Tahiti Yacht Charter and Sailing Vacation Guide including Bora Bora and Moorea
Tahiti Yacht Charter and Sailing Holiday Guide including Bora Bora and Moorea
About Tahiti, Bora Bora and Moorea | Tahiti Yacht Charter | Customer Testimonials | Tahiti Map | Getting to Tahiti | Tahiti Honeymoons | Tahiti Sailing Vacations |
Climate
| Scuba Diving | Tahitian Cuisine
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Our Tahiti Charter Yachts
Tahiti - a dream location for your next yacht charter or sailing holiday!
About Tahiti, Bora Bora and Moorea
Over 100 islands are grouped into 5 volcanic and coral archipelagos, presenting almost unlimited sailing possibilities. There are literally thousands of anchorages and bays and lagoons to explore, and good steady winds to help you on your way.
The Society Islands are the most inhabited group of islands, encircled by coral reefs and lagoons, and include the world famous destinations of Tahiti, Moorea and Bora Bora. Here you can live the dreams you have seen on the picture postcards.
You can also go further afield, and explore the more remote island groups such as the Tuamotu Atolls and the mysterious Marquesas Islands to the north, with its gorgeous bays, and its Polynesian myths and legends. Or to the south, the Austral Islands and the Gambier Islands, are far off the beaten track for the truly adventurous.
Tahiti Yacht Charter Overview
Tahiti's hospitality and south Pacific charms are famous the world over and this is especially true for Tahiti Yacht Charters. Famous restaurants, Polynesian spas, traditional dancing shows and honeymoon cruises, these islands offer everything imaginable to make your Tahiti sailing holiday unforgettable.
Tahiti is the main island of French Polynesia, a group of islands located in the heart of the Pacific Ocean, south of the equator and halfway between Australia and California. French Polynesia covers over two million square miles of the South Pacific, an area greater than Europe, and is comprised of 118 islands spread over five great archipelagos.
The three most visited archipelagos by charterers are the Society Islands, comprised of Tahiti, Moorea, Bora Bora, Huahine, Raiatea and Taha'a; the Tuamotu Atolls of Rangiroa, Manihi, Tikehau, and Fakarava; and the mysterious Marquesas to the north.
These volcanic islands offer truly unbelievable scenic landscapes from your sailing yacht. The colours are warm with the tropical green mountains, the turquoise lagoon and the bright red of flowers. Most of the inhabitants have Polynesian roots, sometimes blended with Chinese or French culture. Tahitians are proud of their islands and praise them by singing, dancing and wearing flowers as jewels. Life is sweet and the people are always smiling.
Tahiti offers all types of charter yachts. Whether you want to charter a catamaran to be able to sail close to the islands and the reefs or cruise around on a luxury motor yacht, we can find you the perfect boat to suit your needs. We have both bareboat and crewed charter yachts, although if you are looking for a bareboat we normally recommend that you hire a skipper - you will be able to relax and the skipper will teach you a lot about the region and it's history.
The beautiful sunsets, deserted beachees and heavenly scenery make Tahiti the ideal location for a romantic get-away or a honeymoon. Click here if you are intersted in having us plan your Tahiti honeymoon charter.
Testimonials - Don't just take our word for it!
Here are just two of the many testimonials we've received from Charterers in Tahiti:
Paige wrote: “My husband, Daniel and I spent our 13th Honeymoon aboard ITI ITI. It was a bit touch and go with my passport dilemma, but I got there. I just want to say the crew was exceptional. Vincent, the Skipper was an excellent guide and Antonella`s food was beyond our imagination. Everything was professional. Thank you all for making it so wonderful!”
GT wrote: “I wanted to write to express what a great trip we had and specifically our enjoyment of your charter services. The boat was clean and in great shape and everyone we dealt with was professional and nice. In particular, I want to share that our captain (Eric) and our cook (Xionara) were superb. The best crew we’ve ever dealt with on any charter anywhere in the world. I highly recommend them and wanted you to know how much we appreciated them during our trip. Three cheers to all!”
