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Tahiti vs Maldives: Which Paradise Should You Go to?

June 2, 2014 by Jean Holy Smithereens 57 Comments

Tahiti and Maldives. These two places are the kings of honeymoon and ‘once in a lifetime’ destinations. They are places that require a whole lot of research and planning before departure. Where to stay, what to eat, what to do.

I was in the Maldives 2 months ago, and in Tahiti (Moorea & Bora-Bora) less than 2 years ago.  Before I even returned from my Maldives trip, there were already tons of requests for me to do a comparative write up of the two.

*All Tahiti articles HERE, all Maldives articles HERE*

I apologise it took a while, but I didn’t want to just haphazardly write something for the sake of fulfilling.  There are a lot of comparisons to consider. And just because the two are paradise holiday destinations doesn’t mean they are the same.

“Which destination is better? Maldives or Bora-Bora?” 

“Should I go to Tahiti or Maldives for our honeymoon?”

Maldives or Bora-Bora? Where should you go?
Maldives or Bora-Bora? Where should you go?

These are just some of the questions I received after my Maldives trip. And the jist of it is wanting an answer on which of the 2 destinations are better.

To be honest, I cannot make that decision for you. It really depends on your travel personality. (And location/budget too)

Just as  you can be either a cat person or a dog person, I can definitely tell you that there’s a person suited for the Maldives, and one suited for Tahiti.

And while I cannot give you a definite answer to the question, what I can do is give you honest and straightforward observations on many aspects of each place to help you make an informed decision.

Without further adieu, here are the comparisons based on my personal experience and observations.

GEOGRAPHY

Where in the world is the Maldives? Where is Tahiti in the map? How can I fly to the Maldives/ Tahiti?

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Here’s where the Maldives and Tahiti are on the World Map!

I’ve taken the liberty to spot the Maldives and Tahiti in a Pacific Ocean-centered world map. Take note that both places are really a group of small islands (and in the Maldives’ case, atolls), so where I’ve marked the spot are just approximations.

So the biggest, glaring difference is Tahiti is in the Pacific Ocean, and the Maldives is in the Indian Ocean.

And because they are located in different oceans, where you are from is a big factor on determining how you get there.

For a general idea on how to get there, I have summed up flights to the 2 places from areas of where most Holy Smithereens readers are.

Whether you are from Australia, the USA, Europe or Asia — I have written a detailed summary of flight routes how to get to Male (Maldives) and Papeete (Tahiti) HERE

POPULATION / TOURISTS & CROWD FACTOR

Do you like exclusivity in your holiday? Or are you happy to run into someone you know?

1. a view of Male from above 2. Trans Maldivian counter in Male Airport 3. Bora-Bora Airport 4. Leaving the airport of Bora-Bora
1. a view of Male from above 2. Trans Maldivian counter in Male Airport 3. Bora-Bora Airport 4. Leaving the airport of Bora-Bora

Population-wise, the Maldives & French Polynesia are almost similar. Maldives has a population of 393,988 (July 2013 estimate), and French Polynesia has a population of 277,293 (July 2013 estimate). Source.

However, it is with the number of tourists per year that these 2 places greatly differ. While French Polynesia receives more than 250,000 tourists per year (source), the Maldives has reached their annual target of 1 million visitors for 2013. (source)

In April 2014 alone, the Maldives welcomed 105,309 tourists. (source)

MALDIVES

In terms of the top generating markets, most visitors in the Maldives come from China, Germany, UK, Russia and Italy, with India and Korea making it in top 10 as well. (source)

In line with this information, I’ve come across an article where some Chinese tourists have boycotted the Maldives as some hotels denied them electric kettles inside the room. While the article makes no mention of it (and used the reason as Chinese tourists needing the kettle for their instant noodles), I have spoken to a number of people from the tourism industry in the Maldives and have told me a common thing: In the recent years, a number of Chinese tourists have been caught catching crabs and fish from the ocean, taking it to their hotel room, and boiling them using the electric kettles. 

This is of course, not to say that all Chinese tourists do that, but its the sad law of a few ruining it for everybody.

There are other tales of tourists’ ignorance or apathy towards marine life (such as taking baby reef sharks out of the water and playing with it) that makes my blood boil, however with the increasing number of tourists in the Maldives, the government and all hotel chains are also taking measures to spread knowledge and prevent further damage.

The tourists crowds are a good mix – families, honeymooners, couples and groups of friends.

TAHITI

In French Polyesia, more than 80 percent of its tourists come from the United States, with French visitors next. The Japanese and Australians and New Zealanders make it to the top 5 as well. (source)

On our flight from Los Angeles to Tahiti, almost 90% of the passengers were newlyweds /honeymooners – matching or themed outfits, with women sporting fresh-from-the-wedding french-tipped acrylic nails.

