeling, etc!!!!!!!!!

Re: French Polynesia (Tahiti, Bora Bora, etc.) Honeymoons!!!!!!

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Posted by gina674

I have a Question!!!!!

I know you need to be certified in diving.... Do I need anything for snorkeling?????

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Nope, but i've heard that it's a really good idea to bring your own snorkel gear with you. We are definitely doing that since we'll probably snorkel every single day and instead of having to go to the snorkel rental area all the time, we will just have our own snorkel gear in our room to go whenever we want!

Re: French Polynesia (Tahiti, Bora Bora, etc.) Honeymoons!!!!!!

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Posted by JeanineHubert

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Posted by gina674

I have a Question!!!!!

I know you need to be certified in diving.... Do I need anything for snorkeling?????

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I'm pretty sure you do..they offer classes at the Javits Center..and I want to do this.

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Really??? Info, please...

Re: French Polynesia (Tahiti, Bora Bora, etc.) Honeymoons!!!!!!

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Posted by Nadyne311

Hello!... I am a newbie on here.... My FH and I just booked our HM to the French Polynesia!... Our itinerary is:

**1 night Tahiti Sheraton in a lagoon room
**2 nights in Moorea Pearl resort gardenview private pool room
**1night in Moorea Pearl resort OTB
**5 nights in Bora Bora IC Thalasso in Diamond OTB
**2 nights in the Wynn hotel in Las Vegas

I am so excited...and reading all the posts is getting me even more excited to go!.... We can't wait! I wish it was August already.....

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Congrats on booking, sounds amazing! We're staying at the Moorea pearl also.

Re: French Polynesia (Tahiti, Bora Bora, etc.) Honeymoons!!!!!!

I am a certified diver but DH is not. I did not do any diving on this trip (regrettably!). You do not need any certificates for snorkling but most trips will advise you to be a strong swimmer. There are some pretty crazy currents so you have to be a strong swimmer.
The helmet dives we did in Bora Bora do not require any skills whatsoever as you are actually walking and jumping on the bottom of the ocean. It felt to me what the first guys on the moon must have felt like! The instrustors tell you all you need to know.
Since I am a certified diver, I have all my own equipment. I brought my mask and snorkle with me. DH borrowed a set from the cruise we were on. If you are not going ona cruise, I would suggest you check with your hotels to see if you can borrow from them or pick some up before you go.
Most snorkling trips will privide you with a set but you should check before leaving. I wouldn't want you to miss out because you couldn't find a mask!

Any other questions, feel free to ask here or in a FM! I am certainly not the expert by any means but I am happy to help if I can

Re: French Polynesia (Tahiti, Bora Bora, etc.) Honeymoons!!!!!!

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Posted by JeanineHubert

HOw did I miss this????
OMG>....Your making me REALLY excited..I'm doing the Tahitian Cruise also!! Im super excited about the excursions..dolphins, snorkeling, etc!!!!!!!!!

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No problem

Re: French Polynesia (Tahiti, Bora Bora, etc.) Honeymoons!!!!!!

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Posted by gina674

I have a Question!!!!!

I know you need to be certified in diving.... Do I need anything for snorkeling?????

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My FH owns a dive shop if anyone wants to take classes

Re: French Polynesia (Tahiti, Bora Bora, etc.) Honeymoons!!!!!!

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Posted by kittythestray

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Posted by gina674

I have a Question!!!!!

I know you need to be certified in diving.... Do I need anything for snorkeling?????

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My FH owns a dive shop if anyone wants to take classes

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Really? Where? Dh and I were thinking of getting certified before we go.

Re: French Polynesia (Tahiti, Bora Bora, etc.) Honeymoons!!!!!!

