French Polynesia – Tahiti – Moorea – October 2022

One of my favorite trips is when we traveled with a group to French Polynesia. A huge bucket list trip for many, French Polynesia is magical, the water, overwater bungalows, snorkeling and cuisine – the whole thing is just a feast for the eyes and I’m so glad we did a mix of land / relaxation in overwater bungalows at the Hilton Moorea before we got on our 7 night cruise on the luxurious Paul Gauguin, purpose-built for sailing French Polynesian waters. We chose Moorea for the overwater bungalows because it’s so easy to get there from Papeete, Tahiti, where all flights arrive. It’s a 45 minute ferry ride from Papeete to Moorea but you can also do overwater bungalows in Bora Bora as well(please splurge on this, you will never regret spending the money on overwater accommodations). We chose to do a cruise on the Paul Gauguin because you pay ahead of time and in US dollars and all your food and beverage is provided on the ship. It’s a small ship, luxe experience with traditional Polynesian crew including entertainment, crafts, ukelele lessons, snorkeling, a piano bar, dancing and fabulous cuisine. We felt immersed in Polynesian culture while we were on the Paul Gauguin and I would do this exact same trip again.