Allow me to start this post by confirming that Yes, the hear-says are true: It is bloody expensive in French Polynesia. To tourists and locals who bemoan how expensive Australia (Sydney to be precise) is — the prices here in Sydney don’t even compare to Bora-Bora.
Here are approximate price of items:
A large bag of Cheetos – approx USD 10.00
2 Pizzas and 3 cans of Fanta – approx USD 65.00 (and this is a not even a restaurant, it’s a roadside take-away pizza in Bora-Bora frequented by locals)
Loaf of Bread – approx USD 7.00
a pack of cheese slices – approx USD 6.00
an average meal (dinner) for 2 would cost around approx USD 75.00 (and we don’t drink wine. we always had water!)
Ok, it’s ridiculous. It’s mortifying. But hey, what can you do? Not eat? Well actually, Zombie went spearfishing with locals one night and they tried to give him some of the fish. It would’ve been excellent if we stayed at a place that had a kitchen but well, maybe that’s an idea for the next visit!
A lot of tourists get an all inclusive package (meaning you have all your meals in the hotel). It may sound like a smart plan, but I hope you agree with me that it sounds completely boring to have your meals in the same place day in day out!
So anyway here’s a summary of meals, broken down in Breakfast, Lunch, Snack and Dinner to show you that though Bora-Bora is expensive, you need not starve.
BREAKFAST
I’m not a breakfast person but Bora-Bora makes breakfast so enticing, I actually wake up before 6AM every day looking forward to it. Most hotels include breakfast in their rate, and the 2 hotels we stayed at – Sofitel Bora-Bora Private Island and Intercontinental Moorea, had an excellent spread of buffet breakfast
The good thing about Bora-Bora being under French government (I think they are actually a part of the EU)–they really know their bread and pastries very,very well!
- the smell of freshly baked bread , muffins and croissant always greet you every single day
To those who are more into hot savoury meals for breakfast, both the Sofitel and Intercontinental have an omelette station. I’m not a big fan of hot meals in the morning so I always hit the bread, cheese and fresh fruits every day.
And it’s not a bad view either. My tip: start breakfast early so you can have it leisurely as it is a real treat to have it in Bora-Bora. That way you’re not too rushed either if you planned for a day trip/excursion.
LUNCH
Because we were always out during the day, we had some of our lunches included in island tours and excursions. There was one day that we packed our food during a trip to a private island in Moorea:
And also a couple of days when we decided to stay in and have lunch at the hotel.
SNACK
We rarely had time for a proper sit-down afternoon tea / snack because we’re always out and about (in other words, underwater!) But for the occasional craving-for-munchies time?
Ha! this is where that controversial USD 10.00 bag of Cheetos comes in! When we first arrived in Tahiti, we came from Los Angeles so we had a lot of American junk snacks with us. Of course we soon ran out of supply so when we went to Bora-Bora’s “downtown”, we hit the main grocery store, run by a Chinese family – Chin Lee! This is how we concluded that you can really find Chinese in every nook and corner of the world!
DINNER
Oh I loved our dinners in Bora-Bora/Moorea. It was always interesting and varied. First off, there are no fast-food stalls or burger joints in Bora-Bora/Moorea. The closest to it is that pizza takeaway by the roadside which cost us USD 65.00 for 2 pizzas and 3 drinks. All the rest are “proper” restaurants. The most popular restaurant in Bora-Bora would have to be Bloody Mary’s, where almost all Hollywood actors go. Their buffet of seafood looks interesting but it seemed like each and every tourist in the island is going there. I try to avoid crowds as much as I can when on holidays, so we went to other restaurants.
The BEST meal we ever had was in Moorea, at this restaurant called Les Tipaniers. The most amazing Mahi-Mahi in Vanilla Sauce! If I were to go back to Bora-Bora, I’d fly to Moorea just to have this meal again.
Most restaurants will pick you up from your hotel and drive you back after dinner. So in that respect, you will feel that the steep price is slightly justified by the great service.
In Bora-Bora, we frequented Le Bounty because it is near the Sofitel- no need to be picked up, it was just a stroll away
Their price is moderate and they specialise in seafood pizza and pasta.
Now most hotels will make it very tempting for you to stay in for dinner. Almost every night they have a show that comes with dinner:
This show and dinner night in Moorea was spectacular. But of course, quite touristy – I’m guessing not too different from hotel dinner shows that you would get in Hawaii, Fiji , etc.
But the most interesting dinner, hands down would be that night when we watched the 2012 Miss Trans-Tahiti Pageant:
This is the annual beauty pageant for the transgendered Tahitians. The hotel (Sofitel) went really all out for this show and they had seafood cooked in the traditional Polynesian way (from underground). I had so much fun during this dinner, especially knowing that equality is celebrated even in this tiny paradise island!
