French Polynesia Itineraries: Multi-Day Yacht Charter Routes

French Polynesia’s Society Islands offer one of the world’s great cruising progressions: a north-westerly chain from Tahiti through Moorea, Huahine, Raiatea, Taha’a and Bora Bora, with inter-island passages rarely exceeding half a day at motor-yacht speed. The itineraries below are designed to be combined: a guest looking at the 3-day and 4-day routes can stitch them together into a comprehensive 7-day voyage without repeating a single island or anchorage, while adding the 5-day itinerary extends the adventure to a grand 12-day exploration of the entire archipelago. Every itinerary is fully customisable – your Boatcrowd charter specialist and onboard captain will tailor stops, pacing and activities to your group’s interests and the conditions on the day.

3-Day French Polynesia Yacht Charter Itinerary: Tahiti and Moorea

Day 1: Papeete to Moorea – Cook’s Bay and Opunohu Bay

Board your yacht at Marina Taina in Punaauia, Tahiti, by mid-morning. After a welcome briefing and a champagne toast on the flybridge, set course north-west across the Sea of the Moon for Moorea – just 10 nautical miles, roughly 30 minutes at cruising speed. The approach is unforgettable: Moorea’s jagged volcanic peaks rise abruptly from the ocean, their dark green flanks streaked with waterfalls after rain. Enter Cook’s Bay through the reef pass and anchor in the calm, deep water at the head of the bay, surrounded by near-vertical mountain walls rising to over 1,200 metres. After a chef-prepared lunch on the aft deck (fresh poisson cru, grilled wahoo, tropical fruit), reposition to Opunohu Bay – the quieter, more dramatic of Moorea’s twin bays, with a wide lagoon bordered by coconut palms and a mountain amphitheatre behind. Snorkel the fringing reef, where blacktip reef sharks and colourful parrotfish patrol, before a sunset dinner on the upper deck with the dark outline of Mount Rotui reflected in the still water.

Day 2: Moorea – Stingray World, Lagoon Snorkelling and Motu Tiahura

Rise early for a tender excursion to Stingray World – a shallow sandbar on Moorea’s north-western lagoon where southern stingrays and blacktip reef sharks congregate in waist-deep water. Wade in alongside these docile creatures as your guide explains the lagoon’s ecology. Afterwards, snorkel the outer reef where spinner dolphins are frequently spotted in the deep channel. Return to the yacht for brunch, then cruise west to the sheltered water behind Motu Tiahura – a low-lying islet with a white-sand beach, turquoise shallows and superb snorkelling over coral bommies alive with anemonefish, butterflyfish and Moorish idols. Spend the afternoon swimming, paddleboarding and exploring the motu on foot. Your chef serves a Polynesian barbecue on the motu beach as the sun sets over the reef – grilled lobster tails, plantain, coconut rice and chilled Tahitian beer.

Day 3: Moorea to Tahiti – Belvedere Lookout and Return

After breakfast, tender ashore for a morning excursion to the Belvedere Lookout, a panoramic viewpoint high above the valley floor between Cook’s Bay and Opunohu Bay. The 360-degree view – both bays, the lagoon, the reef and the open ocean beyond – is one of the finest in the Pacific. Visit the Lycee Agricole (agricultural school) for a tasting of local fruit juices, jams and vanilla, then return to the yacht. Cruise back across to Tahiti (30 minutes), arriving at Marina Taina by early afternoon. Guests with time to spare can explore Papeete’s lively central market (marché de Papeete), where flower garlands, black pearls, vanilla pods, local produce and Polynesian crafts fill two floors of stalls.

