April 19, 2004 -- How often do we sing of the South Pacific and its lures, but then settle only for well-known Fiji, Tahiti and nearby Moorea, the former fairly citified by the presence of sprawling Papeete, the latter drenched in tourists thanks to its proximity to the capital's international airport? But Moorea, in particular, is a lovely place still, and worth visiting at any time of the year. The far-away spots in French Polynesia including Bora Bora and Rangiroa, cost a lot more than Tahiti/Moorea, simply because of the vast distances needed to get to them.
Luckily, at least one firm, Islands in the Sun, has come up with a deal that's not too expensive, considering what you get. They have a nine-day/eight-night package featuring Moorea and Rangiroa that starts from $2,479. (We know, on a strict dollars-a-day angle, that's pricey.) You fly from Los Angeles to Papeete on Air Tahiti Nui, then cruise over to Moorea, where you spend three nights in a garden bungalow at Tahiti's best all-round hotel, the InterContinental Beachcomber Resort. Next, you fly off to Rangiroa (about an hour in the air), where you spend five nights in another garden bungalow, this time at the top-of-the-line Hotel Kia Ora. On your last day, you get a day room near the Papeete Airport at the InterContinental Beachcomber Resort on Tahiti. The package includes room taxes, the inter-island air transport, all ground transfers and baggage handling, a flower lei on arrival and shell lei on departure. Departures from Los Angeles are on Thursdays, Fridays or Saturdays. Mention tour code ITXRR1 when booking.
If you leave before May 23, 2004, you get a free meal bonus of three breakfasts and two dinners on Moorea. On Rangiroa atoll, the largest in the South Pacific and also second largest in the world (it's 16 by 42 miles!), you can snorkel in the turquoise lagoon and see plenty of amazing life in the water, including large schools of dolphins that play amongst the shipwrecks and reefs. Prices are per person, double occupancy, and some seasonal supplements may apply. Not included are departure taxes and airport fees of about $72. The prices reflect a three percent discount for purchase made by cash or check. No discounts for credit card purchase. Departures are through December 23, 2004. Contact Islands in the Sun at www.islandsinthesun.com or by phoning 310/536-0051.
Another lush piece of paradise is Bora Bora, about 200 miles from Papeete. Tahiti Explorer offers a typical package there, in which, for seven nights (one in Tahiti, six on Bora Bora), you pay from $2,090 for their least expensive choice of lodging. The package includes airfare from Los Angeles, the seven nights of lodging, room taxes, inter-island transport by air, all transfers and baggage handling, flower lei on arrival and shell lei departing, and more. The basic hotel in Bora Bora is the Mai Tai, in Tahiti either Le Mandarin or Tiare Tahiti. The flight from Papeete takes about 45 minutes and you land on a strip built by US forces in 1942, during World War II. The code for this trip is YTT 204, be sure to mention when booking. The price is for cash or check. If you pay by credit card, add three percent. Airport fees and taxes in Los Angeles of about $75 not included. Contact Tahiti Explorer at 800/781-9356 or at www.tahiti-explorer.com.