Just booked flights over July 4th week for a first time visit, but I don't yet have any ideas on how many days to spend on each island, which hotels to stay and things to do. Will be there from Friday to the following Saturday, so I have 8 days / 8 nights to plan. I arrive in Papeete on Friday around 6 pm so should I stay one night in Papeete to ease the travel fatigue before heading to another island? It's a long way to go for only 8 days in country so I'm trying to balance a relaxing tropical vacation with hitting the must see locations as this may be my only time to visit. Any recommendations for good hotels, restaurants, bars, day cruises, etc are appreciated. This is a once in lifetime trip so I'm not too budget conscious, but I'm also not looking to burn money either.

We did a week on a catamaran that left from Raiatea, cruised around Taha'a, Bora Bora lagoon, and back to Raiatea. Spent a couple of days after boat on Moorea.
There is a huge food truck area in Papeete. Go to Bloody Mary's on Bora Bora. Flush the urinal there.

Following since our trip was canceled by the covidians a couple of years ago.

https://texags.com/forums/54/topics/3334117/replies/63452602

Some good recs here

https://www.instagram.com/zachhonig/

Zach Honig a travel writer went last year and stayed at Moorea and BB, then a day or two in Papeete, he has a good write up and recs in his instagram. I think the prevailing wisdom is not to spend much time on the big island at all.

I think one of the over water resorts in Moorea is your best bet. We took the Hydrofoil from Papeete to Moorea (about an hour IIRC). It doesn't run after dark if memory serves me correctly (water can get really choppy between the isles as it is the open deep blue South Pacific so don't take the slow boat unless you like that sort of thing); so you should stay in Papeete and take the first one over the next AM. We stayed at the Hilton (used points) and they picked us up at the Moorea ferry landing. Food and drinks are astronomically expensive as you are at the very dead azz end of the global supply chain. Just go in with that attitude.

Ferry schedule is here:

https://www.terevau.pf/en/home/