French Polynesia

After chartering many, many times in the BVI, our group is headed to FP to charter a Moorings 5000. There just isn't the same info available for chartering the Society Islands as the BVI. If anyone has chartered in FP, specifically the Society Islands, I would be very interested in Must See anchorages/moorings or Not to bother anchorages/moorings. We are trying to put together some sort of itinerary and hope to eat ashore every evening.

Thanks for any guidance/opinions! Doug

When are you going? We got a short notice owner points booking and are heading there next week. We've been there once 10 years ago.

I assume you have Moorings cruising guide pdf?

I would love to hear about both of your trips. We are headed there in late April 2025. Going with Tahiti Yacht Charter on a new FP 47. Doing LOTS of research. Following with a land based stay in Fakarava to dive.

MrEZgoin, we aren't going until 1st week of March, so I look forward to following up with you upon your return.

By Moorings cruising guide, i Haven't seen a pdf, just the link to their itinerary template. I have read Bloody Mary's is closed, which is a disappointment.

MIDiver, we will follow up after our trip. We are staying for a week at the St. Regis Bora Bora after the charter ... hope it lives up to it's hype.

Spent 6 weeks in the Marquesas, Tuamotus and Society islands but it is now over 10 years ago so no useful information! I will say though what a great choice you have made in Fakarava. In an entire circumnavigation, Fakarava is the place my wife and I always think back to as the highlight of our trip. Truly beautiful. I'm not a diver but just snorkelling there I couldn't believe the colours and abundance of sea life, particularly of the large sharp-toothed variety

Thanks - look forward to hearing first hand experiences. Bora has severely restricted anchoring - very limited designated areas only so we know we'll likely be on balls there. we hope to get to Maupiti. We like off the beaten path.

The St. Regis is indeed a gorgeous property.

Mike - as divers we HAVE to get to the Tuamotus. I wanted to visit Tikehau for the beaches, but the diving and marine life can't compare. Air routes are crazy (you can really only go in one direction, and from limited fields) so Fakarava it is. REALLY looking forward to it. I spend more time researching this than planning for my BVI trips next month and December - haha.

Day three. Maupiti lagoon certainly is lovely. I'd be tempted to write some trip notes if it wasn't off topic here. Certainly willing to answer any questions.

EZ - please connect with me when you get back. I would love to hear all about your experiences and tips. We just added a 5 night land stay at Maupiti Residence to our trip - the island looks like the Bora Bora of old which really appeals to me. How was the pass entry? I heard it can be an “adventure”. So much so that the ferry no longer regularly runs.

MrEZGoin--Please post a trip report in the appropriate forum, which is the Worldwide forum. And, if possible, some pictures, as French Polynesia is stunningly beautiful.

We did not make it to Maupiti on our only other visit here 10 years ago so when we had a window we seized on it.

Passe Onoiau definitely had my attention yesterday. WG had the swell at 1.3m 9s and the process of entering went smoothly, but due to the angle of this very narrow pass when you are approaching from the East it just looks like solid breakers. We were advised not to attempt the pass at over 1.6m, but I'm skeptical that this can be reduced to a single number and I therefore hope that 1.6m is conservative. Plenty hairy at 1.3m the first time around.

Maupiti looks to be a bit like this cruising grounds Anegada, only with more challenge which further reduces the visitorship. The island's landform is somewhat like Bora Bora but the infrastructure is nothing like it.

We are still here in FP and I wanted to point out something about the dining... we eat most of our meals on the boat and would be challenged to find onshore dining options at many stops. Not that they don't exist, but language, signage and lacking info for cruisers contribute.

Additionally, most of the high-end restaurants are on the motus in the various upscale resorts and those are not easy to access for yachts (to be fair we have not tried).

We ate at MaiTai yesterday, considered by some the only "true restaurant" on the island of Tahaa, an island larger than Moorea. At Maupiti we couldn't even find a place to park the dinghy...

Depending on how important the dining is, having someone on board with extensive local knowledge could be very helpful.

When planning the itinerary, consider that this is a much larger cruising ground with open ocean passages (It took us 7.5 hours motorsailing 30 degrees off the wind with both engines to get back to Bora Bora from Maupiti. The 5000 might do better, haven't sailed one.

The suggested itineraries are on the ambitious side.

Thanks EZ. We actually have a captain and chef for this trip so we have a tour guide and snorkel spot expert aboard (and I can relax and not cook every darn meal - lol). Only planning on two dinners ashore (three if we do Huahine- yacht club) one at Fish and Blue in Raiatea and at the Bora Bora Yacht Club. Had a long chat with TYC about itineraries and are absolutely keeping that land based stay for Maupiti. We will bike to town for baguettes, fish with our host and pick the produce and fruit at our pension. Eagerly roughing it 🌴. Hope the rest of your trip goes splendidly.

For anyone interested in seeing a few of my photos from the Tahiti trip:

https://adobe.ly/3u2ufOG

We are headed to Tortola tomorrow for 3 weeks!

Gorgeous!!!! I will send you an email about potential dates to connect via phone so I can get all your tips (after you get back from the BVI).

Beautiful. Took me right back there, particularly the black pearls. The gaps in the tray in the photo were just a fraction of my wife's purchases!!!!

MrEZgoin, first, I really appreciate you following up, as you said you would. Second, I apologise for the slow reply ... i have been traveling abundantly and this is my first time back to the board ... however I aslo know we are all busy.

You have shared some interesting info for sure - more ideas to get us thinking. The pictures are beautiful and excited us even more about the trip - thank you for sharing. I don't want to ask too many questions in this forum (understood Carol :)), I hope you don't mind if I PM you?

Slug

Sure, happy to pass on our experience.

Beautiful pictures! Thank you for sharing.

Slug: I sailed there three years ago. In addition to Raiatea, Taha'a and BB, I'd recommend Huahine, too. Far less touristy, with beautiful anchorages and sacred ruins (got a tour from a local anthropologist).

Edward
Serendipity Travel