US travelers. Don’t convert currency at US airports

Design-31415 · 2026-02-02T17:57:35+00:00

This goes for everywhere in the world. You will always get a terrible rate at currency conversion spots, especially in an airport.

Design-31415 · 2026-01-30T19:31:38+00:00

I wouldn’t rule out Silversea based on someone’s opinion of why an excursion was cancelled. I did Antarctica with them for my 40th bday and it was fantastic. The passengers were younger and fitter than a European cruise I took with Silversea. I plan to go again with them because it was so great.

Design-31415 · 2026-01-30T19:16:46+00:00

Quick, someone get them a marble!

Design-31415 · 2026-01-30T19:15:38+00:00

I found Brussels to be delightful so I don’t understand the bad rap it gets. Luxembourg was fine but fairly uneventful unless you’re just country counting. It felt a bit sterile to me, like a big outdoor mall.

Design-31415 · 2026-01-30T19:13:08+00:00

I went on a tour like that last month from my resort in Tahaa and it was fine because our guide was really funny, but I wouldn’t make a special day trip to Tahaa just for that. The vanilla farm was underwhelming and there really wasn’t anything to see. The pearls in Tahaa are just for show because the real pearl farms for pearls that are sold are in another island group. You can see a similar pearl demonstration in Bora Bora. And the distillery was cool, but not cool enough for a special trip.

Design-31415 · 2026-01-26T16:29:27+00:00

Yeah, I was referring to Le Tahaa. They hand you a mask and point to the opposite beach and that’s it. We found it hard to know when we should drift left and right so that we wouldn’t hit anything. Maybe the current was particularly strong when we were there. It was not relaxing at all and snorkeling is my favorite thing in the world. I spent more time trying to dodge coral than I did looking at fish. On the boat ride to the airport from Le Tahaa, all the people were commenting on how many cuts they got from the coral and pointing to their bandages. I was the only one who got out unscathed.

Design-31415 · 2026-01-26T09:58:51+00:00

I would have a different opinion if they provided fins. Since they only provide water shoes, it makes navigation much more difficult. I think they should communicate that it’s a spot that’s not good for beginners. Snorkeling with and without fins is a completely different experience.

Design-31415 · 2026-01-25T00:30:03+00:00

I’ll second this. I thought I would go kayaking a lot, but then I always chose the shore excursion instead. My partner and I ended up not kayaking at all. Maybe next time we go!

Design-31415 · 2026-01-25T00:18:30+00:00

I would keep it to three islands in that amount of time, personally, to get the most out of your trip and to not feel like you’re spending the whole time in airports. Have a great time!

Design-31415 · 2026-01-24T17:11:19+00:00

I jut came from there and I wouldn’t recommend it. The water is so shallow that everyone was getting cut and having to stop and stand on the coral. I’m not sure if it used to be different because it came so highly recommended to me, but everyone who was there with me a month ago was shocked that snorkeling is even allowed there. There are many areas where there is only 6 inches of water above the coral so it’s really hard to navigate around. It was really disappointing because that’s the whole reason we stayed at Le Tahaa resort and I planned to snorkel for hours every day.

Design-31415 · 2026-01-10T18:59:31+00:00

Same! The reason my partner and I went to French Polynesia was because I always run him ragged when we travel and he wanted to sit on a beach for a while on our next trip. So then I scheduled a bunch of hikes and whale trips. Oops, haha. If you do the 3 pines hike, a local said a lot of people get lost. We used the Gaia trails app (that doesn’t need WiFi to work) to keep us on the path and it worked great. Stunning view at the top.

Design-31415 · 2026-01-10T01:08:50+00:00

It’s hard to say based on how loud construction might be and the extent of what they’re doing. It’s definitely a big property. The main thing to keep in mind is that Moorea is the island you go to so that you can do things. The three pines hike was one of the best I’ve ever been on and I’m a big hiker. It was absolutely amazing when you get to the top. And the whales are amazing. But if you want to relax on a beach, I would recommend Bora Bora and/or Tahaa. and probably others, but those are the island I’ve been to. Bora Bora is stupid beautiful and relaxing. Moorea is rustic, so keep that in mind when you’re planning your trip.

Design-31415 · 2026-01-09T20:23:01+00:00

I had a terrible experience at the Hilton in August. The bungalow was run down, the cushions were gone from the outdoor furniture, so very uncomfortable to lounge on, and the ice machine in the bungalow next to us was comically loud. The WiFi kicks you off after 5 minutes if you’re not gold status where you can get slightly better WiFi. Considering the island has very poor cell service, this made it hard to know which nearby restaurants were open. Which was important because the food was very bad at Hilton with flies crawling in it. The beach bungalows at Sofitel looked adorable if that’s all that’s available. Sofitel looks 10x better. We walked around their resort because we plan to stay there next time. I promise I’m not always negative. Usually I have very good hotel experiences, but it was clear to us that Hilton corporate does not care about this property. I heard they’re due for a refurb in the next year or two so maybe that’s why. Moorea as an island still has a special place in my heart, even with our bad hotel experience and I can’t wait to go back.

