French Polynesia · CRUISES & BOAT TOURS
70 reviewed
Catamaran, outrigger, glass bottom or a fast tender with a cooler on board, the boat changes the day more than the route does. Below are the 15 best boat trips in the islands, with prices, how long you are out, whether lunch is included and how many people you are sharing the deck with.
Half-day Bora Bora lagoon snorkeling with small-group boat stops for coral gardens, manta and eagle rays, plus pickup from your hotel.
“The best tour guide that genuinely wanted everyone to have a great time. He points stuff out that I wouldn’t have seen myself.”
Full-day Bora Bora lagoon cruise with guided snorkeling for stingrays, black-tip reef sharks, and manta rays plus lunch on a private motu.
“Tour was great. The weather was not the best, water was choppy. Manu and Moana were great hosts and we ended up being able to see everything even if the stingrays stops were choppy and not as clear. 100% would recommend. I would recommend bringing your own snorkeling gear if you have it. I will not dock them for not having the best snorkeling gear since they provide for everyone. But I do feel the experience would have been better had I brought better gear. Manu was willing to record some underwear video for me when I was struggling without any floatation devices. Family dinner was good! Not best tasting…”
Half-day Moorea catamaran snorkeling on Taboo: small group, hotel pickup, gear, fruit, mai tais, and lagoon reefs with sharks and rays.
“Wonderful time on the water and the snorkeling was awesome. We had good time making friends and learning about Tahiti”
Snorkel Bora Bora lagoon with sharks, stingrays, and the Coral Garden reef stop, with select hotel pickup and small-group guidance.
“Great snorkel time! Manu the guide is amazing. Allways with a smile and with good vibes. He knows the best spots on the island.”
Bora Bora jet ski and eco snorkeling combo with reef sharks, stingrays, and coral gardens, plus lunch and hotel transfers.
“Experience is split into two. Jet ski is separate from the shark and rays. A lot of us on the tour thought we would be jet skiing to different spots. But its a boat that take you to all the snorkle spots. Then you switch gears to jet skiis, and you are in a follow the leader type line so that you can have fun just riding.”
Moorea 4x4 safari with port pickup. Climb Magic Mountain, visit pineapple tastings and lookouts, and see panoramas in a few hours.
“Great way to see a small part of Moorea while onshore from the cruise. Small person (8) tour was so much better than large ship excursions. Ron was an awesome guide, both knowledgeable and entertaining!.”
Moorea sunset on catamaran Taboo for up to 8. Cocktails and fruit juice, reef views, and stops at Cook’s Bay and Opunohu.
“Wonderful small group sunset sail. Leo, our captain, was very attentive and provided great insight into the island and surrounding area. A very enjoyable experience that we would do again if we return to Moorea.”
Self-drive a 13-foot boat in Bora Bora without a license, fuel included, and snorkel when you want with a map, phone, and GPS tracking.
“This is a great way to get on the water, travel to snorkel spots and pristine beach, and "sea" the landscape. This is a rigorous activity and you need to be able to clamber back in the boat from the water. Give yourself a good 30 minute to get familiar with the boat operation and anchoring/un-anchoring.”
Bora Bora land and sea combo, with 4WD lookout stops, lagoon snorkeling for stingrays and black-tip sharks, plus lunch.
“Amazing and enjoyable tour. The amount of fish & sharks we saw was wonderful. The snorkeling tour guide & his cousin were the best from giving information to entertaining us. Lunch on a motu was excellent sitting at tables with our feet in the water. Then off to meet our 4 x 4 tour run by a brother of the snorkeling guide. We saw much of the island & went up 2 mountains to see the view of the bay below. Overall an excellent day that will stay in our memories forever.”
Private 3-hour Moorea lagoon snorkeling with Luna and Clem, all gear included, fruit and drinks served, and GoPro photos emailed after.
“Incredible. The island is beautiful and being with such a nice welcoming and caring team made it even better. A must-do!”
Snorkel Bora Bora’s coral gardens and manta-ray waters on a Polynesian outrigger cruise, then enjoy BBQ lunch on a private motu.
“This was by far the most incredible snorkeling I’ve done. Sam, Laila, & Heimana were the most gracious of host. A mix of fun, culture, with a little bit of humor. Scenery and clarity of water was 5 star”
Half-day Bora Bora small-group cruise with guided snorkeling, stingray hand-feeding, and coral gardens. Gear, towels, and snacks included.
“Captain Ronny was amazing! Super friendly, funny, and a great singer too! as a local he is very knowledgeable with the history of the island. The whole tour was magical with amazing views of the island. We had 3 snorkelling stops- sting rays, beautiful coral reef with amazing fish, and black tip sharks. A must do tour when in Bora Bora.”
Sail Bora Bora on the 40-foot Vitamin Sea catamaran with guided snorkeling, eagle ray chances, and a lagoon floating bar.
“This was an amazing experience for me and my new wife. We had done a catamaran ride in another location but this tops it! The couple who operates this is nothing short of amazing. The group size is small enough to enjoy but not quite private. The locations where we went were amazing and the floating bar was awesome. Can’t recommend this enough!”
Early-morning catamaran to Tetiaroa for Bird’s Island guided walk, great food, reef snorkeling, and a smooth Tahiti return with snacks.
“Great catamaran, beautiful location, food was excellent. French speaking so missed a bit of the explanation by the guide on the island. The boat crew tried to explain to us separately which worked ok.”
Half-day drift snorkeling in Tahaa’s Coral Garden from Raiatea, ideal for cruise stops, small groups, and easy lagoon views.
“Fantastic! Take this opportunity if you can. This is the best snorkeling I have seen in French Polynesia (after many scuba dives and snorkeling excursions on other islands). Although it was raining in Raiatea, our guide and boat captain took us tRead more”