4-Day French Polynesia Yacht Charter Itinerary: Huahine, Raiatea and Taha’a

Day 1: Raiatea – Taputapuatea Marae and Faaroa River

Board your yacht at Raiatea’s Uturoa harbour by mid-morning (a short flight from Papeete connects to Raiatea in 45 minutes). Cruise south along Raiatea’s western lagoon to the Taputapuatea marae – one of the most sacred sites in all of Polynesia and a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2017. Walk the vast stone platform overlooking the lagoon and the ocean beyond: this is where ancient Polynesian navigators gathered before setting out across thousands of miles of open Pacific to settle Hawaii, New Zealand and Easter Island. After a reflective visit and a chef-prepared lunch at anchor, return north and enter the Faaroa River – the only navigable river in French Polynesia. Your tender glides upstream through a narrow corridor of tropical forest, giant ferns and hibiscus, with the volcanic peaks of Raiatea’s interior towering above. Anchor overnight in Uturoa’s calm harbour.

Day 2: Raiatea to Taha’a – Vanilla Island and Coral Gardens

A short cruise across the shared lagoon (roughly 4 kilometres, 15 minutes) brings you to Taha’a, the Vanilla Island. Tender ashore for a private tour of a family-run vanilla plantation where each orchid flower is hand-pollinated and the cured beans are dried over months in the warm Pacific air – the fragrance is extraordinary. Return to the yacht and cruise around Taha’a’s western coast to the coral gardens off Motu Tautau, where the shallow, protected water is alive with giant clams, parrotfish, surgeonfish and anemonefish in vibrant coral formations. Spend the afternoon snorkelling and paddleboarding before anchoring for the night in a quiet motu anchorage off Taha’a’s south-west coast. Your chef serves a dinner of freshly caught mahi-mahi with vanilla-infused béarnaise, tropical salad and a South Pacific sunset that seems to last an hour.

Day 3: Taha’a to Huahine – Ancient Marae and Traditional Fish Traps

Depart early and cruise south-east to Huahine – roughly 25 nautical miles, under two hours at cruising speed. Huahine is the least developed of the major Society Islands, known as the ‘Garden of Eden’ for its lush jungle, crystal-clear lagoon and deeply traditional Polynesian culture. Anchor in Fare’s sheltered harbour (the main village, population roughly 1,800) and tender ashore to visit the archaeological site at Maeva, where over 40 stone marae platforms line the lakeshore and hillside – one of the largest concentrations of ancient temples in all of Polynesia. Nearby, traditional stone fish traps dating back centuries are still in use, funnelling reef fish from the lagoon into walled enclosures. After lunch on board, snorkel the lagoon off Huahine Iti (the smaller southern island), where the coral is pristine, the visibility exceptional and the crowds non-existent. Anchor overnight off a quiet motu on Huahine’s western barrier reef.

Day 4: Huahine – Lagoon Exploration and Return to Raiatea

Spend the morning exploring Huahine’s lagoon by tender – the southern channel between Huahine Nui and Huahine Iti is a sheltered ribbon of turquoise water with white-sand beaches on both sides, ideal for swimming and paddleboarding. Visit a pearl farm (Huahine produces some of French Polynesia’s finest black pearls) and learn the cultivation process from seed to finished gem. After a farewell brunch on the aft deck – fresh crêpes, tropical fruit, smoked fish and Tahitian coffee – cruise back to Raiatea (25 nautical miles, roughly 1.5 hours) arriving at Uturoa by late afternoon with time for a stroll through the small, friendly town and a final sunset drink at the waterfront.

Guests looking for a longer voyage can combine the 3-day Tahiti–Moorea route with the 4-day Raiatea–Taha’a–Huahine route for a comprehensive 7-day Society Islands charter, flying from Papeete to Raiatea (or vice versa) to connect the two legs without repeating a single stop.

5-Day French Polynesia Yacht Charter Itinerary: Bora Bora and the Western Lagoons

Day 1: Bora Bora – Arrival and Matira Point

Fly into Bora Bora’s small airport on Motu Mute (connected to the main island by launch – roughly 15 minutes). Board your yacht in the lagoon and settle into the most beautiful anchorage in the Pacific: the still, turquoise water between the motus and the main island, with Mount Otemanu’s basaltic spire (727 metres) rising dramatically to the north-west. After a welcome lunch on the aft deck, cruise south to Matira Point – a narrow spit of white sand at the southern tip of the island where the lagoon is at its shallowest and most luminous. Wade into water that barely reaches your knees, then snorkel along the coral shelf where parrotfish, surgeonfish and the occasional blacktip reef shark patrol. Return to a western anchorage for a sunset that turns Mount Otemanu into a silhouette of dark rock against a sky streaked with amber and violet.

