#87357 - 10/19/10 12:19 PM
Tips for a lone traveler visiting FP on a budget
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Ophi
Junior Member
Registered: 10/19/10
Posts: 4
Loc: Amsterdam, Netherlands
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Just registered, pleasure to meet you all :)
Last July, I decided to what we call in Dutch 'doe eens gek', best explained as acting like you normally never do, and I booked a ticket to Tahiti. Now my departure date (October 26) is only a week away and I'm starting to get ridiculously nervous. But hey, there's a first for everything, and that includes traveling alone to a place considered paradise for four weeks :P
So I have almost everything prepared, save for a few recommended vaccinations and... a pair of shoes. I found a youth hostel (the Teamo Guesthouse) just outside of Papeete's center where I will be staying the first five nights of my holiday, which I thought was a pretty decent deal at 2550 XPF a night. Add eating at the roulottes to that and I will think I will manage just fine those days :)
But I would like to ask for some recommendations to do after that. I picked up David Stanley's handbook and the French language guide by Petit Futé but there are so many possibilities that it makes my head spin. If I like Tahiti I would like to stay a few more days at the west or south coast and maybe even at Tahiti-iti. Otherwise I want to continue to Moorea and the other Society Islands (the other archipelagos will be hard considering the costs, too bad, I really wanted to see Nuku Hiva!). So which low-budget places can you really recommend? My daily budget for everything together is about 9000 XPF, spending less is of course always better.
Oh, and a quick other question: I would like to explore the islands by bike, as I think the distances are just perfect! Is it possible to buy a bike second-hand, or is the only possibility buying a new one?
Thanks in advance for your advice!
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#87359 - 10/19/10 01:55 PM
Re: Tips for a lone traveler visiting FP on a budget
[Re: Ophi]
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Old Wife
Expert Advisor
Registered: 02/21/03
Posts: 2369
Loc: Burlington, Ontario, Canada
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Chez Guynette on Huahine is inexpensive. There's a dormitory at Pension Motu Iti on Moorea that's also inexpensive. I can't help with the bike, but maybe ask around when you get there--a local might even rent one to you on each island. Just be careful of the winding roads, beautiful views to distract you, stray dogs, racing cars (who won't move over very much when they go by) and big hills (there's on in Huahine that you should NOT bike down as at least one person has been killed doing that).
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#87361 - 10/19/10 05:33 PM
Re: Tips for a lone traveler visiting FP on a budget
[Re: Old Wife]
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holte
Expert Advisor
Registered: 11/19/04
Posts: 2417
Loc: Duluth, Minnesota
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On Huahine, Huahine camping on the little island -Huahine Iti is nice too.
Not much shopping there, but there is a communal kitchen and shower as well.
They have little huts you can sleep in for more, or you can bring a tent and sleep for about $14.00 American.
It's on a beautiful beach.
Chez Guynette is more expensive and is right by the grocery store and you can walk a short way to a beautiful beach.
It depends on what you like, but I do recommend Huahine.
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#87363 - 10/19/10 05:48 PM
Re: Tips for a lone traveler visiting FP on a budget
[Re: holte]
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BarbiJKM
Supreme Advisor
Registered: 02/14/07
Posts: 6150
Loc: Mesa, AZ
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Ophi,
WELCOME to the forum! Thank you for introducing us to that idea of "'doe eens gek', best explained as acting like you normally never do" -- I wish we had an English expression like that!
Oh, do I have a GREAT website for you, created by our own member, Silvanocat:
http://tahitionabudget.blogspot.com
She has posted oodles of great budget traveler info, and she has also visited FP as a solo traveler.
Also, check out the listing of inexpensive pensions and family guest houses at this site: http://www.haere-mai.pf/index.php?page=accueil&lg=en
You might also search on this forum under "trip reports" for the adventures of "Joan K," who has made several trips to FP as a lone traveler, staying in budget places.
Most of us would recommend that you spend more time on Moorea than Tahiti. The ferry is only 30 minutes from Papeete and much less expensive than the interisland flights to Bora Bora or Huahine, if your budget is limited. But if you can do it, I too would recommend Huahine as well as Moorea!
You really MUST see Moorea!
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#87364 - 10/19/10 05:56 PM
Re: Tips for a lone traveler visiting FP on a budget
[Re: BarbiJKM]
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BarbiJKM
Supreme Advisor
Registered: 02/14/07
Posts: 6150
Loc: Mesa, AZ
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Here's Joan K's last trip report:
http://www.tahiti-explorer.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Number/82678/page/1#Post82678
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#87369 - 10/19/10 06:38 PM
Re: Tips for a lone traveler visiting FP on a budget
[Re: BarbiJKM]
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Poehere
Expert Advisor
Registered: 08/18/07
Posts: 2362
Loc: FP
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Hi Ophi!
