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🇵🇫 Itinerary · French Polynesia · 30 days

1-month French Polynesia itinerary 2026: the 5-archipelago tour

30 days from Tahiti to the Marquesas, via Moorea, Bora Bora and Rangiroa. The complete tour of French Polynesia's 5 archipelagos, with detailed budget and inter-island flights.

🔄 Updated June 30, 2026

📅 See the program 🔄 See variants

In brief

Duration

30 days

Stops

5 archipelagos

Average budget

€6,200-10,800

Total distance

~4,100 km inter-island

Profile

Grand tour

Season

Jul-Oct

Tahiti 4d · Moorea 5d · Bora Bora 4d · Rangiroa 6d · Marquesas (Nuku Hiva) 8d · Back to Tahiti 3d

Itinerary map

The route at a glance

Map of the 1-month French Polynesia itinerary: Tahiti, Moorea, Bora Bora, Rangiroa, the Marquesas (Nuku Hiva)

© OpenStreetMap contributors

Detailed program

6 days, day by day

1

~€90/day

Tahiti · D1-4 · Gateway to the 5 archipelagos

  • D1 Arrival at Tahiti-Faa'a airport after 22-24 h of flying (technical stop in LAX or SFO). Transfer and rest to reset the clock.
  • D2 Papeete's covered market, the waterfront, first dinner at the Vai'ete roulottes (raw fish in coconut milk).
  • D3 Hike to the Fataua waterfall (under an hour's walk from downtown) or Pointe Venus, a black sand beach.
  • D4 Museum of Tahiti and the Islands, then confirming the remaining Air Tahiti flights to the Tuamotu and the Marquesas.
🛌 🛌 Punaauia · e.g. Hilton Tahiti (4 nights)·🚖 Airport shuttle or taxi·Tahiti guide →
2

~€110/day

Moorea · D5-9 · Whales and lagoon

  • D5 Fast ferry (Aremiti or Terevau) from Papeete (30-45 min, ~€17). Check-in around Cook's Bay.
  • D6-7 Guided humpback whale swim (July to November, peak August-September, booking mandatory) or rays and turtles snorkeling outside that window.
  • D8 Mount Tohivea belvedere, the pineapple road, a pearl farm in Opunohu Bay.
  • D9 Free day, beach time before the flight to Bora Bora.
🛌 🛌 Cook's Bay · e.g. Sofitel Moorea Ia Ora Beach Resort (5 nights)·⛴️ Tahiti-Moorea ferry
3

~€140/day

Bora Bora · D10-13 · The Pacific's most famous lagoon

  • D10 Flight Moorea → Tahiti → Bora Bora (Air Tahiti, star-shaped network, ~50 min from Papeete). Boat shuttle to Vaitape.
  • D11 Lagoon boat tour: snorkeling with manta rays and lemon sharks at the pass.
  • D12 Picnic on a private motu, kayaking, nap in an overwater bungalow.
  • D13 4x4 trip up Mount Otemanu (former American cannons), Vaitape market.
🛌 🛌 Bora Bora lagoon · e.g. Conrad Bora Bora Nui (4 nights)·✈️ Flight via Tahiti + 🚤 boat shuttle·Bora Bora guide →
4

~€95/day

Rangiroa · D14-19 · Diving the largest atoll in the Society

  • D14 Flight Bora Bora → Tahiti → Rangiroa (Air Tahiti, ~50 min from Papeete). Check-in at Avatoru.
  • D15-16 Diving or snorkeling at the Tiputa pass (grey sharks, dolphins depending on season, watch the strong current).
  • D17 Visit a pearl farm, boat trip to the blue lagoon.
  • D18 Free day, tasting at the atoll's vineyard (one of the world's few coral-grown wines).
  • D19 Getting ready for the big jump to the Marquesas: reconfirm the flight, withdraw cash (few ATMs over there).
🛌 🛌 Avatoru · e.g. Kia Ora Resort & Spa Rangiroa (6 nights)·✈️ Flight via Tahiti
5

~€80/day

Marquesas (Nuku Hiva) · D20-27 · The wild archipelago

  • D20 Flight Rangiroa → Tahiti → Nuku Hiva (Air Tahiti, 3h15-3h43 direct from Papeete, 7 flights/week). Check-in at Taiohae.
  • D21 Taiohae bay on foot, the local market, black sand beach, first contact with the total absence of lagoon.
  • D22-23 Hike in the Taipivai valley: Marquesan archaeological sites, petroglyphs, an old fortified village.
  • D24 4x4 or boat trip to Hatiheu bay: the Kamuihei tiki, Notre-Dame-de-la-Paix church.
  • D25-26 Rest in Taiohae or extend to Hiva Oa (Brel and Gauguin's grave) depending on budget and flight availability.
  • D27 Last shopping in Taiohae (wood carvings, monoi oil), before the return flight.
🛌 🛌 Taiohae · e.g. Nuku Hiva by Pearl Resorts, or Pension He'e Tai Inn on a budget (8 nights)·✈️ Long flight from Tahiti, the one truly essential leg
6

Flight

Return · D28-30 · Nuku Hiva → Tahiti → France

  • D28 Return flight Nuku Hiva → Tahiti, with a 2-day buffer before the international connection in case of weather delays.
  • D29 Last shopping in Papeete (black pearls, Taha'a vanilla), the Saturday municipal market if timing allows.
  • D30 International flight home to Paris, technical stop in LAX or SFO.
✈️ Domestic + international flight

How much

Itinerary budget (per person, Paris-Tahiti flight included)

Backpacker

€6,200

per person

  • ✈️ Return flight Paris-Tahiti: €1,100
  • 🏨 Family pensions: €90/night
  • 🍽️ Local meals: €30/day
  • ✈️ Inter-island flights + ferry (star network, including the Marquesas): €1,450
  • 🎫 Activities: €400
Recommended

