Tahiti
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OCSC's Tahiti Flotilla
Tahiti - The Jewel of the South Pacific
Only by boat can you truly experience the magic of the Leeward Islands of Tahiti. Sail through tranquil lagoons in the shadows of volcanic peaks, just as ancient Polynesians did in outrigger canoes. Let trade winds scented with the fragrant mix of orchid, frangi pani and vanilla carry you to the islands that have cast their mesmerizing spell on writers, painters and centuries of sailors.
Bora Bora
With a lyrical name that casts a spell, Bora Bora is the otherworldly mountainous soul of the South Pacific. Sailors are greeted by a spectacular scene and an easy approach on the line-of-sight crossing from Raiatea. Once inside the sheltering lagoon, sunlight bathes the basalt slab of Mount Otemanu in a rainbow of changing colors. Seen together with the rounded top of Mount Pahia, the view is unforgettable.
Huahine
This island of farms is largely unaffected by the outside world. The beach of Relais Mahana offers fine sand and a deep lagoon, while Fare Village retains its authentic charm. Near Maeva are sacred sites of 16th century maraes, ancient Tahitian temples.
Raiatea
Explore the Aoppamao River by dinghy and listen to the natural voices of these jungle-fringed waters. Look for the rare tiare apetahi, a white flower with five petals found nowhere else on earth. Taputapuatea Marae is distinguished by its massive altar and slab seats with upright backs.
Tahaa
The "Vanilla Island" produces 80 percent of French Polynesia's vanilla. Tahaa is Raiatea's smaller companion island
The Moorings' base is located at Apooiti Marina in Raiatea. International carriers provide direct flights to Tahiti-Faaa International Airport near Papeete, the capital city of Tahiti, connecting with a 45-minute Air Tahiti flight to Raiatea, where ground transportation to the base is available.
Charter Cost:
Below is a sample cost structure based on a crew of 6 on a Moorings 433. Airfare and Hotel Accommodations will be addressed separately.
$7500.00 Moorings 433 for 10 days
$ 380.00 Security Insurance
$ 509.70 Charter Care Protection Plan
$ 1680.00 Split Provisioning (10 breakfasts, 10 lunches, and 7 dinners)
$ 377.50 5% Environmental Contribution
$ 569.15 Taxes
÷ 6
$1844.39 Per-person approximate charter cost. (This is exclusive of miscellaneous costs such as dinners out, shopping, tours, alcohol, etc.)
Airfare:
Most flotilla participants opt to arrange their own flights with the use of frequent flyer miles, or by using online discount travel websites. If you would prefer to work with a travel agent, we have a wonderful referral for you. Debbie Chapman of Azevedo Travel http://www.azevedotravel.com/ has been working with us since 1990 arranging airfare and accommodations for our flotillas. Debbie's number is 925.602.3333.
Our charter starts from the island of Raiatea. To get there, we fly from Los Angeles International (LAX) to the capital of Tahiti: Papeete, French Polynesia (PPT). We then take an inner-island flight from Papeete to Raiatea, French Polynesia (RFP). There are three major carriers who service the long flight from LAX to PPT. These are:
From Los Angeles Intl. (LAX) to Papeete (PPT):
Air Tahiti Nui http://www.airtahitinui-usa.com/
Air France (Delta Miles) http://www.airfrance.us
Air New Zealand (United Miles) http://www.airnewzealand.com
For the short inner-island flight, there is only one option:
From Papeete (PPT) to Raiatea (RFP):
Air Tahiti http://www.airtahiti.aero
We recommend that you plan your itinerary to provide for two nights before the charter in order to allow you to rest and explore Tahiti and one night after the charter before you return home.
Giving Back:
On every OCSC Flotilla, we donate 5 percent of the charter fee of each chartered boat to a worthwhile environmental cause in the host country. Our Tahiti flotilla has designated the Tahiti affiliate of the Manta Network as the recipient of our fundraising. We're excited to be supporting this great non-profit. Please click here to learn more about the Manta Network: http://savethemantas.org