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Posted by luckybride2004

I am a certified diver but DH is not. I did not do any diving on this trip (regrettably!). You do not need any certificates for snorkling but most trips will advise you to be a strong swimmer. There are some pretty crazy currents so you have to be a strong swimmer.
The helmet dives we did in Bora Bora do not require any skills whatsoever as you are actually walking and jumping on the bottom of the ocean. It felt to me what the first guys on the moon must have felt like! The instrustors tell you all you need to know.
Since I am a certified diver, I have all my own equipment. I brought my mask and snorkle with me. DH borrowed a set from the cruise we were on. If you are not going ona cruise, I would suggest you check with your hotels to see if you can borrow from them or pick some up before you go.
Most snorkling trips will privide you with a set but you should check before leaving. I wouldn't want you to miss out because you couldn't find a mask!

Any other questions, feel free to ask here or in a FM! I am certainly not the expert by any means but I am happy to help if I can

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Thank you so much!!!!! I know we probably won't do any diving, but I definately wanted to go snorkeling!!!

If your in one of those over the water bungalows, can you just go in the water at any time????

Re: French Polynesia (Tahiti, Bora Bora, etc.) Honeymoons!!!!!!

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Posted by gina674

Thank you so much!!!!! I know we probably won't do any diving, but I definately wanted to go snorkeling!!!

If your in one of those over the water bungalows, can you just go in the water at any time????

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I don't see why not! Keep in mind though, as shallow as the water is by the bungalows, it is the ocean! I get a little freaked out by what I can't see rather than what I can see.

Re: French Polynesia (Tahiti, Bora Bora, etc.) Honeymoons!!!!!!

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Posted by brooklynbridezilla

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Posted by kittythestray

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Posted by gina674

I have a Question!!!!!

I know you need to be certified in diving.... Do I need anything for snorkeling?????

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My FH owns a dive shop if anyone wants to take classes

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Really? Where? Dh and I were thinking of getting certified before we go.

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Coooool!! He and his Dad own Swim King Dive Shop in Rocky Point. We're VERY excited because they finally got permits to build their own pool!!! The # is 744-7707 and this is their website:
http://www.swimkingscuba.com/Docs/main.html

Re: French Polynesia (Tahiti, Bora Bora, etc.) Honeymoons!!!!!!

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Posted by luckybride2004

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Posted by gina674

Thank you so much!!!!! I know we probably won't do any diving, but I definately wanted to go snorkeling!!!

If your in one of those over the water bungalows, can you just go in the water at any time????

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I don't see why not! Keep in mind though, as shallow as the water is by the bungalows, it is the ocean! I get a little freaked out by what I can't see rather than what I can see.

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I thought it was the lagoon and not the ocean off the OWB's???

Tahaa girls - I just read a very recent review of Le Taha'a on tripadvisor.com and the guy said Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes were staying in the OWB next to theirs!!! The guy had his email in his review if you wanted to see pics so I emailed him and he sent me his album. Le Taha'a looks gorgeous...and he even had a far away, blurry shot of Tom and Katie!

Re: French Polynesia (Tahiti, Bora Bora, etc.) Honeymoons!!!!!!

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Posted by KandE917

I thought it was the lagoon and not the ocean off the OWB's???

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Well, yes, technically it is the lagoon. What I meant is that the little critters can swim wherever they want!

Re: French Polynesia (Tahiti, Bora Bora, etc.) Honeymoons!!!!!!

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Posted by luckybride2004

Well, yes, technically it is the lagoon. What I meant is that the little critters can swim wherever they want!

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Ew - the little critters scare me too!

Re: French Polynesia (Tahiti, Bora Bora, etc.) Honeymoons!!!!!!

Oops, sorry! They are islands are actually atolls (An atoll is a ring (or partial ring) of coral that forms an island in an ocean or sea), not motus!

Re: French Polynesia (Tahiti, Bora Bora, etc.) Honeymoons!!!!!!

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Posted by KandE917

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Posted by luckybride2004

Well, yes, technically it is the lagoon. What I meant is that the little critters can swim wherever they want!

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Ew - the little critters scare me too!

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I hear ya! I am OK with them (usually) when I can see them. It is when I can't see them but I can feel them that I have a problem with!!!