My main tip for eating in Bora-Bora – try to go out of the cattle crowd (that is the tourist path). This way even your meals will add to those unforgettable, fun moments in your trip. And if you are in a place where its expensive , in this case Bora-Bora , budget the costs beforehand. I don’t want to sound stuck up, but in some situations, there is nothing you can do about the cost of living in a country. French Polynesia is so geographically remote that they get their goods from either USA or New Zealand, and the transport alone jacks up the prices. And it’s not just for tourists. Locals also have to contend with the costly expenses.
If you are staying at an apartment where there are kitchen facilities, unless you can literally catch fish (as this is what most locals do), it will still be costly for you to go to the grocery and get ingredients. I will only suggest this if you are staying long term.
—
What country / city had you gawking at the ridiculous food prices???
Turks & Caicos was a shock to us when we stopped in the super market before we reached our resort. The prices you listed pretty much coincide with what we saw. If I remember right, a package of sliced cheese was about $8. We found a little bakery, which was much cheaper, just down the street from us and that’s where we got breakfast most mornings and sometimes lunch. What’s really sad is all the locals have to pay the same high price as the tourists when they shop at the grocery store. The way I rate the islands in the Caribbean are…the British Islands are the most expensive followed by the French. The Dutch Islands are a lot cheaper but if you’re from Kansas and traveling for the first time to a Dutch Island you would think it was expensive. I guess it’s all relative.
Yikes! but how was the food though in Turks and Caicos? It’s insane isn’t it. And I really get you , we couldn’t fathom how the locals deal with it. Until they took Zombie to their house and went fishing, their way of life is very refreshing ( i wouldnt call it primitive as they have no choice). They literally hunt (fish) for their food and they barter trade with neighboring islands for different products. What’s your favourite among all the Caribbean islands you’ve visited?
Eating dinner out was very good but be prepared to go in shock when they bring you the bill. Breakfast and lunch from the bakery were better and cheaper then the resort. One thing about our travels, we have never had a bad meal no matter if it was breakfast, lunch or dinner.
Our favorite island is Aruba followed by St Lucia. Least favorite was Turks & Caicos. St Kitts is the most under commercialized island and St Maartin is the most commercialized followed by Aruba. There’s only one resort on St Kitts and that’s the Marriott. If you don’t eat dinner at the resort, it will cost you about $40 one way to go to one of the few restaurants on the island. Needless to say we ate at the resort. We haven’t been to Barbados yet so I can’t say anything about it. There are times I wished we had a large catamaran just so we could sail from one island to another. That would be the life.
Hi Don, I’m impressed that you never had a bad meal in all your travels! ours is always hit and miss. what is the secret? LOL.
You guys are a caribbean expert. I will definitely seek your advice one day if and when i get the chance to visit that part of the world, there’s so many nations and islands of paradise to choose from!
Before we travel anywhere (except Aruba), I do my homework and try to find a forum for the destination we’re heading too. I’ve never found a forum that didn’t have restaurant reviews so with that said reading those reviews gave us all we ever needed to find good restaurants. Also once at our destination word of mouth helped a lot. You would be surprised how much knowledge and good information a taxi cab driver has. We’ve been going to Aruba since 1998 and we have seen a lot of restaurants come and go. Most of the ones we’ve eaten at have been around for years. In the restaurant business down there, if you don’t consistently have good food and service you won’t survive. Our favorite restaurants in Aruba are the ones on the beach. If you looked at our pictures, you would have seen us at several of those beach settings.
I think you and hubby would enjoy the Caribbean as much as we do. The island people are different from your pacific side but they’re just as friendly. A lot of people here in the states think there’s nothing else but the Hawaiian Islands and that’s where they travel. In a 2 year span, we went to Hawaii and spent 1 week on each of the four main islands. Needless to say, those islands didn’t compare to the Caribbean Islands as far as beach, sand texture or water clarity. Another thing, the resorts we stayed at in Hawaii were not on the beach as compared to the Caribbean resorts. I know everybody has their own cup of tea but ours is the Caribbean. BTW, we won’t be going back to Hawaii and Tahiti is a whole different planet that doesn’t compare to anything I’ve seen yet.
Hi Don, I should do more of food and restaurant researching. We always go by word of mouth and just ask locals what they would suggest. Wow sounds like Aruba is your second home! We’d love to go to the Caribbean except its a long way from down under. Maybe next time we visit the US, we will arrange a “side trip” 😉 Now Hawaii, I’m glad you said that. It’s in my bucket list (though not on top), mainly because so many people go there and perhaps the romanticized notion I have of it (thanks to countless movies based in Hawaii)! It’s not a hardcore mission to go there but if the opportunity comes I will take it 🙂
I was at the St. Kitts Marriott Resort & The Royal Beach Casino in January 2010. A great option for dinner was to do a short walk, south west direction to the other side of the coast, till a nice small restaurant just on the beach, with some tables over the sand. Food was great and it was not expensive. We ate lobster and it was very good. Somedays it was some guys playing music.
Hi Carlos, Seafood (and lobster at that!) + Beach + Good music = heaven! that sounds like the perfect evening. How was St Kitts?