There really isn’t any major problem regarding tourists being a threat to Tahiti’s marine life. But while it enjoys the occasional spike and minimal increase, tourism in Tahiti has in general declined since 2010. (source)

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My thoughts and conclusion:

The 2 island destinations seem to be going in opposite directions. I can see a major boost and drive of tourists in the Maldives over the next coming years as it gets more and more affordable. Tahiti, in the meantime, remains almost stagnant (perhaps stable?) in its pricing, offering the occasional sale and package deals but overall the same high costs.

On our flight to Male, I even overheard passengers sitting in front of me talking about a person that I know. It can be a small world in the Maldives and at the same time, one might feel like he/she didn’t really get away from the crowds.

There are a lot of tourists in the Maldives, and your privacy and exclusivity greatly depends on the hotel and resort of your choice.

In Tahiti, it’s really honeymoon land and if you are travelling solo or not with your significant other, you may feel abit out of place.

In this round, I pick TAHITI as I value privacy in holidays the most.

HOTELS / ACCOMMODATION

Be it Tahiti or the Maldives, one needs to choose resorts carefully
Be it Tahiti or the Maldives, one needs to choose resorts carefully

TAHITI

In French Polynesia , I visited 3 islands- Tahiti, Moorea and Bora-Bora. These 3 islands are where most tourists go to and therefore have the concentration of most number of accommodation. Collectively, the 3 islands have a registered number of 52 accommodations. (17 for Tahiti, 17 for Moorea and 18 for Bora-Bora). Most of these are internationally-owned luxury hotel chains (Four Seasons, Intercontinental. Le Meridien Sofitel, Hilton, St Regis). If going with an international brand, the lowest priced option will be a 4-star hotel at the minimum.  There is unfortunately a very slim middle ground. (The most popular ‘middle option’ in Bora-Bora would be the Hotel Mai Tai) From luxury hotels, the next step down are usually locally owned lodges and inns.

It is because of this that Tahiti’s price in general remains at a stable high value.

MALDIVES

The moment you step off the plane in Male, you will see rows upon rows of hotel desks at the airport. (as seen above). At the  moment there are close to 190 hotels in total, with more being built, renovated and extended as I type this.

While I agree that yes, there are a lot of luxury resorts in the Maldives, the place isn’t overall an exclusive  luxury destination anymore. With the boost in the number of tourists, there are resorts for every kind of traveller. From the backpacker, to the budget, mid-range, and luxury traveller, there will be more than enough resorts for you to choose from.

The brands of resorts are very varied, from international luxury chains to locally owned ones. And the good news is, the standards of the locally owned resorts are at par or even better than some international chains.

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Be it Tahiti or the Maldives, it’s still very important to choose which resort you book as they could make or break your ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ trip.

To view my resort reviews of both Tahiti and the Maldives, please click HERE

Conclusion:

Because of the competitiveness of the resort and hotel industry in the Maldives, the rates of resorts are getting better.  There are the ultra luxe brands whose rates always remain a stable high, but at the same time there are also more budget-friendly choices. In this round, I prefer the Maldives due to the more varied choice in accommodation.

CULTURE

1. the arrival card into the Maldives listing prohibited items 2. a boduberu performance in the Maldives 3. Being welcomed by Tahitian women in Bora-Bora 4. Myself with the winners of Ms Trans-Tahitian Pagenat
1. the arrival card into the Maldives listing prohibited items 2. a boduberu performance in the Maldives 3. Being welcomed by Tahitian women in Bora-Bora 4. Myself with the winners of Ms Trans-Tahitian Pageant

Maldives

The Maldives is a Muslim country. If you are in Male and in locally inhabited islands, you need to adhere to dress codes (even if the locals say they are tolerant of the way tourists dress I still think it’s important to adhere to them). No short shorts /skirts or anything too revealing. The easiest way is to always travel with a shawl to cover what needs to be covered. I’ve listed a comprehensive packing list to the Maldives that touches on clothing specific to the country Here.

Alcohol is not served in Male or the locally owned islands. Once you get to the resorts (where every resort is their own private island), you are free to drink and dress in style.

Most of the resort and hotel staff are male, with the exception of very few Maldivian women, and the foreign female staff. At times, you can feel an environment of fraternity/brotherhood due to the overwhelming number of male staff. Most resorts have a performance of the Boduberu (local Maldivian dance and music). It’s a very nice, hypnotic performance. And while it was nice to see this dance, I was hoping to see female local participation in this. But that is not to be, as all Boduberu performances that I’ve seen are an all-male cast.

I’ve also personally felt the consciousness of gender roles in the resorts. When we travel, I usually do most of the talking to staff, etc. But I noticed that some of the local male staff prefer to address and speak to Zombie. I was first put off by this. And I asked Zombie later on if he noticed it and he did. As Zombie spent the first years of his life in a Muslim country as well (Malaysia), he knows about this and explained to me that it is not something that should be taken personally or be offended by.  I’ll be honest, I’m still unnerved by this. Not on a personal level, but more on how women are perceived there as a whole.

