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Minneapolis, MN: Hi Jason, Imagine my surprise when I received my new issue of Budget Travel! The day before I was able to book frequent flier tickets to New Zealand via Tahiti in March (by the way, the same thing happened last year when we were planning a trip to Croatia--you are very timely with your articles!). We will have a four day layover in Tahiti. Should we go directly to Moorea and spend all our time there or should we plan to spend some time on Tahiti? I plan to book in one of the pensions you mentioned. P.S. Where will your next article take us?

Jason Cochran: Thanks! I love hearing that my articles are helping people--I work very hard researching them! To answer your question, yes, I'd head off to Moorea for the duration; most of the time, transpacific flights are timed in such a way that you'll be able to leave Papeete for another island right away. I personally find the island of Tahiti to be too crowded and full of traffic, and I get more of that "South Pacific" feeling on the outlying islands such as Moorea and Huahine. (I don't care for Bora Bora--it's gorgeous but everything there is MUCH too expensive and the visitors tend to hang out at resorts rather than do anything interesting. Huahine is my favorite.) And to answer your last questions, it looks like my next article will be a collection of dream driving tours across three very different areas of Australia. Look for it this winter!

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Temple City, CA: What is happening with the old Club Med property on Moorea? Will it reopen in some form? Do you recommend the Club Med on Bora Bora?

Jason Cochran: The Moorean property doesn't look like it's going to open anytime soon; there have been some squabbles with the local people, who don't want to relinquish the land back to Club Med. In fact, some islanders have moved into some of the old bungalows and taken them for their homes! That leaves the Bora Bora location, which is sumptuous to say the least. It attracts a slightly less active clientele than the Moorea campus did, but for my money, it's prettier. Speaking of Club Med, you can often get a really good deal for stays there if you don't book ahead. When you get off your international flight in Papeete, head into the city center. On the main road facing the harbor, there's a Club Med office. Pop in and ask if there are any last-minute deals. Resort occupancy throughout the islands has been pitifully low lately, and so you can almost always score a deal for around $80 a day (or under half the published price), including all food, drink, and sports, plus transportation to and from Bora Bora from Papeete. It's a risk that the Club Med will be full, but chances are you won't be sorry.

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Raleigh, NC: I am trying to decide between Moorea and Huahine - recommendations? And, should I get a car or mini-car?

Jason Cochran: Moorea has the laid-back resorts and the inland hiking, and Huahine has miles of truly empty beaches and a lost-in-the-Pacific vibe. I also love that Huahine has some unexpected oddities, such as an inland village with a freshwater stream populated by a team of giant eels! As for the car--definitely get one. Since distances are not great and the roads are generally flat, it doesn't matter what kind you rent (unless you plan off-road driving), but if you want to fan out and explore the many empty beaches, you'll need wheels. (Learn to drive a stick if you don't already know how--manual rentals are much cheaper than automatic ones!)

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San Diego, CA: Thanks for the subject! I read your article this morning on the various family-run hotel options on the several isles. My question is mosquitos. I didn't see mosquito netting over the beds. Are we destined to be eaten alive when we sleep at these places (or any of the hotels/resorts in Tahiti) or do the rooms provide any protection?

Jason Cochran: Yes, all the hotels, including the ones I describe, will give you the tools you need, whether that means coils, electic repellant, netting, screens, or just windows and doors that shut tight. Bring a little repellant with DEET in it, and that should take care of everything. (I was barely bitten myself when I was researching that story.)

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Atlanta, GA: My husband and I just got married and are planning to take our honeymoon this November. It has always been a dream of mine to stay in one of those over-the-water bungalows with breathtaking views and a lot of peace and quite. There are so many in the French Polynesian to choose from. Which resort offers the best deal (we were focusing a week either in Bora Bora or Moorea) with a good deal of seclusion. Thanks!

Jason Cochran: The least expensive overwater bungalows that I have found are at the Club Bali Hai, on the northern coast of Moorea. They're still around $250 a night, so I wouldn't call them cheap, but that's half as much as the bungalows at many other properties such as the Sheraton. It's on a deepwater bay with a stunning view of the jagged mountains beyond. As a rule, anything on Bora Bora is going to cost you top dollar, even if the quality isn't top drawer. Also look into a somewhat new Moorea Pearl Resort, on the north coast. It faces the open ocean on a huge lagoon. Its prices are creeping into the stratosphere, but compared to its competition, it's a better value. (Keep in mind, by the way, that overwater bungalows are increasingly despised by locals, since they're so bad for the environment.) I would avoid the Sofitel on Moorea, since it has seen better days.

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San Francisco, CA: We're returning to FP for the 3rd time in December. What are your recommendations for best cheap (but memorable) restaurants on Moorea? Thanks.

Jason Cochran: My favorite is Mahagony, on the northeast coast of the island. Its escargot blew my mind and they have a creme brulee to die for! It's not far from several of the big resorts, including the Pearl, the Beachcomber, the Sofitel--and the gorgeous place on the cover of this month's Budget Travel, La Baie de Nuarei.

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Pittsburgh, PA: Why don't you include Bora Bora as one of your top sites in French Polynesia? I was just at Tahiti and didn't think it was so great.

Jason Cochran: Bora Bora is great, but it is overpriced and it's generally booked by package tourists who don't want or need help in finding family-owned pensions. There are few private accommodations there. Tahiti island, on the other hand, is the first place every visitor from North America will first touch down, and depending on their flight timings, they may have to spend a day or two there. It's also the best place to learn about modern Polynesian culture, since the big museums and markets are located there. The area near the city is not too appealing, but if you go to the "back end" of the island, far from the urban sprawl, the beaches and hiking are quite rewarding.

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Jason Cochran: Looks like that's all (s)he wrote! I'm out of time, but thanks to the past hour, I'm in a Tahitian state of mind! Thanks for some great questions--I hope everyone who asked one gets a chance to visit these beautiful islands someday soon.