Choosing a meal plan
Unlike the Maldives, most French Polynesian resorts default to breakfast only (BB) — all-inclusive (AI) is an optional upgrade, not the norm. Pick the wrong board basis and you either pay eye-watering à la carte prices on an expensive island every day, or pay a lot extra for a meal plan you won't use. This page covers the common tiers and how to decide.
BB · Bed & Breakfast
Includes: Breakfast (usually buffet or à la carte)
Lunch and dinner are on you — the most common default at Bora Bora / Moorea resorts. Good if you like setting your own meal schedule or want to head into Papeete to eat.
HB · Half Board
Includes: Breakfast · Dinner
Lunch is on you; dinner is usually à la carte or a set menu at one or two designated restaurants, with drinks extra. Good if you're out on excursions by day and just want dinner sorted.
FB · Full Board
Includes: Breakfast · Lunch · Dinner
Usually still limited to designated restaurants and set times, drinks extra. Better value for families with kids or elders on a regular meal schedule, at the cost of less choice.
AI · All Inclusive
Includes: All meals · Some snacks · Soft drinks and alcohol within a set range
Not the norm in French Polynesia — most resorts position it as a pricey optional upgrade rather than the default. On-island prices are steep (a meal often runs $60–100+), so it pays off if you plan to eat at the resort every night and drink.
- · Just want a good breakfast and to sort the rest yourself → BB is enough; resort restaurant choice is usually limited enough that à la carte won't spiral
- · Out on the water most days, want dinner handled → HB
- · Travelling with kids or elders on a regular schedule → FB, to cut the decision fatigue of ordering every meal
- · Budget isn't tight, you drink, and don't want to sign a bill every time → AI, but confirm upfront whether it's limited to one or two restaurants
- · On a remote single-resort island like Bora Bora or Taha'a, there's no "eat elsewhere" option the way there is on Tahiti itself — a board upgrade matters more here
- · Rough price gaps: versus BB, HB is about +$80–120, FB about +$150–200, AI about +$250–350 per person per night — French Polynesia runs pricier overall than comparable-tier Maldives resorts
Assuming all-inclusive is standard
Travellers coming from a Maldives trip often assume it's included by default, then discover on arrival that Bora Bora resorts default to breakfast only — a $200–300 dinner tab is common. Confirm the board basis at booking; don't assume.
"All-inclusive" does not mean everything is free
Which drink brands, speciality restaurants, excursions and spa treatments are covered usually has limits on range or frequency. Read the inclusions line by line before booking.
Forgetting there's nowhere else to eat
Bora Bora and Taha'a resorts are essentially one-resort islands — unlike Tahiti itself, you can't just grab a taxi into town for dinner. Think through whether you'll be stuck inside the resort's dining system before picking a board basis.
Even on all-inclusive, excursions and diving are essentially never covered — go to Water sports & diving costs to see how much to budget for that.