An all-inclusive trip in French Polynesia

I’m back with a new article about French Polynesia. In this new article, I’ve decided to summarize everything you should know about all-inclusive stays or the famous tailor-made trips in Polynesia, as they are often called. I will try to answer all the questions that come to mind and that are frequently asked by email.

It must be said that in recent years, Polynesia has really been on the rise and the number of tourists has almost never been this high (a little over 200,000 in 2024). One might believe that Miss France and the Koh-Lanta show on the territory must have had an impact on local tourism. As you probably know, we spent six years in French Polynesia and we know the territory very well. We receive a lot of emails and comments every day on this subject and we do our best to help those who wish to come for a stay in French Polynesia.

It is also known that, unlike other European destinations, organizing a trip to French Polynesia is not as simple, especially because of the sequence of flights (international and inter-island), the multiple bookings, accommodations, activities, etc.

In this article on tailor-made trips in French Polynesia, we have therefore decided to summarize everything there is to know on the subject, trying to be as comprehensive as possible. However, feel free to leave us a comment at the bottom of the article if there are other questions you would like us to address.

If you are in the middle of planning your stay, do not hesitate to read our article to find out how much a trip to Polynesia costs?

I’ll start with this first point. Note, I’m not saying that to go to French Polynesia you must necessarily choose a tailor-made trip. It is by no means a necessity and I receive dozens of emails every day from people, in French, English, or German, who contact me for help in organizing or adjusting their trip on site. Many people decide to do without a travel agency and prefer to organize everything themselves, and there’s no problem with that. But if you’re interested in the subject, we have written an article that outlines the advantages and disadvantages of a travel agency for Tahiti.

But the reality is also clear: many of you want to discover this beautiful Polynesian territory, and I often notice that as you organize your stay on site, you realize that it is not so simple and that the slightest issue during the trip can quickly lead to quite a few hassles with flights and accommodations. Indeed, it’s not as if you’re going to spend a four-day weekend in Barcelona by car, where the organization, it must be said, is almost child’s play!

Among the main advantages of organizing a tailor-made trip to Tahiti with an agency, I would say it makes life easier in terms of organization. In fact, the territory actually has 120 islands spread over five archipelagos, and even if, of course, you won’t visit them all, most of you still decide to visit 4 to 6 islands during your vacation in Polynesia. And visiting several islands also means organizing your inter-island flight transfers. Let’s be honest: between the Air Tahiti website, which isn’t always easy for booking its Air Tahiti Passes, the need to coordinate flights and accommodations, and managing cancellations, it can quickly become a headache. The advantage is that in case of a problem, it is the local agency you traveled with (which I highly recommend over an agency in France) that will take care of the changes.

We also saw this during the Covid pandemic in 2019: many people, at times, had their international flight canceled at the last minute or nearly so and, in the end, if you organized everything alone, it can be extremely stressful to have to cancel or change everything at the last minute. It’s the same with local Air Tahiti strikes. Sure, you can’t always plan for the worst, but it does happen.

Another point that is less often discussed is the cost of a tailor-made trip in Polynesia. I will go into more detail below, but know, based on information I received and am sure of, that agencies organizing tailor-made tours in Tahiti naturally benefit from much more advantageous prices. Why is that? The reason is quite simple: they book and order a lot (accommodations, flights, activities), which allows them to negotiate prices down significantly with providers. So yes, obviously, they take a margin/commission (after all, it’s also their job), but this still allows you to benefit from very attractive prices sometimes on all-inclusive stays in Polynesia.

Of course, one must again compare like with like. I’m not saying that a tailor-made trip with an agency will necessarily cost you less. It is obvious that if you were considering a slightly more economical trip with a few sandwiches for lunch (that’s what we call them), an Airbnb, then it’s likely that organizing the trip yourself will cost less. But again, that doesn’t change the fact that in case of a problem, you’ll have to manage everything. In the end, it’s all a matter of choice!

Of course, as is often the case when talking about budgets, it is very difficult to give ideas, price ranges, because everything will depend on the services you want for your stay in Polynesia. But even without talking about the services per se, there are mainly two other specific criteria that can ultimately affect the price of your tailor-made trip: the duration of your stay and the islands you will visit.

Indeed, it may seem obvious, but overall, a 2-week stay will cost less than a month-long trip in Polynesia. Secondly, going to the Marquesas or the Australes will also cost more than staying for a typical trip in the Leeward Islands.

