tlIs experience in Bali Hai in Tahiti significany different from Hawaiian resorts?

[jerrry94087 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close jerrry94087]

My girlfriend keeps pushing me to try getting Bali Hai week. We been to Hawaii many times.

I never been to Tahiti. Is Bali Hai really very different from Hawaii? I know they both are tropical and both are in Pacific.

[flexible Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close flexible]

We booked Club Bali Hai in Moorea, Tahiti for 7 Nov - Dec 5 2009, then Hawaii 5 Dec 2009 - 27 Mar 2010. Then because of our travel schedule before Tahiti we changed to take a 10 day Tahiti cruise followed by 16 Days at Club Bali Hai. We had been to Hawaii before & are here now. We had a great time in French Polynesia but you might want to consider:

Differences:
Club Bali Hai

1) Electricity Surcharge is now $283 per week

2) November begins 'rainy season.' - I thought that was similar to the light showers during the night on Kauai, Hawaii (the garden isle). We had perfect weather in Tahiti from November 5-17. Our 10 day cruise was Nov 8-18. Then it rained like a monsoon Nov 17-24 with only slight breaks for a few hours. I was told the rainy season is 'unpredictable' and it could remain dry in November and rain heavy in February. Weather was great from 24 Nov - 5 Dec.

3) No TVs in the rooms at Club Bali Hai. Maybe if you pay a substantial upgrade fee for the 'overwater bungalows' but I don't think so.

4) I paid US $160 for a 50 hour internet package so I could at least go online from our balcony. I knew I wouldn't need that much time but the signal was SO WEAK I didn't think the 10 hour package for about US $70 would be enough. Later I learned that if I went to the restaurant I could 'pick up' the satellites better. Even with an 'excellent' signal, it was rarely strong enough to use Skype to check my home phone messages.

Generally TV & Internet is not that critical but the full week of monsoon rain left few alternatives.

The resort has seen better days but we choose to enjoy ourselves wherever we go. Think of it as a 'camping trip' that costs an additional $283 electricity per week, plus exchange fee, plus MF from the resort you traded. I think you might be able to get a better deal with RCI weeks then RCI points when you trade for Club Bali Hai.


PROS:

Resort was not crowded.

The staff is friendly. Two of the original "Bali Hai Boys" who founded the resort in the 1960s manage the property.

Alternatives for Tahiti would be to take a cruise. Our 10 day - five island cruise was $1800 for BOTH my husband & myself. 2 days in Bora Bora were FANTASTIC - snorkeling, submarine ride etc. Other islands were great too. You can snorkel and scuba dive in Moorea but the coral reef in Bora Bora reminded us of the Great Barrier Reef off Cairns, Austalia although it was smaller.

What I enjoy about being back in the US (Hawaii) after two months (South America/Antarctica/Tahiti):

We are mostly at Marriott resorts: Free internet with a STRONG connection, free local and 800 number calls, great swimming pools, free shuttle from Lihue Airport to Marriott's Kauai Beach Club (as opposed to taking the last ferry from Moorea at 5 pm then waiting for our Hawaiian Airlines flight scheduled for 11:45 pm from PPT-HNL but departed at 4 a.m.

[Glitter Brunello Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Glitter Brunello]

FOUR MONTHS BETWEEN TAHITI AND HAWAII??!! Would you like to adopt me?

[jerrry94087 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close jerrry94087]

I gather, from here and other sources, that Tahiti environment is pretty much the same as Hawaii, only with tripled price tag (coming from US). Plus monsoon rains aren't as pronounced in Hawaii plus Hawaii is overall more developed, though there are still a lot of pristine undeveloped places there.

I better cancel it and use my week somewhere I have really never been.

[Glitter Brunello Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Glitter Brunello]

I gather, from here and other sources, that Tahiti environment is pretty much the same as Hawaii, only with tripled price tag (coming from US). Plus monsoon rains aren't as pronounced in Hawaii plus Hawaii is overall more developed, though there are still a lot of pristine undeveloped places there.

I better cancel it and use my week somewhere I have really never been.

Have you really been pondering this December? I couldn't ever take so much time making a destination decision. Not to say I wouldn't obsess over it, but it would be over a condensed period of time

[BocaBum99 Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close BocaBum99]

Tahiti is like a different world from Hawaii. I've been there many times since my mother was born and raised there. My favorite island is Bora Bora. To me, it's the most beautiful place on earth.

Moorea is a tiny little island right next to Tahiti. It would be cool to stay there for a couple of days. But, going to Bora Bora or Tetiaroa is way better.

[BocaBum99 Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close BocaBum99]

[hulakaren Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close hulakaren]

Tahiti is definitely not Hawaii. They have similarities, sure... but that's like saying all of the Caribbean islands are the same.
I've only been to Moorea once, and I've been to Hawaii quite a few times, and I would love to go back to Tahiti.
The islands have a different personality and the food was fantastic from the little trucks on the side of the road. I had the best chicken in my life out of one of those! And I could really go for some poisson cru right about now!

[Dancingfish Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Dancingfish]

Wow I just looked up airfare (curiosity killed the cat) Almost $2000 per person...