#84313 - 02/12/10 05:00 AM
First trip coming in March
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SuCo
Junior Member
Registered: 02/12/10
Posts: 13
Loc: Sullivan County, Pa, USA
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We are taking our honeymoon in March, yeah less than three weeks!! I have been reading this forum for the past month or so and have had a lot of questions already answered, thanks to all!
A few topics have not up:
We are smokers-I know a no-no, but was wondering if smoking is allowed in the bungalows? Is it considered to be rude when smoking in public-I don't want to offend anyone while there? And I have been looking into the Lagoonararium, has anybody been? Any tips? And how bad has the storms affected the islands, we will be visiting Moorea and Bora Borawith our last 2 days in Tahiti?
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#84315 - 02/12/10 07:37 AM
Re: First trip coming in March
[Re: SuCo]
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BarbiJKM
Supreme Advisor
Registered: 02/14/07
Posts: 6042
Loc: Mesa, AZ
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SuCo,
Welcome to the forum!
I am a smoker too, and find it a lot easier to smoke in FP than here in the USA! First, almost everywhere you go is open-aired so smoking isn't so offensive to nonsmokers. Second, a lot of the European visitors still smoke, so it's more common there, and people don't treat you like a leper!
French Polynesia recently passed a smoking law, which really isn't in full effect yet (and may not yet be by March). It bans smoking in certain public places, but makes exceptions for hotels and some restaurants (those with open-air seating). Most of the hotels allow smoking in at least some of their bungalows, and they all allow smoking outside on the veranda/patio/terrace of the bungalows. (The only completely non-smoking hotel I know of is the Tahiti Airport Motel, across the street from the airport.)
When you arrive after your long flight and after you go through immigration and baggage claim, you can smoke at the airport outside by the curb. You may still see ashtray containers in the baggage claim area too, or in the snack bar area, but wait and see what the local people are doing before you light up. Take your cues from what other people are doing.
When in doubt, ask! Also, don't litter with your butts -- I bring a small portable closable ashtray with me, or just keep a small ziploc handy to dispose of butts if you can't find an appropriate ashtray. If you are a considerate smoker, no one will be annoyed.
Check the other posts here on this forum about the cyclone damage topic.
Have a great honeymoon!
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#84316 - 02/12/10 07:43 AM
Re: First trip coming in March
[Re: BarbiJKM]
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BarbiJKM
Supreme Advisor
Registered: 02/14/07
Posts: 6042
Loc: Mesa, AZ
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I think you will find the smoking laws to be a lot less restrictive than here in the USA. Here are two recent articles about the newly-enacted FP smoking laws from Tahiti Presse:
.................
Health : 01/25/2010 at 5:04PM
Tahiti lawmakers finally complete public smoking ban law details
(Tahitipresse) - The French Polynesia Assembly voted unanimously Monday in favor of supplement measures for the nearly year-old public smoking ban law now expected to be rapidly enacted.
While Papeete will not become the completely non-smoking capital of Tahiti and Her Islands, Monday's vote was designed to make the original February 2009 anti-smoking law more realistically applicable within the next month.
Jules Ienfa, the Tong Sang government's public health minister, will organize a new public awareness information campaign to explain what the final version of the law requires.
But despite Monday's vote, there remain further precisions to be made by health officials in where and how the smoking ban law can be applied. Such precisions will decide, for example, whether smoking will be banned in all or some public places.
Such places include health facilities—hospitals, clinics, doctors' offices. They also include hotels and restaurants, where legal exceptions are possible, allowing smokers to enjoy their habit on open terraces. Offices sites will also be included, creating the possibility of creating separate non-smoking areas.
The original smoking ban law adopted nearly a year ago was designed to better protect non-smokers from the dangers of tobacco smoke in public places and help lower the death rate linked to smoking. It also was aimed at helping to encourage smokers to stop their habit.
But some amendments that became part of the original law made the legislation's application difficult. For example, one amendment created a smoking ban within a 100-meter (328-foot) perimeter of any school.
Such a prohibition not only made the law difficult to enforce, but it also intruded on individual liberties, Health Minister Ienfa said Monday.
ATP
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Health : 02/09/2010 at 11:37AM
Smoking ban law enacted
(Tahitipresse) - The French Polynesia public smoking ban law has been enacted. Some "exceptions" will be possible however for hotels and restaurants.
Hotels and restaurants can thus have specific smoking areas, according to the new law.
The French Polynesia Assembly voted unanimously last January in favor of supplement measures for the already existing public smoking ban law.
This vote was designed to make the original February 2009 anti-smoking law more realistically applicable.
The original smoking ban law adopted a year ago was designed to better protect non-smokers from the dangers of tobacco smoke in public places and help lower the death rate linked to smoking.
It also was aimed at helping to encourage smokers to stop their habit.
But some amendments that became part of the original law made the legislation's application difficult.
For example, one amendment created a smoking ban within a 100-meter (328-foot) perimeter of any school.
ATP
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#84318 - 02/12/10 08:55 AM
Re: First trip coming in March
[Re: BarbiJKM]
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SuCo
Junior Member
Registered: 02/12/10
Posts: 13
Loc: Sullivan County, Pa, USA
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Thanks so much BarbiJKM, it seems like a little thing but as a smoker you know..
We will be there for 13 days, we are looking so foward to it! This being our first time we are doing several of the "touristy" things that everyone always mentions. But we feel this will not be our last visit. We only even decided thats where we were going to go about 5-6 weeks ago and to be able to get all the travel plans taken care of in such short amount of time was amazing. I was sweating quite a few of the details.
Thanks again.
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#84319 - 02/12/10 11:44 AM
Re: First trip coming in March
[Re: SuCo]
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Poehere
Expert Advisor
Registered: 08/18/07
Posts: 2340
Loc: FP
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Hi SuCo, the local government has issued a "grace" period of one year as of now for hotels, restaurants etc. The new law will be applicable in the public places in 1 month from now. Enjoy!
_________________________
* with sunshine *
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#84321 - 02/12/10 02:29 PM
Re: First trip coming in March
[Re: Poehere]
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Patti.
Expert Advisor
Registered: 03/28/04
Posts: 2376
Loc: Las Vegas, NV
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Also keep in mind you can buy cigs at Duty Free at LAX for a pretty good price....depending on what kind you smoke.
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#84349 - 02/14/10 01:16 AM
Re: First trip coming in March
[Re: Patti.]
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Gary & Cath
Expert Advisor
Registered: 04/01/06
Posts: 1243
Loc: Wollongong, Australia
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We found the duty free prices for Australian cigs are WAY cheaper in Tahiti than either here or New Zealand (about half of the price). Plus it's pretty cool to see the FUMER TUE warning on the packets. Always a good topic of conversation when you get home. I smoke but never smoke in the bungalow. It's a good excuse to go and sit outside and enjoy the view. Plus, I don't want to leave the smell in the bungalow for the next (maybe non-smoker) guest.
_________________________
Is there anything better than a sipping a Tahitian Mai Tai on an Overwater Bungalow in FP?
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