Tahiti

French Polynesia, as the name suggests, is a French colony with Christianity as the main religion. There are no dress codes or restrictions to adhere to (no walking around naked of course!), and the country is generally very open and happy.

There is a high gender equality among tourism industry staff, and having spoken to a number of locals, I can see that both male and female work in the family and have equal work opportunities.

Not only is gender equality high, but the LGBT community is very strong too, and widely accepted. Perfect example is that one night  we attended the coronation night of the 2012 Miss Trans-Tahiti Pageant, held at the Sofitel Bora-Bora.

*Miss Trans-Tahiti is the annual beauty pageant for the trans-gendered Tahitians*

The Tahitians are very open in general and we have formed friendships with a number of staff from our visit. One even invited Zombie to their home ( I was nursing a cold that night otherwise I would have come too).

Conclusion:

No culture is better than another as we are all different. But no second thoughts about this, I embrace and feel more comfortable in French Polynesian culture.

NATURAL SCENERY

French Polynesia has lots of mountains. The Maldives has the endless sea
French Polynesia has lots of mountains. The Maldives has the endless sea

French Polynesia

Tahiti , the island was itself formed through volcanic activity. French Polynesia has a lot of mountains and peaks, and along with the blue waters, it can make for a very dramatic backdrop and scenery.

Maldives

The Maldives, on the other hand, has endless stretches of the Indian Ocean. As far as your eyes can see. Save for the occasional island (which in most cases will be a resort), the view of the sea is uninterrupted.

Conclusion

I like both views actually. At first, I preferred the variety of ocean and mountains that French Polynesia has. This was enjoyed most especially at the far end location of the water bungalow we stayed at in Sofitel Bora Bora Private Island, where one side of the room has the sea view, and the other side a mountain view.

However, with the endless ocean stretch, the Maldives offers the most beautiful sunsets I’ve ever seen. (Most spectacular sunsets were seen at the west-facing overwater bungalow in The Residence Maldives)

FOOD

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1. an abundance of bread and pastries in Bora-Bora 2. Mahi-Mahi in Vanilla Sauce in Moorea 3. Curry degustation meal in the Maldives 4. Seafood platter for lunch in the Maldives

French Polynesia

Due to the country being a French colony, Tahiti knows its bread and pastries very well. I’m normally not a bread person but there’s something about waking up to the aroma of freshly baked croissants and bread with the breath taking ocean view. They are made fresh and the quality is really good. I can bet you the fish in Tahiti have more refined taste in bread since they are usually fed left over breakfast rolls!

Vanilla is one of the major products for export in Tahiti. They use this on their cooking and one of the best meals I’d ever had in my life (a bold claim but very true!) is Mahi-Mahi in Vanilla Sauce which we had in Moorea. It’s been 2 years but the fragrance and taste is still unforgettable.

Food is expensive in Bora-Bora but we never really had a disappointing meal there. Yes there was that $60.00 takeaway pizza by the roadside , and while we were disappointed at the price, the pizza itself wasn’t so bad.

Maldives

Maldivian food is based on a lot of curry, coconut and seafood. 3 things I love! I sampled seafood that’s grilled over coconut-infused charcoal in Kurumba Maldives and it was really heavenly.

The growing number of hotels and resorts in the Maldives also means that variety of food and its price range is more varied. Take for example, the Shangri-la’s Villingili Resort & Spa where the variety and quality of resort food was so excellent that it required a whole blog article of its own.

But bear in mind too, that the bigger number of hotels with restaurants are, the more chances of mediocre food there will be.  It can sometimes be a hit and miss in food quality here, but overall we had a pleasant dining experience.

Conclusion:

As a lover of seafood, I fell in love with food on both countries. It’s hard to pick one. The approach will just vary abit, in Tahiti, be prepared to shell out quite a bit in food, but know that the quality is really good. In the Maldives, most resorts offer an all-inclusive package and as mentioned, as there is a huge number of hotels, there’s also a larger room for average food quality.

WATER/MARINE LIFE

1. Getting chilly underwater in Bora-Bora 2.Chasing Sharks in Bora-Bora 3. Swimming with Whale Sharks in the Maldives 4. Exploring the coral reefs of the Maldives
1. Getting chilly underwater in Bora-Bora 2.Chasing Sharks in Bora-Bora 3. Swimming with Whale Sharks in the Maldives
4. Exploring the coral reefs of the Maldives

While both destinations have tropical weather, I found Tahiti to be cooler, more so in the evenings with cool breeze. Same with the water too. The Pacific Ocean (Tahiti) tends to run hot and cold at times. But braving abit of chill is worth it because I found the fish and underwater creatures of Tahiti to be the happiest! I also had my sting-ray moment here when, while snorkelling I stopped and stood to fix my mask, when all of a sudden this huge silky blanket embraced me from behind. Yes, a sting-ray had shimmied on my back! I was hooked since then 🙂

Maldives on the other hand seems to have a more consistent warm weather with balmy evenings. I also found the Indian Ocean much much warmer (on this part of the ocean anyway) and therefore more inviting to jump and spend hours snorkelling.