Map of Tahiti
Getting to Tahiti
You will arrive at Faa’a International Airport, just outside the capital Papeete, on the main island of Tahiti. Air Tahiti Nui, the national carrier, Air Tahiti and Air Moorea then operate regular flights between Papeete and over 40 islands of French Polynesia.
Los Angeles is about 8 hours flying time, and New York around 12 hours flying time. Airlines such as Air Tahiti Nui, Air France, Qantas, Japan Airlines and Air New Zealand operate regular international flights.
Holders of a US, EU or most North and South American passports do not need to apply for a visa for stays of up to 1 month. French nationals only need a French identity card. All visitors to Tahiti must have a return airline ticket, and a passport that is valid for six months beyond their date of return.
The island of Raiatea is the sailing capital of French Polynesia, and is a 45-minute flight from Faa’a International airport. Most charter operators will have their bases here, and this is where you start sailing trips to Bora Bora and beyond.
French and Tahitian are the official languages, but English is widely spoken in all the main tourist areas. The local currency is the French Pacific Franc (XPF or CFP). International banks and ATM machines can be found at Faa’a International Airport as well as in the main islands. On the other islands, VISA and MasterCard are commonly accepted in most hotels, restaurants and boutiques.
Honeymoons in Tahiti
Tahiti is renowned as one of the most romantic places in the world, perfect for honeymoons! With beautiful sandy beaches, romantic restaurants, perfect sunsets, relaxed pace and remote location, Tahiti offers newlyweds (or those celebrating a second honeymoon) an ideal retreat. We specialise in Tahiti Honeymoon Charters, and have sourced yachts that will give you the privacy and pampering you need!
Tahiti Honeymoon Charter Overview and Yachts
Tahiti Sailing Holiday Vacations and Yacht Charter Destinations
There are only a limited number of yachts available for charter in Tahiti and French Polynesia, so you need to book at least 6 months ahead. For the peak periods of July and August, even 9 months in advance may not be enough! Below are some of the key destinations in the area.
The Society Islands - Tahiti and Moorea
Tahiti and Moorea are known as the Queens of the Pacific, and offer some of the most stunning sunsets you can see from a yacht anywhere in the world.
These volcanic islands have vast jagged peaks soaring into the sky, and are surrounded by white, sandy beaches and amazing blue lagoons. Imagine the sun hiding itself behind Moorea as it makes its way into the blue-crimson waters!! Don’t miss it!
Papeete, the main city on the island of Tahiti, has a really colourful public market (Le Marche), where tropical fruits, flowers and Tahitian-made arts and crafts are sold. You can also go in Papeete to sample find dining, vibrant nightclubs, and shopping to die for!
Moorea, about 17 km away, is the sister island of Tahiti, and explodes majestically out of the blue ocean into vertical peaks, and is surrounded by a wide, shallow lagoon. This volcanic island is famous for its two wide and deep bays, Opunohu Bay and Cook Bay. The movie “Mutiny on the Bounty” with Marlon Brando was filmed here. Moua Puta (pierced mountain) is one of the peaks on Moorea that is best viewed from sea on board your yacht.
Moorea is an ideal sailing destination if you are looking to relax and escape the fast pace of life. It offers some of the finest snorkelling and diving in the world, due to the lack of strong currents, and abundant marine life. And if you like to be up close and personal with the marine life, why not swim with the dolphins at the Moorea Dolphin Centre.
The Society Islands - Raiatea, Taha’a, Huahine and Bora Bora
These islands are located just over 200 km north west of Tahiti, and offer the most developed sailing infrastructure and destinations. Almost every island is sheltered by a coral reef barrier, providing large clear lagoons to sail in. Small, uninhabited islands are strewn across the lagoons, creating good anchorages and amazing underwater scenery.
The sailing capital of French Polynesia is Raiatea – The Sacred Island. This is where the main marina is located, and where most sailing charters will depart from. Many charter operators will deliver your yacht to Papeete or Moorea if you want to start your sailing holiday from the island of Tahiti.
Raiatea is about a 45 min flight from Tahiti or 24 hours sailing, and Bora Bora is 5 hours sailing from Raiatea.
