Bora Bora and Tahiti: better than the Caribbean? BTDT with kids?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I grew up in Honolulu and visited often after moving. I remember one of the most boring trips we ever took was to Maui when I was a teenager. There is literally nothing on Maui. My parents loved it, I hated it. Bora bora and Tahiti have much less than Maui.

I worry about that. Except my kids like boating and fishing, so I feel like we could arrange activities they would enjoy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Never been but I have friends who went to Bora Bora for their honeymoon and they said it was bora boring.

Lol. Yes, this is i have heard as well. Long flight and pretty enough but not much to do.

[Anonymous]

I got engaged in Hawaii and to Bora Bora on my honeymoon. No way would I take my kids to Bora Bora. There is nothing for them there. It was nice and secluded and I am glad I was able to go before having kids.

The Maldives have been on my wish list for a while. I would not take my kids there. I would take kids to Hawaii. I would most likely make this a trip to California for a week and then Hawaii for a week. Don’t think I would do one long flight.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I grew up in Honolulu and visited often after moving. I remember one of the most boring trips we ever took was to Maui when I was a teenager. There is literally nothing on Maui. My parents loved it, I hated it. Bora bora and Tahiti have much less than Maui.

I worry about that. Except my kids like boating and fishing, so I feel like we could arrange activities they would enjoy.

20 hour flight there and back for fishing, though?

Last time I did 20 hours I spent 3 weeks in Thailand. You really can't go for a short period. The jet lag is killer.

[Anonymous]

Seems like a lot of money and a long flight for your kids to be the only kids there while having everyone wonder who the weirdos are who took their kids on a honeymoon.

[Anonymous]

Go south. South America (Brazil in particular) has tons of beautiful beaches. If you are going to object about crime, stay out of the cities. Noronha. Jericoacoara. Praia das Galinhas. Praia da Pipa. Buzios. Morro de Sao Paulo. Angra do Reis. Florianopolis. And on and on.

9 hour flight max (Sao Paulo). 2 hour max time change. Domestic flights are dirt cheap. And much more than just the beach.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You must have gotten the same email from United that I got. Bastards are taunting us.

Ha ha!

No. I’m watching Rudy Maxa on WETA PBS. Back to back episodes on Polynesia.

My youngest is a beach boy. He’s come up with a compelling list of reasons why we should make the schlep...primarily the water clarity and marine life.

How old are your kids?

Youngest will be 9 this summer. We’ve been stuck at the airport in the Caribbean for half the day followed by connecting flights home before, so I’m not worried about a full day of travel. If we go, we would break it up in CA since we’re on the east coast.

I’m just trying to determine if Polynesia is markedly different/better than the Caribbean. It looks better.

Now Rudy is on a luxury small cruise liner island hopping.

Rudy's show is for grown-up travel, not family travel.

Polynesia is certainly better than the Caribbean in terms of water clarity and marine life, but what you want is Belize. Belize is very protective of its barrier reef and the underwater wildlife is incredible. The people are friendly and tourism is well-developed so there are a lot of land and water tours to occupy a full week of vacation. They take the dollar and everyone speaks English. So easy.

[Anonymous]

Another Thailand traveler. I remember falling asleep at the pool at Noon. I’m in favor of going though-you only live once!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You must have gotten the same email from United that I got. Bastards are taunting us.

Ha ha!

No. I’m watching Rudy Maxa on WETA PBS. Back to back episodes on Polynesia.

My youngest is a beach boy. He’s come up with a compelling list of reasons why we should make the schlep...primarily the water clarity and marine life.

How old are your kids?

Youngest will be 9 this summer. We’ve been stuck at the airport in the Caribbean for half the day followed by connecting flights home before, so I’m not worried about a full day of travel. If we go, we would break it up in CA since we’re on the east coast.

I’m just trying to determine if Polynesia is markedly different/better than the Caribbean. It looks better.

Now Rudy is on a luxury small cruise liner island hopping.

Rudy's show is for grown-up travel, not family travel.

Polynesia is certainly better than the Caribbean in terms of water clarity and marine life, but what you want is Belize. Belize is very protective of its barrier reef and the underwater wildlife is incredible. The people are friendly and tourism is well-developed so there are a lot of land and water tours to occupy a full week of vacation. They take the dollar and everyone speaks English. So easy.

Thx!

But everyone I know who went to Belize said they were disappointed by the seaweed. They said you basically can’t swim straight off the beach. Rather, you need to jump off a long dock/pier in order to avoid the seaweed, rocks, reef, etc.

[Anonymous]

Dear Pushover Parent,

Please provide ages of children and the countries/islands they have traveled to date.

Thank you,
DCUM

[Anonymous]

Yes South Pacific atolls are worth the trip. Totally different vs Caribbean. Tahiti was more interesting, more to do. It’s like Hawaii was 30 years ago with french pastries. It’s very colonial and they resent the French. English is the 3rd or 4th language. Bora Bora is very honeymoon-ish, resort-ish.

If you are more into adventuring around and not staying at the “resort“ looking into the Cook Island. Aitutaki Is great, clear water, reef diving, beach stuff, great night sky, not many people, etc. New Zealanders on vacation not many Honeymooners.

Depending on the Airlines they do let you stop off for a few days to a week in Tahiti. Tahiti is a refueling stop. Last time I did it, flight from US was out of LAX at like midnight. So long day of flying from the East cost.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I've been and it was a looooooong trip for me. To give you an idea, NZ was just 5ish hrs past Tahiti. I would never do that with kids. Not from the east coast. It was beautiful there but very $$$$. If my dad hadn't have paid for it, I would have never gone.

I agree. 9 hours and 45 min from D.C. I did it from CA and it seemed to take forever. Then switch to Bora Bora. With the Carribean so close I don't understand why east coast people go to hawaii

[Anonymous]

We are going this summer with kids. It isn’t a 20 hr flight- it is 8 hrs from LAX on AA. We are spending a few days in CA each way to break it up. It is less flight time than our trip in 2019 to Europe. My kids were 7 and 10 and had no problem with flying that long. They also love beach vacations and happily spend all day at the beach so it works for our family. If your kids need a lot of other activities it wouldn’t be a great choice for your family.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've been and it was a looooooong trip for me. To give you an idea, NZ was just 5ish hrs past Tahiti. I would never do that with kids. Not from the east coast. It was beautiful there but very $$$$. If my dad hadn't have paid for it, I would have never gone.

I agree. 9 hours and 45 min from D.C. I did it from CA and it seemed to take forever. Then switch to Bora Bora. With the Carribean so close I don't understand why east coast people go to hawaii

Because I’ve yet to find a Caribbean island that is comparable to Kauai.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I grew up in Honolulu and visited often after moving. I remember one of the most boring trips we ever took was to Maui when I was a teenager. There is literally nothing on Maui. My parents loved it, I hated it. Bora bora and Tahiti have much less than Maui.

This is an outdated perspective or people with different interests. We took 4 kids 10 and under to Maui in 2016 and it was fantastic. Plenty to do and see. Took my kids to Big Island at 10 and 12 in 2018, another great trip.