Marine life wise, both are quite abundant, although the difference is, in the Maldives you can spot whale sharks, and in Tahiti, its the actual shark-sharks that there are a lot of. I plan to return to Tahiti one day and fly to Rangiroa to dive the shark pass.

But that also reminds me that when we scuba dived in Adu Atoll in the Maldives, we actually came across a tiger shark (about 6 feet) we sadly have no good footage of this as all of us in the group were frozen in amazement, and only when it passed us by did we all remember to shoot!

To get a better idea, I invite you to watch the underwater footage we took from each trip:

Shark Diving in Bora-Bora:

Diving with Manta Rays in Bora-Bora

Whale Shark Swim in the Maldives

Scuba Diving in Adu Atoll Maldives

Dhaalu Atoll Maldives Scuba Dive

Free Diving in Huvafen Fushi

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Conclusion

Tahiti (Bora-Bora) and the Maldives are , in travel speak, “same-same but different”. There is always a category where one will be better than another but you have to look at it as a whole.

As always, the above observations are from one man alone (yours truly!), it’s still best to see these with your own eyes as every experience is subjective.

Sunset in the Maldives
Sunset in the Maldives

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Now I would love to know, if you’ve been to both places, which do you prefer?

Based on the above observations, do you think you’d choose Tahiti or the Maldives?

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Filed Under: Adventure, Adventure Travel, Bora Bora, Luxury Travel, Maldives, Moorea, South Pacific, Tahiti, Travels

About Jean Holy Smithereens

Jean is a lover of luxury travel and adventure, always looking for that "Holy Smithereens"-inducing moment on her travels. Follow the blog and other social media pages of Holy Smithereens to get the ultimate travel ideas for the luxurious adventurer!

Comments

  1. J'than Deocampo Mellizo says

    June 2, 2014 at 4:25 pm

    I suggest, boracay philippines.

    Reply
  2. Becky Padmore says

    June 2, 2014 at 9:09 pm

    Can I have both? 😉 Gorgeous photos!

    Reply
    • Jean Holy Smithereens says

      June 4, 2014 at 11:31 am

      You can have both Becky, back to back! 🙂 Thanks, its easy to take good photos when the place is marvellous!

      Reply
  3. Mir Eille says

    June 2, 2014 at 9:28 pm

    Michelle D Arie thought this may help. She’s awesome! Read all about bora bora before I went on my honeymoon. Now you two can decided which one is for you 🙂

    Reply
    • Holy Smithereens says

      June 3, 2014 at 8:01 am

      Thanks for the recommendation Mir Eille! Glad you enjoyed your honeymoon 🙂 Where to next?

      Reply
  4. Michelle D Arie says

    June 2, 2014 at 9:49 pm

    Ill check it out.. thanx Mir Eille 🙂

    Reply
    • Holy Smithereens says

      June 3, 2014 at 8:04 am

      Hi Michelle! Planning the honeymoon is really exciting! Hope the blog helps you decide where to go 🙂

      Reply
  5. Jenn Nguyen says

    June 2, 2014 at 10:22 pm

    Love this article Jean!!

    Reply
    • Holy Smithereens says

      June 3, 2014 at 8:03 am

      Thanks Jenn!! Hope it inspires you to travel to either of those places next 🙂

      Reply
  6. Brady Cole says

    June 2, 2014 at 10:55 pm

    Court

    Reply
  7. Deborah Broder Chatelard says

    June 3, 2014 at 5:02 am

    Been to both for a month each. They are pretty much the same beside travel time. Major difference is airport location and alcohol availability. If you can travel to either, GO.

    Reply
    • Holy Smithereens says

      June 3, 2014 at 8:02 am

      How lucky Deborah a month in each place! I agree if you have the opportunity , go to both. Did you have a personal preference between the 2?

      Reply
  8. Michelle D Arie says

    June 3, 2014 at 8:11 am

    Thank you Holy Smithereens!! We are tossing up which place to go to.. this will help 🙂

    Reply
  9. Sarah Gal says

    June 3, 2014 at 12:53 pm

    Been Maldives it was paradise, going tahiti in July

    Reply
    • Holy Smithereens says

      June 3, 2014 at 1:35 pm

      Awesome Sarah Gal! I look forward to hearing how you find Tahiti. I loved it there 🙂

      Reply
  10. memographer says

    June 3, 2014 at 1:16 pm

    These two destinations are amazing, Jean! Thanks for the Intro. I have never been to these places. Love the photos and underwater videos! Thanks for sharing. Now I am so ready for my “beach vacation” 🙂

    Reply
    • Jean Holy Smithereens says

      June 3, 2014 at 1:22 pm

      Thanks Alex! 🙂 I’ve no doubt you will go to one of these places soon or both, and for sure the photos you will take are going to be breath taking, as always! Same here I can do with another beach vacation as it’s starting to chill.

