Fiji or French Polynesia

[Liese]

If you could only choose to cruise in one of these regions, which would you choose and why?
I am beginning a year long sabbatical with the dream of learning how to sail and the hope of making a longer passage before the season ends crewing on someone else's boat. I can begin this journey either in Papeete or in Nadi.
What are your thoughts on cruising in these regions? What are the arguments for or against each considering I am looking to learn how to sail and experience a new culture on a reasonable budget?

[JPA Cate]

Well, Liese,

They are both beautiful places to sail. If I had to choose, based on beauty, I'd pick Tahiti. You'll never see a greater example of a mountainous region that also has a fringing reef.

The people both places are wonderful, and each has their own history. I'd suggest you read up on both, then decide. Both are mega eye candy. Both have lovely people. ...and Tahiti is to windward from Fiji, so if you start there, Fiji's on your way downwin.

Ann

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by Liese

...
I am beginning a year long sabbatical with the dream of learning how to sail and the hope of making a longer passage before the season ends crewing on someone else's boat. I can begin this journey either in Papeete or in Nadi ...

As Ann noted, "They are both beautiful places to sail."; so I'd find* a boat, [willing to have me] to crew on, and sail where that boat is sailing/going.

* Crew Positions: Wanted & Available
➥ https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f30/

[Tetepare]

Yeah, FP. Tahiti and Morea are expensive. The outer islands not so much. But FP is stunning.

Fiji is much less expensive, though highly populated, even the island groups, except Rotuma.

For either location, spend some time reading up on the pre-colonial history. Archeology in both countries is amazing- the movement of peoples, the technology, etc. Particularly in Fiji, some of which was ruled by Tongans for a long time. Nothing worse than going to a place and discovering later that it had an incredibly significant history and you knew nothing about it.

[captmikem]

I would be inclined to go with Fiji, although Cooks bay in Moorea is one my favorite places on earth, a year is a long time. Papeete can be a real zoo.

Fiji has the Yasawas and I could easily spend a year there, also it is a lot less expensive. You can get work done in Fiji at a good price, plenty of fish, easy passages, well protected anchorages, and very friendly folks.

M

[Liese]

Thanks for the replies! I am currently reading everything I can find (interested especially in history) .

So far I have gleaned that the sailing season in the South Pacific essentially ends in November - at least as far as longer passages go. I would arrive in the first week of August most likely. I have at least one contact in FP and can sail with them there. Now I'm just trying to figure out if it is realistic to think I might be able to sail from FP to Fiji in just 3-4 months. Seems like a long way to go

[El Pinguino]

Bora Bora to Tonga is about 2 weeks at a gentlemanly pace, Fiji not much longer.
Lots of yachts heading for FP just now - see pic.
Many of them will be heading onto Fiji this season and probably quite a few from there to NZ later in the year.