Tahiti non-stops from San Francisco

picture yourself in French Polynesia (c) 2017 by David Ourisman, all rights reserved

Flying to Tahiti will get a lot easier beginning next October 30. United Airlines has announced nonstop Dreamliner flights from San Francisco to Papeete. Flying three times a week (Tuesday, Thursday, Sunday), United plans serve this route from October 30, 2018 through March 28, 2019.

Why I'm excited by this news: 

You can avoid LAX, a monstrously inconvenient place to connect. Domestic flights arrive at one of eight terminals, and you have to schlep yourself and your baggage to the international terminal, check in again with Air Tahiti Nui (which means leaving airside), and go through security again (plan for a long wait in line). If you plan to check bags, you'll have to see if your domestic airline has an interline agreement with Air Tahiti Nui.

Flying through SFO will be a dream by comparison. Being a United hub, you'll have easy connections from all over the US with your bags seamlessly checked all the way through to PPT. Passengers can walk between United's domestic and international gates without having to go through security again. And SFO offers a choice of lounge experiences — the American Express Centurion Lounge or United's Polaris Lounge.

The timing of the flights is bit disappointing. The outbound flight departs SFO at 2:45 p.m., arriving PPT at 9:25 p.m. Because this is too late for connecting Air Tahiti flights onto Bora Bora or Moorea, you'll have to overnight in Papeete; I recommend the InterContinental Tahiti. The return, departing PPT at 11:45 p.m. and arriving SFO 10:50 a.m. the next morning, is fine.

However, the "season" for which United is flying the route makes no sense — from October 30 until March 28. This is "summer" in French Polynesia, the rainiest and most humid time of the year. The best months to visit Tahiti begin in April when you'll enjoy the driest weather and most comfortable temperatures. Oops! Guess someone at United failed to check the "high season" for Bora Bora and Moorea.

I've been twice ... so please contact us to plan your dream trip to Bora Bora and ask about the value-added Virtuoso and Four Seasons Preferred Partner amenities. We can save you hundreds of dollars on your trip of a lifetime.

copyright (c) 2017 by Ourisman Travel LLC. All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell, a Virtuoso® Member. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.

Mt. Mouaroa, Moorea

Mt. Mouroa, Moorea (c) 2014 by David Ourisman, all rights reserved

Just back from my Paul Gauguin cruise around the Society Islands of French Polynesia, so I'll begin with this shot from the last day of my trip. Our group enjoyed a 4x4 excursion around the island, viewing some of the spectacular scenery — Moorea's jagged mountain peaks and panoramic views of Cook's Bay and Opunohu Bay from high above the sea. It was a misty and sometimes rainy December day, but the weather made the scenery even more dramatic. See above my picture of Mt. Mouroa taken from a pineapple field.

Moorea is a destination for adventure travelers, and the especially daring can take these tours on an individual ATV for a thrill-filled outing. Other activities include snorkeling or SCUBA diving over reefs abundant with colorful coral and tropical fish.

Also great for a romantic holiday, Moorea has overwater bungalows and white sand beaches. Contact me if you'd like specific resort information or would like to plan a complete honeymoon package.

copyright (c) 2014 by David Ourisman LLC. All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell Travel. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.

Tahiti vacation guide

Moon Travel Guides have been published for a vast array of destinations; there are literally dozens of destinations available. I was offered the opportunity to review the Moon Handbook Tahiti and received a review copy that was thoughtfully autographed by the author, David Stanley. This encyclopedic guide to the islands of French Polynesia would be especially useful to travelers wanting to visit the smaller and less-visited islands, as there does not seem to be a spot that Stanley has left unexplored in his travels. Readers will learn about the history and geographical highlights of each island along with a discussion of attractions, sports and recreation, accommodations, and food — as well as logistical details on how to get there and how to get around once one has arrived.

One of the most useful features of the book is a discussion of various accommodations available to visitors. Stanley's site inspections not only discuss the quality of the rooms but provides invaluable information about the quality of the beach and snorkeling at various resorts as well as alternate nearby dining possibilities. Example: "The Sofitel Moorea la Ora Beach Resort ... sits on one of the finest beaches on the island with a splendid view of Tahiti (but poor snorkeling)." However, the book (just published in February 2011) is not up to date. The cyclone that hit Bora Bora a year earlier destroyed the Bora Bora Lagoon Resort and severely delayed the renovation of Hotel Bora Bora; this information is not reflected in his discussion of these two Bora Bora resorts.

If you're planning Tahiti, Bora Bora, Moorea, or any of the other islands of French Polynesia, Stanley's Tahiti vacation guide pulls together a wealth of knowledge into one comprehensive handbook.


Tahiti vacation (search here on Google)

copyright (c) 2011 by David Ourisman LLC. All rights reserved. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.
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