      Reply
  11. Terri says

    June 3, 2014 at 6:31 pm

    I love this article! One question – who is Zombie? 🙂

    Reply
    • Jean Holy Smithereens says

      June 3, 2014 at 8:21 pm

      Thanks Terri, glad you loved the article as I had fun writing it as well. Zombie is my husband, aka The Happy Snapper ! 🙂

      Reply
  12. Tim OCallaghan says

    June 3, 2014 at 11:40 pm

    That is an excellent post on the differences of these two island nations, Tahiti and the Maldives. Really well laid out and informative. You could not ask for a better review. Thanks.

    Reply
    • Jean Holy Smithereens says

      June 4, 2014 at 11:30 am

      Hi Tim thanks for the feedback, I’m so glad you found it informative! I really hoped to shed light on the difference between the two because there’s so much more that goes beyond them being just ‘same honeymoon destinations’. And thank you so much for sharing 🙂

      Reply
  13. Holy Smithereens says

    June 4, 2014 at 12:04 pm

    same same but different!

    Reply
  14. Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella says

    June 4, 2014 at 6:16 pm

    I’d love to visit at least one one day and I’m happy with either of them! So interesting about the kettles. I love having a kettle to make a cup of tea but not to boil a crab!

    Reply
    • Jean Holy Smithereens says

      June 4, 2014 at 8:36 pm

      Hi Lorraine, I would love to see how you’d find the food on both places! 🙂 And same here, I need a kettle for daily tea and though I love seafood, especially crabs, its not to that extent!

      Reply
  15. Sam @Travelling King says

    June 5, 2014 at 4:00 am

    Great article! Very well written.
    Both are places i would love to visit (adding them to my ever growing list of things to do!).
    I guess with the beauty of these places, the price tag is quite high but looks like it was worth it!

    Was on place better priced than the other? as in the room rates and what about resort activities?

    Reply
    • Jean Holy Smithereens says

      June 5, 2014 at 2:52 pm

      Thanks Sam! 🙂 Yes visit both if you can! I myself can’t pick just one. The good thing is Maldives is getting more and more affordable , lets hope Tahiti will follow suit 🙂 In terms of being better priced, Id say Maldives. Because they have a big range of accommodation hence rates are more competitive. Resort activities are the same with Tahiti and Maldives – snorkel gear is free, and all resorts have their own activity/dive centre. Both have day trips to other nearby islands or snorkelling/diving spots, etc its really almost identical in terms of activiity. It’s the water/marine life that differs abit.

      Reply
  16. Seana Smith says

    June 6, 2014 at 10:50 pm

    Hmmmm…. I think I’ll choose… Tahiti, as it’s closer to home. Good to read a knowledgeable comparison of both places. I’m sure loads of readers will find this useful.

    Reply
    • Jean Holy Smithereens says

      June 7, 2014 at 1:24 pm

      Hi Seana! Yay I’m glad to see a definite choice in here! 🙂 Yes Tahiti is much closer to home both geographically and perhaps culturally (if comparing the two). My ideal destination would be a hybrid of the 2– Tahiti’s exclusivity / culture with Maldives’ plethora of hotels/resorts. Glad to know you found this helpful, I really hope others will too.

      Reply
  17. Palm Trees says

    July 23, 2014 at 1:01 am

    Thanks so much for this fabulous article! We are trying to decide which place to go. I was already leaning towards Tahiti but now I know for sure. Thanks again for taking the time to write this Jean!

    Reply
  18. Kari Dahlquist says

    July 23, 2014 at 10:08 pm

    This article is very informative. My friend and I have been trying to decide between these two places. We are two single girls traveling together. Which do you think would be a better place to go for singles? Thanks.

    Reply
    • Jean Holy Smithereens says

      July 23, 2014 at 10:13 pm

      Hi Kari! Both are safe destinations for female travellers. But if I were to travel solo, I would probably opt for Tahiti (and its islands). It also hugely depends on what you and your friend would love to do. If you prefer more social activities (with other tourists, etc) Maldives is probably better for it as most resorts have nightly entertainment.

      Reply
  19. jac says

    August 18, 2014 at 4:00 pm

    bless you Jean, this was really informative. thank you for taking the time to compile such balanced observations.

    Reply
  20. Deepak Jain says

    September 21, 2014 at 9:45 am

    Dear,

    Read all your write ups.

    I appreciate that u hav done lot of hard work by giving your views.

    I hav been to Maldives two times and loved it.

    Seems u hav travelled alot. I request you to help me with a destination same as maldives, I am Indian, Bora bora is really very far and too costly.

    I liked maldives specially because of blue, turquoise water.

    Mainly shallow water around island as we me and my wife are swimmers but not a professional once, thus snorkel.

    Beautiful coral reefs, black tipped reef shark , sting rays , mantra rays are really nice and adventurous.