Day 2: Bora Bora – Coral Gardens and Manta Ray Snorkelling

After breakfast, cruise to the Coral Gardens on the eastern side of the lagoon, near Motu Piti Uu Uta. The shallow reef (2–4 metres) is alive with parrotfish, Napoleon wrasse, triggerfish, giant clams, moray eels and schools of Moorish idols drifting through staghorn and brain coral formations. Even novice snorkellers can enjoy this site comfortably – the water is warm, calm and crystal clear. In the late morning, reposition to the manta ray cleaning station near the Teavanui Pass, where manta rays with wingspans of up to 4 metres glide in to be cleaned by small wrasse. Swimming alongside these gentle creatures in the clear, deep water is one of the signature wildlife encounters of the Pacific. Anchor for lunch, then spend the afternoon exploring the motus by tender – wade the shallows, collect shells and find your own private stretch of sand.

Day 3: Bora Bora to Taha’a – Pearl Farms and Quiet Lagoon

Depart Bora Bora in the morning and cruise south-east to Taha’a – roughly 30 nautical miles, under two hours at cruising speed. Enter the shared Raiatea–Taha’a lagoon and anchor off Taha’a’s western coast. Visit a black-pearl farm where the delicate grafting process is demonstrated – each Pinctada margaritifera oyster takes roughly 18 months to produce a finished pearl, and the range of colours (peacock green, aubergine, silver, midnight blue) is remarkable. After lunch at anchor, snorkel the coral gardens off Motu Tautau, then explore the quiet, palm-fringed motus by paddleboard. Anchor overnight in a sheltered motu bay with no other vessels in sight, listening to the gentle lap of the lagoon and the rustle of coconut palms.

Day 4: Taha’a to Raiatea – Sacred Sites and River Cruise

A short morning cruise across the shared lagoon to Raiatea (15 minutes). Visit the Taputapuatea marae for a guided tour of the UNESCO-listed temple complex, then cruise north to the Faaroa River for a tender excursion upstream through tropical forest and giant ferns. After lunch on board, explore Raiatea’s lagoon – the motus along the barrier reef offer sheltered snorkelling, white sand and absolute seclusion. In the afternoon, your chef prepares a traditional Polynesian tamaaraa (feast) cooked in an underground ahimaa (earth oven) on a motu beach: suckling pig, breadfruit, taro, plantain and banana wrapped in banana leaves and slow-cooked over hot volcanic stones. The aromas, the setting and the tradition make this one of the most memorable meals of any charter.

Day 5: Raiatea to Huahine – Garden of Eden and Farewell

Depart early for Huahine (25 nautical miles, roughly 1.5 hours). Anchor in Fare’s harbour and spend the morning exploring the ancient marae at Maeva and the traditional stone fish traps along the lakeshore. Snorkel the pristine lagoon off Huahine Iti, where the coral formations are among the healthiest in the Society Islands and the fish life is abundant and fearless. A farewell brunch on the aft deck – Polynesian crêpes, fresh papaya, smoked marlin and strong Tahitian coffee – before disembarking in Fare or transferring to Huahine’s small airport for a scenic flight back to Papeete.

Guests looking for the ultimate French Polynesia experience can combine all three itineraries: the 3-day Tahiti–Moorea leg, the 4-day Raiatea–Taha’a–Huahine leg, and the 5-day Bora Bora–Taha’a–Raiatea–Huahine leg for an epic 12-day voyage covering the full breadth of the Society Islands. Speak with your Boatcrowd charter specialist to design the perfect route.