theDrExplorer
Registered
French Polynesia might fit the bill. I've got about $5k in flight points saved up from CC rewards so that part should be covered. Which island would be best for diving but still has some stuff to do/explore topside? Preferably with good shore diving I can do between boat dives and maybe some good food?
Thanks!
Nathan
There's not really any shore diving that I know of in French Polynesia, all dives that I've done on all islands were boat dives. However, depending on the island, the dive spots might be 5-20 minutes away (like Huahine, Moorea, Rangiroa, Raiatea) where you always return to the shop and spend your surface interval there, or it might be more like 30 minutes away (like Tikehau, Fakarava North) so you do your surface interval at a smoother spot in the lagoon.
Food-wise, there may be more options if you're in the main Society Islands... in the best diving islands (Tikehau, Rangiroa or Fakarava IMHO), the restaurant options are a bit more limited since most pensions operate on half board (with breakfast and dinner), but the fresh fish made into poisson cru (a kind of raw fish coconut milk salad) or simply grilled is always available in these places. Topside activities include plenty of snorkeling, biking around or beachcombing or kayaking/paddleboarding or just relaxing on the beach in most islands... However, to get to any of the islands from Tahiti (where the international airport is located), you'll have to book flights with the domestic Air Tahiti (not to be confused with the international Air Tahiti Nui) which need to be factored into the cost as well.