    Help required to choose some place like maldives.
    Some where near south east asia or so

    Reply
    • Jean Holy Smithereens says

      September 21, 2014 at 11:46 am

      Hi Deepak, thank you it was my pleasure to write this as I want to help folks have a REALLY good time on their vacations 🙂 If you are going to South East Asia and love underwater, may I suggest the Philippines? I’ve gone diving/snorkelling there and it still has the most pristine waters I’ve ever swam in , mostly because tourists still don’t flock to it like Phuket or Bali. You can read all about my Philippine blog posts here http://www.holysmithereens.com/category/asia/philippines-asia/

      Reply
  21. Ron K says

    March 5, 2015 at 10:59 pm

    We just return from 25 days in French Polynesia, both Tuamotu islands & Society islands (7 days in Bora Bora, 6 in Moorea, 5 in Tikehau, 3 in Tahiti, 1 day visit while on cruise to Rangiroa, Huahine, Raitea, Taha’a). We were in Zitahli resort in Maldives in 2011. We have to say Maldives wins in every level except mountain scenery & culture. We found French Polynesia too touristic unless you go to Tuomotu islands. Diving in Bora Bora is just bad. We were warned by a couple while in Tikehau that diving in Bora Bora is bad, and our divemaster in Ranrigoa also warn us diving in Society islands is bad. The moment we got picked by the divemaster in Moorea, he was sbold and honest and told us that after we’ve dove in Rangiroa and Tikehau, we will be hugely disappointed in Moorea & Bora Bora. While diving and snorkeling in Maldives were heavenly!!! We have turtles & sharks come close to our water bungalow every day.

    Resorts in Maldives are far far superior than resorts in Bora Bora (the rest French Polynesia are just too rustic, Tahiti is big city, and Moorea is nice, but not superb).

    Each year at 3 resorts from Maldives made it into tope 25 hotels in the world list.
    2015 list:
    http://www.tripadvisor.com/TravelersChoice-Hotels-cTop-g1

    2014 was the only year where one resort from French Polynesia made the list at number 24 (along with 3 from Maldives in top 10).

    2013, non of the hotel from French Polynesia made the list, again, 3 from Maldives made the list.

    The island we stayed in Maldives has amazing privacy. We can be naked on the sundeck of our overwater bungalow all day (and we had a plunge pool on the deck) and still have full privacy. In 6 days we only saw a small fishing boat pass by in a distance. Overwater bungalows in Bora Bora constantly have jetski and boat passing by all day long.

    Landscape:
    The society island have traumatic volcano landscape. That’s also what made Bora Bora famous. But we like the scenery of Tuamotu islands more than Society islands, somewhat like Maldives. Maldives are all atolls, not much land.

    Reefs/Seascape:
    We stayed at Zitahli resort in Maldivesand their house reef was amazing!!! The entire ocean floor is covered with corals, many bigger than the size of me.
    Reefs are healthy in the Tuamotu islands of French Polynesia, but Society islands is know to have mostly dead reefs. In Bora Bora, the reef and coral is just depressingly sparse and unhealthy…. 🙁

    Culture:
    We love the friendliness of Polynesian people, and their beautiful culture. I didn’t care much about Maldivian culture. However, the laybackness off Polynesian culture is a double edge sword, Polynesia are just too layback to be able to provide decent service. We had excellent service in Maldives despite we found Maldivian workers too uptight and straight face.

    Beach:
    One big big hand up for Maldives. Beaches in French Polynesia sucks!!! Rocky, broken dead corals, you always need to wear reef shoes. Maldives has one of the softest, most powdery white sand in the world along with Exuma & Turk & Caico. The moment you took off your shoes on day one and step on the Maldivian sand, you will never wanna wear your flipflops ever again.

    Bungalows:
    We stayed at Emrald Overwater Bungalow in Intercontinental Thalassso in Bora Bora, the 3rd best resort in all French Polynesia. We also stayed at the Premium over water bungalow in Mooerea Pearl Beach & Tikehau Pearl Beach. of the 15 days in overwater bungalow, only 5 in Bora Bora was impressive. All overwater bungalows looks the same in French Polynesia. But when we stayed in Delux Aqua Villa in Zitahli resort in Maldives with private plunge pool, it just took our breath away!!! And it wasn’t even a top rated resort in Maldives. It took us 3 weeks to decide if we want the Japanese style overwater bungalow or the Hop European style or rustic style before we decided on the modern design of Zitahli. There are so many designs and different types of overwater bungalow to choose from in Maldives!!! Maldives win hand down when it comes to overwater bungalow.

    Seclusion:
    We found more seclusion in Maldives. We can walk around island 3 times without seeing a soul. Tuamotu islands of French Polynesia is slightly behind, but Society island like Bora Bora, Tahiti & Moorea are very busy & touristic. You won’t find seclusion in Society islands.

