November 23, 2004 -- Winter's right around the corner for most of us. Wishing for an escape to the one of the most exotic locales the world has to offer is normal. Tahiti. Fiji. Moorea. No longer are these destinations to just dream about. With winter airfares lower than ever, travel operators are offering exciting and affordable package deals to the South Pacific.
Tahiti is the jewel of the South Pacific. If you ever dreamed of being Gauguin for a day, now you can taste the sun that drenched that French painter's canvasses. Tahiti Vacations (tel. 800/553-3477; www.tahitivacation.com) has some of the best bang for the buck all-inclusive air-land packages available. A five-day Los Angeles to Tahiti air-land trip starts at $1,099 with flights on Air Tahiti Nui. This Polynesian deal does not include airport departure taxes or the $64 airport and supplemental taxes. It does include all accommodations, and prices are per person based on double occupancy. Lodging at this price is at the Maeva Beach, a Sofitel hotel. Other hotels are available for additional prices going up to $1,589 at the Tahiti Inter-Continental Beachcomber with a room on stilts above the water, plus tennis courts, four bars and two fresh water pools. Departures for these trips fall on Sundays.
Tahiti Vacations also offers trips to other Polynesian destinations including the quieter and more remote Moorea. A seven-day trip to the island that looks better than the set of a Survivor location starts at only $1,099. Air travel is with Air Tahiti Nui again, but departures for this six-night trip are on Wednesdays. Again, air taxes are not included, but all high-speed ferry transportation to and from the mainland to Moorea is part of the package. Accommodations are in pretty bungalows at the Hotel Kaveka just near the entrance to picaresque and historical Cook's Bay. These prices are also per person based on a double occupancy. A single supplement can be had for an additional $270 at this location. Call Tahitian Vacations to arrange travel from other United States gateways.
Go-Today (tel. 425/487-9632; www.go-today.com) offers a seven-night combination trip departing from Los Angeles to the two destinations starting at $1,399. You need to book travel by December 2, 2004. The Sofitel La Ora has rooms facing the lagoon and beach as well as a restaurant, bar and many quiet spots for total privacy. Hotel taxes are included on this deal; air, security and departure taxes are not. Travel is good through December 12, 2004. Trips to other South Pacific destinations are available through the travel operator.
While Tahiti and Moorea are tropical idylls, some prefer the many atolls and secluded paradise of Fiji. Located close to Tahiti, Fiji has become a popular honeymoon and scuba destination. With prices as low as they are now, Fiji can be as affordable to West coast Americans (or those who have frequent flyer miles to get to the West coast) as Mexico or the Bahamas is to East coasters. Pleasant Holidays (tel. 800/724-9244; www.pleasantholidays.com) has a five-night air-included special on Air Pacific departing out of Los Angeles starting at $1,169. Again, air taxes are not included. Accommodations are at the Shangri-La Fiji Mocambo Hotel with travel good from January 4, 2005, to March 31, 2005. No "purchase by" date is given.