In March 1983 my parents kicked off their year of traveling by spending $3.30 a night to camp in Moorea in Tahiti. This month H and I followed in their footsteps and went to Moorea but did absolutely no camping. Shoutout to Kirk and Sally for braving the swampy heat in a sticky tent with no bug net because I don’t think we could have managed it.
We stayed in a series of hostels and a pension (French Guest house) and for housing for six nights (which did include one night of sleeping in the airport) we averaged $66 a night. I’m very proud of this! Tahiti is pricey pricey.
And even though I came down with the nastiest sunburn I’ve had in years (the UV index in Tahiti is HIGH) and we both were bitten by dozens of bugs, Moorea is absolutely beautiful and will be hard to beat over the rest of the year.
We will definitely be back.
The people are SO nice. The lifestyle is laid back and everyone greets you with eye contact and a warm, Ia Orana (yo-rah-nah) or Hello!
For those that don’t know, when my parents did this trip my mom wrote about it for the Bakersfield Californian in a column called “Around the World with Sally Connell”. As H and I go to a new destination on their route we are working our way through the articles. And then comparing the unwritten side with my parents. A week in and this part has already become one of my favorite things.
Prices in Moorea in 1983 vs 2023
~ Renting a vespa for a day $16.50 vs $50
~ Hotel Hibiscus (where neither I nor my parents stayed, expensive!) $43 a night vs $350 a night
~ Hostel stay for 2 people $13.50 vs $50 for a private room for two in a hostel style Fare.
We’re in New Zealand now, and my sunburn is slowly healing. Off to do our first backpacking hut to hut camping tomorrow night. If you have NZ recs, comment below or reach out directly.