    Reply
  22. Janice says

    March 6, 2015 at 8:28 pm

    Great article!! Just one comment regarding water temps, time of year is more important in Tahiti. I love warm water and going at the end of summer (Tahiti’s summer) like March, the water temps are warm.

    Reply
    • Jean Holy Smithereens says

      March 11, 2015 at 3:40 pm

      Thanks for the extra information Janice! That’s very good to know 🙂

      Reply
  23. mercle says

    April 13, 2015 at 4:28 pm

    I woke up this morning decided on Bora Bora/Le Tahaa…just read all of this and now Maldives again??
    Thank you all I think??

    So I am thinking One and Only unless someone has a better suggestion? It’s our 25th wedding anniversary next month (May 26). Will the waters be warm? Looking to relax and enjoy warm waters…

    One question staying on the over water bungalows, do I need to fear the marine life? Can one just jump into the water and enjoy it?

    Reply
    • Jean Holy Smithereens says

      April 14, 2015 at 1:33 am

      Congratulations on your upcoming 25th anniversary! oh the choices… 🙂 I met a couple who stayed at the One & Only Maldives before going to Huvafen Fushi (it was also their anniversary and they resort hopped, maybe this could be an idea too!) and they did say it was wonderful and private. Yes, you can absolutely jump into the water when staying at overwater bungalows – obviously you need to gauge how deep/shallow the waters are. most have ladders and the marine life is wonderful.

      Reply
  24. Tammy says

    April 14, 2015 at 5:44 am

    What a great article! We are going on our honeymoon in Feb next year. I know this is rainy season in Tahiti, but people seem to think it’s still fine. Have you ever been during this time of year? I’m now wondering it it’s safer to just go to the Maldives…

    Reply
    • Jean Holy Smithereens says

      April 14, 2015 at 6:00 am

      Thank you Tammy! We were in Tahiti in October and it was dry, I don’t remember it raining at all. February is high season in the Maldives as it is dry season. We were in the Maldives in March and it was beautiful weather throughout (it only rained once in the 2 weeks we were there) I think safety (due to the weather) is not so much the issue but more on your enjoyment. Some people take advantage of the wet / low season due to the better rates and packages in resorts and lesser crowds, and peruse the resort/ room amenities. But if you are one who needs to do snorkelling, diving, and other outdoor activities that are dependent on the weather then it could be an important factor for you.

      Reply
  25. Anna says

    May 27, 2015 at 2:46 pm

    Now I’m jealous. I’m dreaming of Bora Bora!

    Reply
    • Jean Holy Smithereens says

      May 29, 2015 at 1:47 am

      I hope you get to visit soon, you will love it!

      Reply
  26. Katrina says

    May 29, 2015 at 2:00 pm

    hey Jean! It was a nice comparison between those 2 destinations. Me and my husband thinking to go to one of these places you know! Thank you for giving us an idea.

    Katrina
    your ex co worker in CX MNL

    Reply
    • Jean Holy Smithereens says

      June 1, 2015 at 6:47 am

      Hey Kato!!! How are you?? You were just in Aruba! How was it? So after reading where do you think you’ll be heading to ? 🙂

      Reply
  27. Bruce Lynn says

    April 25, 2016 at 7:58 am

    1. Do you want tiny (Maldives) or larger (Tahiti)?
    2. Do you want shallow (Maldives) or deeper (Tahiti)?
    3. Do you want dedicated island (Maldives) or shared (Tahiti)?
    4. Do you want large choice (Maldives – 100+ resorts plus hotels and guest houses) or limited is okay (Tahiti – 15 hotels)?
    5. Do you want super deluxe extravagance (Maldives) or conventional quality is okay (Tahiti)?

    Reply
  28. Jennifer says

    January 25, 2017 at 2:43 am

    Hi there Miss Holy Smithereens!! I want to first take a moment to say “thank you so much” for the extensive time, research, & energy it must have taken to type up & upload images for the article!! It’s very instructive, & I love that you remained unbiased only giving facts or observations made during your travels. I was in The Philippines this past August; my stepmom is from Ormoc City on Leyte, and I joined she & my father to meet her family, see where she’s from. It was my first passport stamp!! We visited Cebu, took a weekend-long tour of & stayed in a nice resort in Bohol, and it was the best 3.5 week vacation ever!!
    In response to the marvelously detailed comparisons between Maldives & French Polynesia, I must again say kudos to you for your immaculate meticulosity in including such varied topics as you did!! It is the most detailed comparison I’ve come across (not withstanding those offered by travel agencies or accommodation/hotel agencies with self-promoting & competitive motivations, no doubt)!! As I am quite again feminist against heart, I think that alone would give enough reasoning to me to go with French Polynesia. I have respect & courtesy for other cultures, and try my best to exhibit this particularly when travelling to “keep peace” to most extents. However, I can’t handle a primarily man-based patriarchal society dictating what can be worn (or what must be covered), when I’m in their country lining their pockets with my hard-earned money (& vacation time)!! I also speak fluent French, which I believe would suit me very well in French Polynesia!! Also am one, like you, whom prefers my privacy on vacations (& dislikes large crowds, lots of noise).
    I do have one question for you…are there hotels/resorts that you may have observed in FP which allowed guests to have pets (particularly service animals) such as dogs & cats, to accompany and stay with them?? Thank you for your time; this is a place (FP & Tahiti specifically) which I’ve long considered a honeymoon destination for myself, whenever that jaunt down the aisle may occur. If you ever get a chance to visit The Philippines, not Manila (too crowded) but Bohol or Cebu, I’d highly recommend it!! They use pesos there, and our US dollar really goes a long ways!!
    All my best, Jennifer 🙂

