u/Vandy214

A couple of times I posted on planning our French Polynesia on a budget, $6K per person and received a very mixed feedback. I have read all your comments and this is where I am at right now. 
We are set on French Polynesia. Not considering the Caribbean, Fiji or the Maldives. We haven't been to French Polynesia yet and are excited to go. We are relying on your comments as people who have visited there to let me know what I'm missing, doing wrong or how to save on this trip. 
Please look through my entire plan! Any advice that helps make your trip a little better and maybe cheaper!!! 

GAME PLAN
1. ORD → LAX : Round-trip flights from ORD to LAX are covered with Chase points for both of us.
2. LAX → PPT : I called Costco Travel and they were able to put together a package that I'm pretty happy with.
- The Costco package is just under $9,000 total and includes the LAX → PPT flights, transportation, and the other flights/transportation I'll need, and back to LAX.
- LAX → PPT round trip is about $1,200 per person ($2,400 total) and is included in the package.
3. PPT → Ferry :Costco Travel.
4. Ferry → Moorea: Costco Travel.
5. Arrive in Moorea:  7 nights (airbnb)

• What I’ve seen is that we can be picked up by the car rental place, like Alberts.
• I'm estimating around $1,000 for a 7-day rental, although that's a rough estimate.
• We'll get groceries at Champion or U, this way we can drive to all our place or make food at the airbnb
• The Airbnb I'm planning on staying around $4,000 for 7 nights, it's beachfront and has a pool.
• After 7 nights we'll return the rental car and head back to the Moorea airport.

6. Moorea → Bora Bora: This is where Costco comes back into the plan. We'd fly from Moorea to Bora Bora, included in the package.
7. Bora Bora for 3 nights: The Costco package I'm looking at includes 3 nights at the InterContinental in a bungalow, with breakfast and dinner included.
8. Bora Bora → PPT → LAX: Costco Travel would handle Bora Bora → PPT and then PPT → LAX.
9. LAX → ORD: Already covered with points.

 COST:  Costco package: LAX → PPT + ferry/transportation + Moorea → Bora Bora + 3 nights at InterContinental + Bora Bora → PPT + PPT → LAX:

Costco $9,000
Moorea Airbnb: $4,000 (or less)
Rental car: $1,000(or less)
Food/activities/misc.: $2,000

TOTAL: $16,000 - So roughly $8,000 per person for 10 nights.
I understand this is still quite pricey. I do not have any bookings done yet and these numbers are very rough, I am trying to sort out my errors before booking everything. 

Questions:
What would you change?
We want French Polynesia and are willing to spend where it matters, but we're trying to avoid wasting money just because it's a resort package.
Airbnb on Moorea + resort on Bora Bora, good idea? We want to explore Moorea with a car and splurge on an overwater bungalow in Bora Bora.

Planning our honeymoon in French Polynesia and trying to keep the cost reasonable. We’d like to stay 8+ and spend at least 2 nights in an overwater bungalow. Trying to stay around 6k USD per person.

Thinking about splitting time between Tahiti, Moorea, and Bora Bora, but Bora Bora gets insanely expensive. We really like the updated rooms at the Westin Bora Bora, but not sure if it’s worth the extra cost.

For those who’ve been, what gave you the best experience for your money? Stay mostly on Moorea and do 2–3 nights in Bora Bora, or splurge on an overwater bungalow in Moorea?

Also, has anyone booked through Costco Travel using Chase points, or is it better to book Costco and save the points for flights? We’d be flying out of Chicago.

If you had 8–10+ nights to do it again, what would you do?

Planning our honeymoon in French Polynesia and trying to keep the cost reasonable. We’d like to stay 8+ and spend at least 2 nights in an overwater bungalow. Trying to stay around 6k a person.

Thinking about splitting time between Tahiti, Moorea, and Bora Bora, but Bora Bora gets insanely expensive. We really like the updated rooms at the Westin Bora Bora, but not sure if it’s worth the extra cost.

For those who’ve been, what gave you the best experience for your money? Stay mostly on Moorea and do 2–3 nights in Bora Bora, or splurge on an overwater bungalow in Moorea?

Also, has anyone booked through Costco Travel using Chase points, or is it better to book Costco and save the points for flights? We’d be flying out of Chicago.

If you had 8–10+ nights to do it again, what would you do?

Getting married July 17, 2027 and planning to leave the following week. We’ve already done Greece (including the islands) and Cancun/Mexico, so we’re looking for something different.

We’re torn between Italy or finally doing the overwater bungalow honeymoon we’ve always wanted. Bora Bora looks incredible, but we just can’t justify $2–3k+ a night right after paying for a wedding.

Currently looking at Moorea or the Maldives and would probably stay ~6–8 nights. We’re leaning toward the bungalow experience of relaxing, snorkeling, swimming, basically doing nothing for a week.

Would you choose Moorea, Maldives, Italy or somewhere completely different? What’s the best honeymoon you’ve done/recommend?

Getting married July 17, 2027 and planning to leave the following week. We’ve already done Greece (including the islands) and Cancun/Mexico, so we’re looking for something different.

We’re torn between Italy or finally doing the overwater bungalow honeymoon we’ve always wanted. Bora Bora looks incredible, but we just can’t justify $2–3k+ a night right after paying for a wedding.

Currently looking at Moorea or the Maldives and would probably stay ~6–8 nights. We’re leaning toward the bungalow experience of relaxing, snorkeling, swimming, basically doing nothing for a week.

Would you choose Moorea, Maldives, Italy or somewhere completely different? What’s the best honeymoon you’ve done/recommend?

Bought my 2018 F-Pace 30t a few years ago. Just rolled over 100K miles. I do 6K-mile oil changes with Castrol and the body is still in great shape. Trying to keep her going for a long time.

Recently, the differential housing mounts snapped, so I found a Land Rover differential for $400, installed it with new fluid, and it’s been 6 months with no issues. Just did the spark plugs too. Had a small oil leak from a failed O-ring that I fixed.

Overall, it’s been a great car. Anything I should be looking out for or proactively replace at 100K+? Should I change the transfer case fluid?