All this to say that you must pay close attention to the itinerary planned for the tailor-made trip you are considering. Not all stays are equal at all, whether in terms of quality, islands visited, duration, etc.

But here are some prices/ranges that are very often found at agencies:

For a 12-day / 10-night stay:

• For a classic stay in the Leeward Islands (board and a small hotel): €3000-4000 per person
• For a tailor-made trip including Tuamotu / Leeward Islands (higher standard): €4000–5000 per person

For a 17-day / 15-night trip:

• For a stay in 2 archipelagos in a family pension: €4000–5000 per person
• For the same stay in a higher-end hotel: €5000–6500 per person

3 weeks tailor-made in Polynesia:

• In a family pension: expect at least €6000–7000 per person
• In hotels: I would estimate between €7000 and €10,000 on average

As the saying goes, everyone sees things differently here, but clearly, if you are coming from France, I would really not recommend coming for less than 15 days. You will find tailor-made trips that offer 10 days in Polynesia, but keep in mind that between the time difference and the time spent in the islands’ airports, you’ll end up just rushing, in my opinion.

In my article on itineraries in Polynesia, I already talk about this duration which I consider ideal. So yes, it all depends on the time you have and your budget, but I would really recommend staying for 3 weeks. For me, it’s a very good timing in the sense that it will give you plenty of time to enjoy the islands, their laid-back atmosphere, and to discover several archipelagos.

So, I’ll let you adjust the duration of your stay according to the elements that are important to you, but at least you know my point of view!

This is a question that often comes up by email, because, indeed, when you look at classic French travel agency websites, you will find “standard stays” for Polynesia and, at first glance, it seems you cannot really change things. In reality, most of the time, you can request adjustments to your itinerary or accommodations.

Personally, I would still tend to advise you to start from scratch. You can simply spend an afternoon (or more, because there are many, haha) reading our articles on Polynesia to get an idea of what might appeal to you in terms of sightseeing and itineraries, then, ideally, contact a local travel agency with an idea already in mind. It’s always better to have at least a general idea of your stay, to help guide the agency in the right direction. So no, it’s not an obligation, but even for you, it seems more coherent to have a vague idea of things.

The idea here is not to build your stay from A to Z on your own, because it will still be the agency’s work if you decide on a tailor-made trip, but here are a few points for consideration. There are several ways to approach it and you might think about it differently, but here is one suggestion.

I’ll start with this first point, because it’s what will determine your itinerary. Polynesia is not just “white sand and palm trees”, as one might think, even though many will come to enjoy the sea and its beauty. But you might also be attracted by Polynesian culture, the desire to discover isolated islands, to focus on exploring the underwater world, etc. Start writing down your wishes/expectations for this trip on a piece of paper.

Once you know what you want to do, see, or not miss, I advise you to read our articles in detail to get a general idea of what you will find on each island. Those looking for isolated islands and tranquility will head to the depths of the Tuamotu, the Marquesas or the Gambiers, while divers will, for example, go to Fakarava or Rangiroa.

This will allow you to make a small list of islands you would like to see. Do not think yet in terms of itineraries or number of days on site, that will come later.

I intentionally put these two together because they are actually closely linked. If you have a rather fixed budget that you cannot exceed, that will more or less determine the length of time you can stay in Polynesia. So yes, it will also vary greatly depending on the standard of accommodation you want to consider.

Also, generally speaking, if your vacation time is quite fixed due to your work, that will limit the number of islands and therefore the itinerary you can do. In 2 weeks, you will have to make clear choices and it will be impossible to “see everything in Polynesia”.

It is often recommended to spend 3 to 4 days per island on average to really get a feel for it. So for a 2-week stay, I would say 3 to 4 islands maximum. For 3 weeks, 5 to 7 depending on how much you’re willing to rush.

Based on all this, you should be able to get a rough idea of your itinerary. So, if you plan to go through a local agency (which is increasingly recommended), I won’t push you to struggle with the Air Tahiti website and its famous Passes, but at least to have a rough plan on paper like “x days” in Tahiti, and similarly for Moorea, Raiatea, etc. It will be a general outline that will, in any case, be adjusted by the agency based on Air Tahiti flights and the availability of accommodations on each island.

This is the question that will come next and that will determine both your budget and/or the time spent on site. Simply put, if you stay in family pensions, it will cost you less and you may then consider staying longer in Tahiti, provided that’s possible for you. If your vacation time is fixed, you just need to adjust the length of your stay according to the standard you desire and your budget. If you have no budget limit, you can treat yourself to beautiful overwater bungalows, for example. If you’re more limited in budget, then it will be family pensions.