    Reply
    • Jennifer says

      January 25, 2017 at 2:49 am

      *please note an edit on my above response: it should read “I am quite a feminist at heart” not “I am quite again feminist against heart”… I think my phone’s autocorrect was having too much fun there!! 🙂
      Thanks again for your meticulous, informative article, & answering my question. All my best!!
      ~Jennifer

      Reply
  29. MummyEd says

    April 22, 2017 at 1:07 pm

    What a fantastic post! I live in Singapore and have been to the Maldives maybe 8 times now because there is a direct 4.5hour flight. I’ve been wondering how Oceania will compare. Thank you!

    Reply
  30. Melissa says

    June 1, 2017 at 8:36 am

    Hi!
    As for me I haven’t been in Tahiti yet, but I visited the Maldives. It’s really marvellous place for a bridal. It’s so picturesque? all photos from Maldives are bright and colourful!

    Reply
  31. Melissa says

    June 5, 2017 at 5:02 am

    Hi!
    As for me I haven’t been in Tahiti yet, but I visited the Maldives. It’s really marvellous place for a bridal. It’s so picturesque? all photos from Maldives are bright and colourful!

    Reply
  32. Rikki says

    September 26, 2017 at 11:40 am

    Thanks for a great article + also to everyone else for the replies; this has been extremely informative. Thanks again.

    Reply
  33. Chris says

    September 30, 2017 at 11:09 pm

    Thank you for the well written article! I am currently planning a 21 day 25th anniversary trip for 2019. And I am so torn on which to visit. I know this article is over 3 years old now and you mentioned the larger population of the Maldives. I wonder if it is even more crowded now? We have always dreamed of going to both places so it is very hard to make a decision. I will say that the Maldives are more affordable RIGHT NOW. Lodging and airfare are considerably less expensive from the east coast of the US to the Maldives. It is a longer flight to the Maldives but only by 3 hours and if you are going to spend 15 hours on a plane what difference does another 3 hours make? Having been blessed to travel to many of the most beautiful beaches in the world (we are both beach bums) we are very lucky. Eleuthra was mentioned earlier in the comments and it is amazing. Hawaii is incredible as well. But in all honesty we prefer the Caribbean to Hawaii. I think that alone would make the Maldives the right choice for us. Once again I appreciate the article!

    Reply
  34. Chloe says

    January 3, 2018 at 7:11 am

    The main reason I love scuba diving is for the adventure, you don’t know what it may happen or what you may find below the water surface. In the past years I’ve taken a lot of pictures which I store in the logbook, along with all my diving logs. It’s cool that I can also search new dive spots or even add my own.

    Reply
  35. JM Cook says

    January 21, 2018 at 9:49 pm

    Thank you for sharing the informative review, we haven’t been to Maldives yet we stayed at St. Regis in Bora Bora for our honeymoon – it was unforgettable lifetime memories. We are thinking to travel to Maldives soon but somehow we feel like to return to Tahiti again and again 🙂

    Reply
  36. Brian World Traveller says

    April 21, 2018 at 8:02 am

    I was a Pan Am Flight Attendant for 8 years and in management for United. I lived in Hawaii for 5 years I have ben to 86 countries and about 70 islands from Aruba to Zanzibar. I spent 3 weeks in Tahiti/Moorea/Bora Bora /Huahine and twice the the Maldives–north and south atolls with 3 islands.
    Both are quiet. Maldives very simple. Exciting to fly into Male and take a speedboat to our island. Maldive islands are tiny. French P much bigger, much more aesthetic and you ca explore more Moped, hike etc in French P–Maldives to small. But the snorkeling and diving in the Maldives in unparalleled. Twice as many fish populations, types of fish, corals and many right off the shore. Fresh P coral bleaching etc has taken a toll on right offshore corals and therefore snorkeling. Boat needed for the best. I think completely different experiences. With worth visiting. Maldives better value for price for accommodations food booze etc unless 5 star.

    Reply
  37. zara says

    October 12, 2018 at 6:10 am

    hi, your vidoes and post are awesome. We want to visit the Polynesian islands soon. Just out of curiosity which place do you prefer for more seclusion, the maldives or the Polynesian islands. Out of curiosity, do you have any blog posts on how your budgeted these two trips?
    thanks!!

    Reply

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