Maupiti is what Bora Bora used to be before it became overly touristy - more authentic, secluded, and affordable. I say this as a Maupiti native.
Only connection I have to maupiti is my monthly noni shipment used to be from maupiti.
When I went to Australia, it was cheaper to get there by staying a few days in Tahiti. I got a cheap room, kind of like an air bnb, it hosted like 4 guest rooms with a very nice garden and the guy made a very good breakfast each day. I got a rental car and drove all around the island, went for a couple hikes, went to the public beaches, ate fresh seafood and very good french coffee and food. My roaming wasn’t working so I kinda just went at the whole thing blind. I couldn’t read anything because I don’t speak French, and directions were easy since there’s just one main road that goes around in a circle on the island. Driving a manual Suzuki Swift was fun as hell, way uhh “looser” of a car than I’m used to in the states.
Overall though, I had a great time in Tahiti. It’s beautiful and everyone there is very laid back and friendly. I saw a couple resorts there with private beaches and cruise ships and I could not imagine a worse way to experience French polynesia. I cannot understand the mindset of people on their honeymoons that are terrified to leave their perfectly curated hotel experience or whatever. When I travel I want to travel and see as much as I can of how things really are and how people live, eat, etc
I totally understand where you’re coming from but I also understand why people like the curated experience. When I went to Mexico for the first time, I went to a resort because in that moment all I cared about was not having to care about anything, if you know what I mean.
There’s a time and a place for both styles of travel.
Don’t worry, I’m poor so I won’t be visiting either.
Won’t this just make Maupiti the same as today Bora Bora?
Maupiti doesn’t have the massive tourist infrastructure that Bora Bora has - and it likely never will. Bora Bora received significant foreign investment to become what it is today: the go-to destination for a luxurious tropical paradise experience. Even larger islands, like Moorea, have tried to reach the same level of fame, but haven’t been able to match Bora Bora’s status. For example, there are no hotels or resorts on Maupiti - accommodation is limited to locally run pensions.
Not yet…
There are different dynamics at play here. The people of Maupiti have opposed the development of hotels and resorts from the beginning - even turning down offers - in order to avoid becoming a major tourist destination, unlike Bora Bora and other islands. At the same time, tourists are very welcome on Maupiti, as long as they come in limited numbers. As mentioned, all accommodations are provided by locals. Tourism is an important source of income for a place with little industry.
But just one corrupt politician can break this. Meaning hotels will start popping up everywhere, despite the locals are against it.
Just saying. Don’t take it for granted.
Not really though. It entirely depends on how engaged the people are. If the people are against it there’s gonna be no hotels because hotels need people to work in them, and if no one agrees to do that, there’s gonna be no hotel.
The only reason why these “corrupt politicians” like you say can do their corrupt shit is because there are enough people supporting them.
Here in the Netherlands i see it with my own eyes how corrupt the government can be. Like the gemeente.
Its a problem of scale I think. Smaller communities are closer and tougher, its easier to manipulate larger groups of people who are farther away.
Luckily Lemmy isn’t that popular yet. (Plus we’re all poor.)
Which one doesn’t have dinosaurs on it?
https://www.tahititourisme.com/preparing-you-trip/accommodations-in-the-islands-of-tahiti/
Filter by island. Plenty of options.
Definitely, but Maupiti is the island which provides the most similar experience to Bora Bora specifically. They’re close to each other and have had strong historical cultural links. For example, if someone was more into lush vegetation, mountainous, cultural stuff, I’d recommend Huahine. Tahaa has the vanilla and pearls. Etc. Different islands have different things going for them.
This may be a dumb questions, but are there mosquitoes in the vegetation zones in islands in the middle of the ocean like Huahine?
The warmer zones here in Colombia tend to have lots of vegetation, and also tons of mosquitoes but well, we are in the middle of a continental mass.
The islands do have mosquitoes; their peak is during the wet season (December-March) + dawn/dusk.
There are mosquitoes most definitely. https://www.mosquito-forecast.org/en/forecast/french-polynesia/maupiti
I would really love to visit but it’s quite far away and the ticket is expensive
More like if you are planning a trip to a place that already suffers from overtourism, don’t.
Tourism is not a problem. Mass tourism is. Tourism is welcome in reasonable numbers and a great source of income for the locals in a place with not many ways to make money.
Oh. At what point does harmless tourism become mass tourism?
At the point where the influx of tourists surpasses the organic capacity of the place, as it’s the case in Bora Bora with the Four Seasons and St Regis (and the other resorts) for example. In Maupiti everything’s run by locals, so once all the guesthouses/pensions are booked - max capacity is reached. The influx is thus controlled organically.
You should cross-post this too !buyoceanian@quokk.au
Also seeing as you’re from there, do you ever call France, French France?
No, we call it Metropolitan France (la Métropole) or European France (le territoire européen de la France). First one is the actually most common one, second one is the “politically correct” one.
I went to Mo’orea in 2023. It was the best place I’ve ever been. Highly recommend.
Great timing! My wife and I are planning a trip for next winter right now. I can’t wait to show my wife!
