French Polynesia is the long-haul charter that most people price once and remember. Raiatea is the base, the Society Islands are the week, and the sailing happens inside lagoons and between passes rather than across open water. It is also, for an American charterer, a genuinely long journey to reach, which changes how long a trip is worth making.
The week and the base
Almost every Polynesian bareboat leaves from Raiatea, which puts Tahaa, Bora Bora and Huahine within a week's easy reach. The passages are short, the lagoons are protected, and the navigation problem is the passes and the coral heads rather than the wind. It is a week that rewards a boat with a shallow draught and a crew willing to read the water, which is one reason catamarans dominate the fleet here more than anywhere else.
What it costs, and what is published
No company in this record publishes a French Polynesian weekly rate. The published Mediterranean and Caribbean figures are the nearest anchor: The Moorings publishes $3,284 to $49,584 for a 7 day charter for 2 people in the British Virgin Islands and $2,634 to $36,999 in Greece. Polynesia runs above both, because the fleet is smaller, everything on it has been shipped a very long way, and the season is short.
When to go, and what the season does
The dry season from May to October is the charter season, with the trade winds steady and the humidity bearable. November to April is the wet season and carries cyclone risk. That narrow window is part of why Polynesian charter prices sit where they do, and it is why booking is a long way ahead rather than a matter of finding a gap.
Questions people ask about yacht charter french polynesia
How much is a yacht charter in French Polynesia?
No company in this record publishes a Polynesian rate. For an anchor, The Moorings publishes $3,284 to $49,584 for a BVI week and $2,634 to $36,999 for a Greek one; Polynesia runs above both.
Where do Polynesian charters start from?
Raiatea, almost universally, which puts Tahaa, Bora Bora and Huahine within an easy week.
When is the French Polynesia charter season?
May to October, the dry season, when the trade winds are steady. The wet season from November to April carries cyclone risk.