Comfort

€10,800

per person

  • ✈️ Return flight Paris-Tahiti: €1,250
  • 🏨 3-4★ hotels (Moorea, Rangiroa), pension in the Marquesas: €180-320/night
  • 🍽️ Mixed dining: €50/day
  • ✈️ Inter-island flights + Air Tahiti pass (including the Marquesas): €1,900
  • 🎫 Diving + whale watching: €700

Honeymoon

€19,500

per person

  • ✈️ Business class possible: €3,200
  • 🏨 5★ overwater bungalows (Bora Bora, Rangiroa): €1,200-2,500/night
  • 🍽️ Half-board + restaurants: €100/day
  • ✈️ Inter-island flights + private boat transfers: €2,500
  • 🎫 Private excursions: €900

Shorter, longer

Other possible durations

1 week

1 week

Tahiti, Moorea, Bora Bora. The essential Society Islands.

2 weeks

2 weeks

4 islands including Huahine for a more authentic stop.

You're here

1 month

1 month

A tour of all 5 archipelagos, including the Tuamotu and the Marquesas.

How to get around

Itinerary logistics

This itinerary combines 1 ferry, 5 Air Tahiti inter-island flights (star network: you route back through Tahiti at every archipelago change), and the big jump to the Marquesas. Budget roughly €1,900 of inter-island transport over 30 days in the comfort version, on top of the international flight.

⛴️

Tahiti-Moorea ferry

~€17/one-way · Aremiti or Terevau · 30-45 min · frequent

✈️

Flight Moorea → Bora Bora (via Tahiti)

~€180 · star network, technical stop in Papeete

✈️

Flight Bora Bora → Rangiroa (via Tahiti)

~€220 · same star-network logic

✈️

Flight Rangiroa → Nuku Hiva (via Tahiti)

~€430 · 3h15-3h43 direct Papeete-Nuku Hiva · 7 flights/week · book early

🚢

Alternative: the Aranui mixed cargo ship

Freight and passengers, several days at sea, to reach the Marquesas without flying

Adapt by season

The one window that works for all 5 archipelagos

This is the tricky part of a full tour: the Society Islands and the Tuamotu follow a classic calendar (dry season May-October, warm and humid season November-April, rain peak December-January), but the Marquesas run in reverse, with a warm, humid season from January to August and a cooler stretch from September to December. The window that combines both archipelagos best: July to October, which also adds humpback whale season in Moorea (peak August-September) while landing in the most pleasant period in the Marquesas. From November to April, the Society Islands, the Tuamotu AND the Marquesas are all in their warm, humid season at once: no window is perfect then, but Bora Bora and Moorea hotel rates drop noticeably.

Author tips

What I would redo (and change)

✅ Would redo

  • • In September 2025, our return Air Tahiti flight from Nuku Hiva was pushed back 24 h due to weather over the Marquesas. Always keep a 2-day buffer before the international return flight.
  • • The humpback whale swim in Moorea, booked the moment we landed: the strongest memory of the trip, even at €150 for the outing.
  • • The 8 nights in the Marquesas, genuinely needed to offset the 3h15 flight and enjoy Taiohae, Taipivai and Hatiheu without rushing.
  • • The Air Tahiti inter-island pass booked alongside the international tickets: flights to Nuku Hiva fill up fast in high season.
  • • Diving the Tiputa pass (Rangiroa) early in the morning, before the current picks up.

⚠️ Would change

  • • Cut Tahiti to 2 days on the way out and keep the other 2 for the end, right before the international return flight.
  • • If the budget is tight, skip overnighting in Bora Bora and visit it as a day trip from Moorea or Tahiti instead.
  • • Add Fakarava rather than concentrating everything on Rangiroa for serious divers.
  • • Consider the Aranui cargo ship for one leg of the Marquesas trip rather than flying both ways, if extra time at sea doesn't put you off.

FAQ

Itinerary FAQ

What budget should I plan for 1 month in French Polynesia? +
Around €6,200 as a backpacker, €10,800 in comfort, and €19,500 or more for a honeymoon version with 5★ overwater bungalows, international flight included. Inter-island flights (5 legs, including the big jump to the Marquesas) range from €1,450 to €2,500 depending on comfort level.
Is it really worth going all the way to the Marquesas? +
If time allows, yes: it's the archipelago furthest from the Polynesian postcard, with no lagoon but wild valleys and unique Marquesan archaeological sites. Allow at least 5 to 6 days to offset the 3h15 flight from Tahiti.
How do flights between the 5 archipelagos work? +
Air Tahiti operates a star network out of Papeete: to go from Bora Bora to Rangiroa, for example, you have to route back through Tahiti. On a full 5-archipelago tour, that means 5 inter-island flights, best booked 2 to 3 months ahead, especially for the Marquesas where frequencies are lower.
What's the best season for this 5-archipelago tour? +
July to October: the dry season covers the Society Islands and the Tuamotu, humpback whale season peaks in Moorea (August-September), and the Marquesas enter their coolest stretch (September-December), the reverse of the rest of the territory.
Is there an alternative to flying to reach the Marquesas? +
Yes, the Aranui mixed cargo ship runs a freight and passenger service between Tahiti and the Marquesas, with several days at sea. It's a different kind of experience, much longer than flying (3h15 versus several days), but it also reaches bays inaccessible by road.
Do you need a visa for this 30-day trip? +
Not for French citizens, since French Polynesia is a French territory: only a passport valid for the duration is required, because of the technical stop in the United States on most international flights.

Marie Laurent ✓

·

Southeast Asia specialist · itinerary personally tested.

Last updated: June 30, 2026.

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