Taha’a, known as The Vanilla Island, is 5 km away and is the little sister of Raiatea, sharing the same lagoon. Many sailors make this their first day’s sailing destination to settle into their yacht, and you can also visit your first Tahitian black pearl farm here. The coral reef surrounding Taha’a has about 60 tiny, idyllic motus emerging from the deep blue waters.
Huahine, the Secret Island, is one of the most preserved of all the islands where you can still experience the real Polynesian lifestyle from the distant past. Here, the people are amazingly friendly, and life is calm and relaxed.
And finally…..Bora Bora, the Pearl of the Pacific, and one of the most beautiful places on the planet. Famous for its turquoise waters and stunning mountain scenery, there can be few more stunning places to enjoy a sailing vacation, and celebrate those romantic occasions such as honeymoons or wedding anniversaries on your own private yacht.
There are also many small islands (called Motu) scattered in the lagoons. In fact, why not choose your own one! Just anchor in the sparkling waters, snorkel to the sandy beach, drink the coconut juice or have your picnic sitting in the lagoon.
And if you can drag yourself away from your pina colada, you can swim, snorkel, kayak or dive the afternoon away. Or, for a little adventure, try some shark feeding to get the adrenalin going!
The Tuamotu Atolls
Over 200 miles north east of Tahiti, the Tuamotu Atolls is the largest group of coral islands in the world, with over 75 islands spread over 20,000 square km of ocean.
Far from the modern world, the Tuamotu Atolls offer a taste of paradise - strings of coral reefs encircling the crystal-clear lagoons, coconut palms swaying in the tropical breezes, and smiling Polynesian girls wearing flowers in their black-hair. This is Robinson Crusoe territory!
These low coral atolls each have their own character. Rangiroa is the diving paradise where you can see splendid manta rays or tiny clown fish. Manihi is the home of the Tahitian Black Pearls. Tikehau and Fakarava have been declared world heritage sites by UNESCO thanks to its rich ecosystem, tropical sea birds, rare plants and crustaceans.
You can spend endless days exploring the lagoons here from your yacht, diving, snorkelling, swimming and just relaxing.
Approaching and sailing this region is at least a 2-week trip, and requires experienced sailors to navigate the passage and tidal currents.
The Mysterious Marquesas
The Marquesas is like a lost paradise at the end of the earth. It is the cradle of Polynesian culture, full of legends and myths, and where you can see sacred ancient temples and giant stone carvings. This is also where you will find some of the best tattoo artists and wood carvers in the world.
Among the 20 islands, some are still uninhabited. The two main islands, Nukuhiva and Hiva’oa, provide good sheltered fjord-bays up against the volcanic cliffs. Lush valleys, waterfalls, wild horses, isolated mountainous landscapes are the norm. No coral reefs and lagoons here!
The Marquesas Islands lie 7-10 days sailing north east of Raiatea.
Climate and Weather
Tahiti and her islands are located south of the equator, halfway between California and Australia. The climate is moderate tropical, warm and humid with two distinct seasons. The average temperature is around 27 degrees Celsius. The waters in the lagoon average 26 degrees Celsius in the winter and 29 degrees Celsius in summer.
Summer is from November through April, with a warmer and more humid climate. Winter is from May through October, when the climate is slightly cooler and drier.
The dry and windy season lasts from March to November, when the temperatures are cooled by the regular southeast trade winds called Mara’amu. April, June September are very good months, with July and August being the tourist peak months. The rainier months are January and February, with brief heavy rains but still warm temperatures.
Tahitian Cuisine
Each of the resort and hotel restaurants around the region offers world-class dining with magnificent lagoon views, while regular after-dinner Polynesian shows feature the island's best musicians and dancers. Many dishes are influenced by French taste. Seafood and fishes are delicious, usually cooked with vanilla or pineapple.
Our Tahiti Charter Yachts
Tahiti is one of the world's most beloved yacht charter destinations, for all the reasons listed above. Boatbookings.com knows the region and boats, and can find you the ideal charter yacht, be it bareboat, crewed, sail, motor or catamaran. Click here to see our Tahiti Charter Yachts or simply contact us and we'll recommend the best yacht for you.
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Phil and Anne Said:
“We spent the most romantic vacation of our lives on a catamaran in Tahiti from Boatbookings. It`s all that the guides say it should be!”
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