Two ways to look at it here. Either you let the agency manage it and trust them by giving a general idea of the desired standard. Or, you spend some time browsing our blog and, why not, read our detailed reviews of certain hotels, such as for example:

• The Maitai in Bora Bora
• The Tahaa Pearl Beach Resort
• The Manava in Moorea or in Tahiti
• The Neliza Beach Lodge in Raiatea

We have stayed in and tested each of these hotels and have given you a detailed and honest review on the subject.

You can also check our complete guide on where to stay in Polynesia, which gives you our best recommendations.

Again, it depends on many factors, notably the possibility of getting time off. We have written a complete article to guide you in determining the best time to leave for Tahiti.

This is a question many ask and that we often receive by email. What comes up most often are vacations focused on scuba diving. Because, it must be said, the Fenua (as we call it) is increasingly known for its amazing diving spots, especially in Rangiroa and Fakarava, in the Tuamotu archipelago.

So, to answer simply, yes, it is entirely possible to ask a local agency for a scuba diving-oriented stay or, more generally, to guide them by saying, for example, that you wish to “visit authentic places”, “learn more about Marquesan culture”, “go diving with whales in Rurutu”.

I already discuss this in my article on “whether or not to travel with an agency in Polynesia”, but I believe that prioritizing a local agency will always be a better idea than an agency with a storefront in Paris, Montpellier, or Marseille.

Firstly, if you can employ locals for a Polynesian trip project, I think it’s much better (in my opinion). Secondly, the agencies I’ve met in Polynesia, and with which I’ve been in contact, employ almost exclusively Polynesians who live there, who have probably lived there all their lives, who travel locally and know the territory very well.

Often, in addition, the teams in these agencies have the opportunity to move between the islands, visit family, test accommodations, and get a precise idea of the local reality.

French agencies, on the other hand, I would say are quite different, and you won’t get the same specialization. Moreover, this type of agency sells as much Polynesia as Cambodia or a weekend in Marrakech. It’s hard to be “that good” when you’re not specialized. Not to mention that some French agencies simply take your request and subcontract it to a local agency that will manage it on their side. In that case, it’s better to cut out the middleman and go directly to a local agency, in my opinion.

This is a question that comes up often and no, not at all: a tailor-made trip or one with an agency does not necessarily mean a luxury trip or a honeymoon in French Polynesia. Even if one might initially think that Polynesia only means luxury, you would probably be surprised to know that there are many people who do not come with huge budgets, necessarily. Granted, a trip to Polynesia, even in an economical version, will always cost more than a week in Malta, haha.

I also increasingly encounter travelers who embark on specific trips, such as a diving stay in the Tuamotu or discovering Marquesan culture.

In any case, you can definitely ask the travel agency you work with to take you to very simple local family pensions, and you’ll be far from the big luxury hotels.

I conclude this article with a chapter devoted to the drawbacks of tailor-made trips. The first thing that comes to mind is obviously the notion of time freedom and being able to adapt on site, although in reality I realize that this is actually a false argument. Let me explain.

Even if you do not go through a travel agency to discover French Polynesia, there is a very high chance that you plan to discover several islands and therefore book an Air Tahiti Pass. With the latter, you will be forced to plan, anyway, your itinerary, all the islands you will visit and the time you will spend there. You have no choice, because that’s how the Pass works. So, whether you go through a travel agency or organize it yourself, this point remains exactly the same.

I can see a case where, obviously, it could make a difference. It is the case where you have time to stay, for example, several months in French Polynesia and you wish to take your time, all without an Air Tahiti Pass. Then yes, in that case, it would clearly be better to organize things yourself and let yourself go with your wishes and encounters, and the trip, it seems, would not be suitable.

But as time goes on, despite all the requests we receive by email, it is increasingly recommended to go through an agency, as it often ends up being less expensive. Few people are really going to spend a lot of time in Polynesia and, on a 2- or 3-week trip, it’s better that everything is arranged with an agency that handles the national logistics, vehicles, local flights, and accommodations. You will save time and it will be much simpler!

Alright, I’ll stop here on all-inclusive trips in French Polynesia. I hope this helps you see things more clearly. In any case, don’t hesitate if there are points you would like me to explain in more depth.

See you soon,

Written by Sylvain PONS

From 2015 to 2021, French Polynesia was our home, with Mélanie and our children. I'm happy to share my experience and advice to help you organize an unforgettable stay in French Polynesia, based on my in-depth knowledge of the territory.

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