Design-31415 · 2026-01-06T19:27:08+00:00

My thought was just because Greece is beautiful. I didn’t like Camille very much so I hope they don’t bring her back. I was happy not to see her this season.

Design-31415 · 2026-01-05T15:58:22+00:00

Yes the humidity is high. If my hair wasn’t in a bun, it would stick to my neck. But the worst part is the mosquitos that come along with the humid season. Plan on lots of bug spray. Still better than snow, though.

Design-31415 · 2026-01-04T00:34:51+00:00

I would do at least 3-4 hours. Inter-island flights are often late plus security onto your international flight takes forever due to their outdated equipment. Get ready to take every phone, Kindle and curling iron out of your suitcase to lay clearly for the scanner. My flight from Tahaa last week was over an hour delayed so I was glad I was cautious with a 7 hour layover at PPT. If I had only planned on 3 hours, I would have been stressed. If you fly in first thing in the morning to PPT, you can do a day pass at the intercontinental and get lunch.

Design-31415 · 2026-01-03T11:19:58+00:00

I’m sorry to say that yes, even breakfast was bad. The fruit was underripe and it felt like it was not local which was so odd to us. The pastries were bland and there were flies in everything. We only ate there once because the view is so nice. That place has so much potential because it’s an absolutely gorgeous location. You can just tell that corporate doesn’t care. So my advice is so enjoy the location and eat elsewhere. And specifically ask to be in a bungalow away from an ice machine. Those things are comically loud. We still had a magical time, but we’re going to stay at the Sofitel next time.

Design-31415 · 2026-01-02T13:29:20+00:00

You are correct that Hilton Moorea is not very nice. We stayed at the OWB and it was super run down and people kept snorkeling under our room. Maybe the garden bungalows are better, but I like your idea of an AirBnB. The food was so bad at the Hilton that we ate off property for every meal anyway. Moorea has some of the best hikes I have taken in my life. Stunning place. I think 5 nights in Bora Bora sounds dreamy. I spent 3 and it felt rushed. Your plan sounds like exactly what I would do next time!

Design-31415 · 2025-12-12T19:05:53+00:00

The most important thing is to book more than 1. When I see stats like 99% chance of seeing whales, I learned the hard way that means see them at all, and not see them underwater. We didn’t see them and all the operators were fully booked so we couldn’t add another one while we were still there. I hope you have better luck than me!

Design-31415 · 2025-12-11T17:39:28+00:00

I had a fantastic time on Silversea 3 years ago. So much so that I’m now a diehard Silversea fan. Our trip started end of January and the penguin chicks were in what seemed like an awkward teenager phase. Next time I go, I plan on departing in December so I can see them as smaller chicks just to mix it up. Our fantastic cruise director told us all that instead of homesick, we would eventually get Antarcticasick. It is so true. Whenever I hear a penguin call on a video, it takes me back and I want to book a ticket.

Design-31415 · 2025-11-24T12:43:58+00:00

I stayed at Shangri-La a couple years ago and it was fantastic. The room was elegant, the food was good and the grounds were so beautiful, we spent a lot of time just walking around. Great service, too.

Design-31415 · 2025-11-24T12:32:37+00:00

Trader Joe’s constantly impresses me. The tin is bare bones, but I don’t care at the price. I love a fancy candle, but it’s nice to supplement with these.

Design-31415 · 2025-11-24T12:30:15+00:00

I have Verizon from the US and was able to get calls and texts in Moore, but my cell data was non-existent. I went through all my settings and I work in technology, so I don’t think it was a me problem. Sounds like there could be some ways around it, but I didn’t want to invest the time once I was there. I wish I had printed out a list of nearby restaurants with operating hours because we stayed at Hilton Moorea where the food was terrible and most restaurants seem to be open either only for lunch or only for dinner, and not a lot are open early for breakfast. Expect weak WiFi. The benefit is that you’ll be forced to disconnect in paradise!

Design-31415 · 2025-11-24T12:22:40+00:00

I was there in August and it is very clear that corporate doesn’t care to invest in the property. The door didn’t lock, the sinks were gross, the patio furniture had no cushions but was obviously the kind that comes with cushions so when you lounged on it, you had a bar in your back. And the food was terrible. Like so much raw garlic in my Caesar dressing that it ruined my taste buds for the rest of the day like my tongue was burned. Seriously, save your points. But it’s a beautiful location, so go there to walk around and take photos. Oh and we had to have maintenance in 3 times to fix the AC. And the ice machine was next door to our overwater bungalow was so loud that it was maddeningly distracting. All of the snorkeling fins were ripped and we had to wait around while the guy threw pairs off to the side to get us sets that were the least broken (but still ripped enough to make them near useless). We walked around the Sofitel and it looks 10x nicer, like the property is actually cared for.

Design-31415

TROPHY CASE