Travelling to Bora Bora?

We looked into many options when it came to travelling to Bora Bora and we decided to go with Costco! It was the cheapest, they handled EVERYTHING, and kept us informed of what we needed to do before our trip.

Remember that this was still during Covid-19/Pandemic times(still going on, but I checked and regulations have somewhat changed). And if a Covid-19 outbreak were to happen in the islands of French Polynesia, it would be disastrous to the population.

Costco

1. We booked our trip July 2021 for December 2021

   1. Our friend Jose called and booked it over the phone.

2. Our package included our flights, transportation between flights, hotel, & few perks for booking with Costco.

3. Our entire packet for three people with taxes and fees cost $8,992.17 ($2,997.39 each)

4. We used the Costco Executive Membership

You can find information about the types of travel packets Costco offers on their site.

Packet Included

1. Our first flight was from Los Angeles (LAX) to Papeete (PPT)

   1. Air Tahiti Nui - Economy

   2. 8Hr 15Min Flight

   3. Boeing 787-900 - Big Plane

   4. Papeete is the capital of Tahiti

2. On arrival we are received by Marama Tours with Lei Greeting

   1. They show us were to head to catch our second flight

   2. We went from International Airport PPT to Domestic Airport PPT

3. Our second flight was from Papeete (PPT) to Bora Bora (BOB)

   1. Air Tahiti - First come, first serve

   2. 0Hr 50Min Flight

   3. ATR 72 - small plane

4. On arrival we are transferred by boat from the airport to the hotel

5. Hotel : Le Bora Bora by Pearl Resorts

   1. 5 Night Reservation

   2. Lagoon Over Water Bungalow (1)

   3. Extras Included were:

      1. Daily Buffer Breakfast

      2. Complimentary Mini Bar

      3. Complimentary Wi-Fi

      4. Nightly three-course dinner included

6. And repeat backwards:

   1. Boat Transfer

   2. Air Tahiti Flight from BOB to PPT

   3. We had a layover of 8.5 hrs in Tahiti

   4. Air Tahit Nui from PPT to LAX

   
   

Additional Expenses

Our Costco package and amenities from the hotel covered quite a lot for us! Our breakfast and dinner were a part of our "extras" from Costco. Any food we paid for was lunch, room service, or dinner at their "fancy" restaurant Poerava.

• Note: you have to book a time reservation for your dinner with the concierge. We made sure our dinner was always between 6-6:30pm.

Beer, cocktails, bottled water, & other liquids are paid for additionally. Our bungalow came with a mini bar that was re-stocked every morning. It came with 4 beers (Blue/Red Can Hinato Tahiti), 4 juices (Pineapple & Passion Fruit), 2 waters, Coffee K-Cups (4), teas (green tea/english breakfast), chips, & Coconut chocolates.

We did go to the main island to buy more beer and snacks to have in the room. We paid about $500 each at checkout for our additional food, drinks, tips, and spa. We were expecting to get charged more, so to us this amount was not bad. LOL

COVID-19/Pandemic

Anyone who has not been living under the rock knows that COVID-19 restrictions are everywhere and vary by country. French Polynesia is small compared to the entire world (made out of 118 islands), so if an outbreak were to happen in the islands it would have a horrifying effect to the population.

1. Before flying out of Los Angeles to Tahiti we needed to get a COVID-19 PCR Tested, 72 hours(3 days) before our flight. Vaccinated or not we needed a negative Covid-19 PCR test before boarding.

   1. We wanted to play it safe so we took 2 exams. 72, 48 hrs before our flight.

2. We also had to fill, submit, & pay for the ETIS Application (health surveillance fee/commitment) before our flight. Needed this for Tahiti Customs

   1. Tahiti Government Requirement

   2. Cost was: $48.55

   3. Checked their website and as of March 28, 2021 this is no longer needed.

3. We also needed to fill and sign a Sworn Statement to present at Tahiti Customs

4. Once in Papeete, Tahiti we had to administer a self-test kit (oral and nasal swab, covered by ETIS)

   1. Note: if vaccinated, there are additional regulations, so you need to stay updated on their regulations. It is all on their governmental website for tourism.

5. Before flying out of Papeete to return to the USA we needed to take another PCR Test before flying to the USA (within 1 day)

   1. Since we did it the day of our flight, we paid for a rapid test. The airport had a place.

   2. Cost: I don't remember...sorry!

   3. Your hotel's concierge can guide you to a place you can go to or you can also download a PDF from the Tahiti website that gives you places you can go to per island

   4. Bora Bora had ONE pharmacy on the main island.

   
   

No Regrets!

Given the chance to return back we will book with Costco again. I even started to look into other trips in other countries. I have my eye on a few cruises as I love to cruise! If you want to know about our stay and experience at our hotel you can ready my bog post "Bora Bora, I Lava You!".

Gallery

Flights & Boat

Hotel/Resort