The Real Deal: Round-trip airfare on Air Tahiti Nui to Papeete, six nights' accommodations, breakfast daily, hotel taxes, and airport-hotel transfers, from $1,198 per person—plus estimated airport taxes and fees of $85.
When: Aug. 12–Dec. 10, 2009.
Gateways: L.A.; add $405 for Houston; $450 for Chicago; $478 for Miami, New York City; additional cities are available.
The fine print: Airport taxes and fees are an additional $85 per person. Based on double occupancy; single supplement is $400. Read these before you book any Real Deal.
Book by: May 11, 2009.
Contact: Air Tahiti Nui, 877/824-4846, airtahitinui-usa.com.
To calculate the value of this Early Bird package, we did a quick search on Kayak for the cheapest airfares between L.A. and Papeete in mid-August. The lowest fare we found was $1,446, with taxes (Air Tahiti Nui). For $163 less than the cost of airfare, Air Tahiti Nui covers airfare as well as six nights' accommodations, breakfast daily, airport-hotel transfers, and all taxes. Also consider that this rate represents about 50 percent off Air Tahiti Nui's typical package price.
Lodging: Six nights in a superior room at the 121-room Manava Suite Resort Tahiti, which opened in March 2009. Add $135 per person for a garden studio and $460 per person for a one-bedroom suite. Guests can enjoy the lagoon-side infinity swimming pool (reportedly the largest of its kind on the entire island), as well as dine at the overwater restaurant.
More: No activities are included in the package, but you can choose from an array of optional tours, such as a full-day circle island tour ($89 per person), a half-day mountain safari ($99 per person), a sunset catamaran cruise ($159 per person), or a 20-minute helicopter tour ($309 per person). If you'd like to extend your stay, additional nights at the Manava start at $80 per person per night.
Before you go: For more information about the area, visit Tahiti's official tourism Web site.