I forgot to mention the small shack type restaurants on the Caribbean side. We ate there a couple of times, whenever Tropical Storm Hugo went on break, and the food was really good. We had the lobster also but Hugo prevented the playing of music.
I was in Papaeete and Moorea back in 2007, and while I recall it being expensive, $65 for 2 pizzas and 3 drinks is criminal! I stayed at the Sofitel in Papaeete, so I filled up on the buffet breakfast which kept me satisfied for most of the day, and then for dinner, I recall going to a nearby market a few times for fruit and snacks which was more affordable than sitting down at a restaurant. I really love Tahiti and hope to go back sometime soon, but I’ll definitely have to pad the budget to cover food costs and that delicious-looking mahi mahi in vanilla sauce!
Hi Dana! thanks for the blog visit 🙂 I wish I stayed a couple of days in Papaeete at least, I’d love to see the actual local life. Yes, the secret is to fill up on breakfast! however i couldnt really do that as I was always either scuba diving or snorkelling right after breakfast, so that might be a disaster haha! 😀 Me too I would Love Love LOVE to go back to Tahiti. I will visit Bora-Bora again for sure as we’ve made friends with a couple of locals who we vow to see again one day. And I also want to see the Marquesas and go shark diving in Rangiroa. Ahhh that country is so beautiful! How was the Sofitel in Papeete?
Great post but a bit saddening because I have been dying to go to Tahiti on our RTW motorbike trip, but certainly not for $65 for 2 pizzas! Better leave that for the flashpacking trip we’ll go on in a few years time 🙂
We found Burma (Myanmar) to be shockingly expensive by SEAsia standards. We went in February, only a few weeks after Obama’s visit, so that plus being newly opened to tourism most likely accounts for the high prices. The room we stayed in on our first night, which anywhere else in SEA would have cost about USD 7 or 8, cost us USD 45! Not insanely expensive but certainly overpriced for SE Asia.
Hi Phoebe! WOW a RTW Motorbike Trip? that sounds really interesting! where are you starting it? are you brining your own motorbikes or just renting in every country? Yes I gobbled those 65 dollar pizzas clean down to the last penny LOL! Really Burma is expensive? yes that is surprising! i agree USD 45 is not bad but not cheap definitely for SE Asia. I will be looking forward to your RTW adventures!
Hi again! Yes, RTW motorbike trip starting at the end of July / beginning of August from England and heading East. We are being very careful not to plan too much so we can leave room for daily excursions and new adventures should they (undoubtedly) arise. We will both be one 1 bike which we just bought this week – very exciting!! I have posted pictures on my site if you are free to have a look!
I know, I was surprised by Burma also. Again, USD 45 isn’t terrible but really, in SEA – you expect cheaper. It had to have been the timing also!
Phoebe your site is amazing! Im glad I ‘found’ you (thanks for commenting!), I will be visiting your site for updates. Im excited for your trip as well. DO take care on the road 🙂
another very good and informative write up. Mahi Mahi is my favorite fish so if I ever make it there I will be sure to visit that place
Hello ballnchainz! Thank you I’m glad you found it informative. Yes Mahi Mahi is the bomb! Even now, after more than a year of having that dish, I still crave for it. The vanilla sauce with the mahi mahi is really unforgettable.
I am 11 and I am looking for food the eat in bora and about it
i would like to go to bora bora
I have multiple food allergies as well as celiac but I don’t want that to stop my fiancé and I from traveling. I’m thinking lots of fruit if we travel to an island. Would that be costly too or cheaper since they won’t have to import?
Jean,
have read all of your replies, very interesting perspective people share. My wife and I both have traveled most all the Caribbean islands and all of the Hawaiian islands and actually lived on Maui for over a year. My perspective, Aruba, most OVER RATED island very expensive and very windy ALL the time. Very touristy…least favorite. Barbados very nice clean island, fun place, and Antigua very beautiful, Tobago very clean awesome beaches at all previously mentioned. St maarten….have been there several times…a wonderful island with best of both worlds…french and dutch…so something for everyone and very affordable…..wonderful foods and plentiful drinks as rum/liquor is very cheap in the islands….great beaches and lots to do or not depending on your flavor..but you do that choice….true the waters in the Caribbean are beautiful blue and clean…but the beaches in Hawaii (islands are as well. Not the blue in the islands but very clear clean water with abundance of sealife whales/sea turtles and tropical fish EXCELLENT place to snorkel. Hawaii (Maui) will absorb your inner soul and steal your heart….the warmth of the Aloha Spirit is unbelievable and the lush surroundings and abundance of waterfalls are breathtaking. Thus, heading to Moorea and Bora Bora for the first time for our 40th wedding anniversary…special place for a special milestone…..so, I say this…throughout your travels you get to experience many things foods cultures and the prices that go along with it. Just keep an open mind about where you are, what you experiencing and the memories you are making and the money will take care of itself if you keep it in perspective.