French Polynesia 5 Day Itinerary
French Polynesia has 118 islands spread across an ocean area roughly the size of Europe, but most visitors spend their entire trip within about 250 kilometres of Tahiti, on two or three islands that sit in the same Society Islands chain. That is not a criticism; Moorea and Bora Bora justify the journey on their own. But understanding the scale helps calibrate expectations: five days in French Polynesia means five days in one small corner of it, which is exactly enough time to do that corner properly.
Visas: EU, US, Canadian, Australian, and New Zealand citizens do not need a visa for stays under 90 days. The currency is the CFP franc (XPF), pegged to the euro.
Day 1: Tahiti and Papeete
Faaa International Airport (PPT) sits on the northwest coast of Tahiti, about 5 kilometres from Papeete city centre. A taxi costs around EUR 18 (XPF 2,150) during the day and EUR 24 at night. Public buses run along the coastal road for XPF 200 per trip but are infrequent and carry limited luggage. Most overwater resort guests are met by hotel transfer boats at the airport dock; if you booked an island resort that involves a lagoon crossing, your transfer is likely pre-arranged.
Papeete is sometimes dismissed as a stopover city, but it is worth an afternoon before heading to the outer islands. The Marche de Papeete (Papeete Municipal Market), a two-storey covered market open every morning and Sunday nights, sells Tahitian pearls, tiare flower garlands, vanilla, local fabrics (pareo), and fresh produce. Sunday morning is when the lower level fills with local food vendors for the most interesting session. The pearl prices here are not necessarily lower than dedicated pearl shops, but the variety and negotiation opportunity are better.
The Robert Wan Pearl Museum near the waterfront is free and provides the context to understand what you are looking at in the market: the different oyster species, the culturing process, and the colour grading scale.
For dinner, try Le Carre or one of the casual Creole restaurants near the market. French Polynesian food fuses French technique with Polynesian ingredients; raw tuna marinated in coconut milk (poisson cru) is the local standout and costs relatively little at casual restaurants compared with resort menus.
Day 2: Moorea
Ferries to Moorea depart from Papeete port throughout the day from around 6 am to 5:30 pm. Four companies (Aremiti, Terevau, Vaeara’i, and Tauati) operate the route; the crossing takes 30 to 40 minutes and costs around XPF 1,500 (approximately USD 13) each way. Moorea is visible from Papeete’s waterfront, rising dramatically 17 kilometres across the channel.
On the island, rent a car or scooter at the Vaiare ferry dock. The island road loops the entire perimeter in about 60 kilometres. The two deep bays on the north coast, Opunohu Bay and Cook’s Bay, are the visual centrepieces: green-black mountains dropping vertically into flat turquoise water, with virtually no development on the far shore. The Belvedere Lookout above the bays requires a short drive up a switchback road and gives the panoramic view that defines Moorea in most photographs. Go in the morning before cloud builds on the peaks.
A half-day lagoon tour from one of the operators in Maharepa (around USD 80 to 100 per person) covers snorkelling at the coral gardens, swimming with blacktip reef sharks in shallow water, and feeding stingrays in the sandy channel. The stingrays are habituated to people and approach confidently; the experience is vivid and slightly surreal, and the coral gardens have good fish diversity. It is the right activity for a single day on Moorea, especially with limited time.
Overnight in Moorea rather than returning to Tahiti. A pension (family-run guesthouse) costs USD 80 to 150 per night; several operate near the north coast with direct lagoon access and breakfast included.
Day 3: Bora Bora
A short flight from Moorea (or Tahiti if you return) reaches Bora Bora in 50 minutes. Air Tahiti operates multiple daily flights; book well in advance. The airport sits on a motu (coral islet) and requires a short boat transfer to the main island; resort guests are typically collected by their hotel.
Bora Bora’s reputation as the world’s most beautiful island is based largely on the view of Mount Otemanu rising above the lagoon, and the lagoon itself, an improbable shade of graduated blue that shifts from pale turquoise over the reef to deep cobalt in the channels. The overwater bungalow hotels that frame this view charge USD 800 to 1,200 per night for standard rooms and up to USD 3,000 or more for premium positions. This is both extraordinary and, for most travellers, not the right call. A family-run guesthouse or pension in Vaitape, the main town, provides a comfortable base for USD 100 to 200 per night, and the lagoon you are looking at is identical regardless of where you sleep.
In the afternoon, walk from Vaitape toward Matira Beach on the island’s southern tip, which is the only proper public beach on Bora Bora and one of the best in French Polynesia. The sand is powdery, the water warm and clear, and snorkelling gear rented from shops in Vaitape (around USD 10 per day) gives access to a coral garden just off the beach without paying for a tour.
Dinner at Bloody Mary’s Restaurant & Bar on the lagoon side is an institution that earns its reputation: the fresh fish and seafood are displayed on ice at the door and priced individually, and the outdoor tables under palm trees have the right atmosphere for a first evening on the island. Budget USD 40 to 70 per person.
Day 4: Bora Bora Lagoon Tour
Book a full-day lagoon tour with a local operator (USD 100 to 150 per person including lunch). Tours typically visit multiple snorkelling sites, including stops for sharks at the channel edges, stingray feeding in the sandy shallows, and a lunch picnic on a private motu. The highlight for most people is the coral gardens in the eastern lagoon, where the combination of coral diversity, fish population, and water clarity produces snorkelling that compares favourably with anywhere in the Indo-Pacific.
The operators who do small-group tours (6 to 8 people maximum) in smaller, slower boats give a considerably better experience than the large catamaran excursions that carry 30 to 40 passengers. Ask specifically about group size when booking.
In the afternoon, if energy remains, a 4x4 safari tour up the interior tracks gives views down into the lagoon from above that are almost better than the views from within it. The contrast between the volcanic dark green of the mountain flanks and the colour gradations of the water below is the image of Bora Bora that most photographs cannot adequately capture.
Skip Motu Tapu. It is a private motu operated as a resort excursion and the experience largely consists of sitting on a beach that is indistinguishable from any other beach, at a significant markup. Spend the afternoon at Matira instead.
Day 5: Return to Papeete and Departure
Most departures from French Polynesia go via Papeete. Fly from Bora Bora to Faaa in the morning (50 minutes) and allow at least three hours before your international departure; the airport is compact but international check-in queues at peak departure times can be slow.
If you have several hours to fill, Marae Arahurahu on Tahiti’s west coast is an ancient Polynesian ceremonial platform (marae) that has been restored and is the best-preserved example on the island. It gives context for the Polynesian civilisation that built sophisticated societies across the Pacific long before European contact. Entry is free.
The Faaa international terminal has adequate food options and a good pearl shop. If you did not buy pearls in the market on Day 1, the airport selection is respectable though less interesting to negotiate.
Practical Notes
Budget reality: French Polynesia is expensive. A conservative daily budget including accommodation, food, and one activity is USD 200 to 300 per person outside resort hotels. Resort overwater bungalows add USD 500 to 2,000 per night above that. The key cost-reduction lever is accommodation: staying in pensions and eating at local restaurants rather than resort restaurants cuts costs significantly without reducing the experience of the islands themselves.
Language: French is official; Tahitian is the indigenous language. English is spoken at hotels and most tourist-facing businesses.
Weather: May to October is dry season with lower humidity and southeast trade winds keeping temperatures comfortable (25 to 30 C). November to April is wet season with heavier rainfall, higher humidity, and occasional cyclone risk. The lagoons are accessible year-round.
Interisland flights: Book Air Tahiti flights as early as possible. Bora Bora flights sell out weeks in advance in high season (July to August). Flexible dates make a significant difference to availability and price.