Your choice for Papeete, Teamo, is a good one! It is the cheapest but very clean, well run accommodation in town!
IMHO if you have 4 weeks, you'd be able to get out to other archipelagos but on a inter island vessel, like Taporo (Marquesas, Tuamotu) or Dory (Tuamotu). They leave from the main port in Papeete, called Motu Uta on a regular basis and sometimes do take tourists and their rates are very reasonable compared to flying although you'd need a sturdy stomach kind of... lol
I would advise you for the society islands (Huahine, Raiatea, Taha'a and BB) to book in advance as the Hawaiki Nui is coming up, a once a year huge canoe race drawing a LOT of people to these islands....
I would not recommend to go on a bicycle anywhere on Tahiti island, there are just too many cars and the roads (apart from the 4 mile highway stretch lol) are narrow. Also should you want to bike I would refrain from doing so after dark (6 pm) and on weekend nights (lots of drinking and driving all over sadly enough but true and lots of accidents)
With your budget you should also try and eat at the roulottes, mobile diners that you'll see popping up after sunset on all the islands, offering anything from pancakes to hamburgers, pizza and Chinese food for around 1000 cfp...
PS het doe eens gek heb ik ook gedaan en ik ben er nu nog!
_________________________
* with sunshine *
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#87382 - 10/20/10 07:36 AM
Re: Tips for a lone traveler visiting FP on a budget
[Re: Poehere]
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Ophi
Junior Member
Registered: 10/19/10
Posts: 4
Loc: Amsterdam, Netherlands
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Thanks for the warm welcome, everyone! Huahine was already high on my list, but I see so many recommendations everywhere that the island has become a must-visit for me. Good to know that the Hawaiki Nui is coming up, I know now that I have to plan ahead a bit and that's always better than coming to the nasty surprise over there that it isn't possible at all to book even a single night on one of the outer Societies. Still having a possibility to make it to the Tuamotus or the Marquesas for a reasonable price is great to hear, though... :)
BarbiJKM: great links! I had a quick look through them and Silvanocat's blog had a ton of useful information. Thanks!
Poehere: I will forget about cycling on Tahiti itself then, and I will probably choose to rent one on the other islands. Oh, en ik zie het zo gebeuren dat ik ook niet meer weg wil :)
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#87389 - 10/20/10 03:58 PM
Re: Tips for a lone traveler visiting FP on a budget
[Re: Ophi]
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Poehere
Expert Advisor
Registered: 08/18/07
Posts: 2362
Loc: FP
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Ophi, the Hawaikinui 2010 is 10,11 and 12th Nov add a few days before and after to know when you'd have to reserve if wanting to be around that time on Huahine, Raiatea, Taha'a or BB (fills up real fast as it is a major yearly event) the race ends at the Matira beach in BB.
You may also want to consider adding Maupiti to your itinerary...?! The Maupiti express (fast vessel) runs between Raiatea, Taha'a and BB and between BB and Maupiti (although they have now cut down the runs between BB and Maupiti due to economic / tourist situation...
www.maupitiexpress.com
For inter island vessels you'll find an overview here:
http://portoftahiti.com/informations.html
Tahiti - Iti (Teahupo'o etc) is really beautiful, a word of caution should you want to go hiking... please do not go on your own and if getting a guide make sure you get a registered one. A really bad accident happened few weeks ago and often when people set out alone it turns bad because of under estimation of the situation, weather conditions etc
_________________________
* with sunshine *
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#87400 - 10/22/10 03:05 AM
Re: Tips for a lone traveler visiting FP on a budget
[Re: Poehere]
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Ophi
Junior Member
Registered: 10/19/10
Posts: 4
Loc: Amsterdam, Netherlands
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I was already thinking about heading to Maupiti as it seems like a relaxing little island where you can really get to rest :)
Now to decide when exactly I want to head to Huahine and find a place to stay... ;)
I'm planning to do some hiking while I'm on Tahiti (and yes, I heard that Tahiti-iti is a beautiful yet somewhat risky area to head out on your own), but there seem to be a lot of guided hikes organized all over the island so perhaps I will join one of those or do an easily accessible one.
...four days remaining. Exciting :)
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#87402 - 10/22/10 08:33 AM
Re: Tips for a lone traveler visiting FP on a budget
[Re: Ophi]
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BarbiJKM
Supreme Advisor
Registered: 02/14/07
Posts: 6150
Loc: Mesa, AZ
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Bon voyage, Ophi! Make sure to give us a trip report when you return!
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