Bora Bora & Moorea - trip of a lifetime!
Written: May 10 '01 (Updated Jan 06 '03)
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Pros: Striking turquoise lagoons, Absolutely paradise
Cons: Expensive
The Bottom Line: Bora Bora and Moorea was the best trip of my life. If you can get to this paradise, do it!
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| yaelcow's Full Review: Tahiti and French Polynesia |
We went to Bora Bora and Moorea from 4/20/01 to 4/28/01. It was the best trip of my life!
Tahiti really appeals to all of your senses - the warm tropical breezes, the colorful and scented flowers, the sweet juicy fruits, the warm sun, the ocean sounds, the colors of the lagoon, dramatic mountains, motus (small islands) covered in palm trees, sea life, Tahitian music...and it feels like you’re in the middle of nowhere – it’s not crowded like Hawaii.
We flew Air France, which was delayed a couple of hours (common occurrence since the flights come in from Paris), but the flight wasn’t full and everything was great. We landed in Faaa Int'l airport at 6am and were welcomed by a Tahitian quartet and Tahitian gardenias and a lei. (We did Pleasant Tahitian which provided all transfers and lei greetings.) Our flight to Bora Bora took about 30 minutes during which we got amazing aerial views of Moorea and Bora Bora. (sit on the left side of the plane if you have a direct flight) We landed at the tiny airport and looked out at the blues of the lagoon - they really were colors you haven't seen water be before - striking turquoises.
We stayed at the Pearl Beach Resort and the hotel took us there by boat - the overwater bungalows stretching into the lagoon from our own private motu! The overwater bungalows were over about 3 feet of the lightest blue shimmering water you have ever seen. I use "hotel" lightly since there are no buildings - only bungalows and thatched roofs with no walls for the reception and restaurants! We arrived at the hotel around 11am and had to wait until 1 for our room. We had lunch and booked activities during this time. Everything is very easy – you just tell Françoise where you want to eat (5 restaurants to choose from or make reservations for the hotel restaurant) and what you want to do from the “menu” of activities. The Pearl Beach has contracts with certain companies, which were all GREAT, so all the reading I did ahead of time to choose companies wasn’t needed.
We had booked a premium overwater bungalow but were still surprised when we were given the best one at the hotel - #35 – which is the last one in the middle row! The room was beautiful – very new – large and airy. The deck was large with chairs and a little table, shower, and ladder right into the water, which was like a swimming pool. We faced the island, which is a definite benefit of staying at a motu hotel (the new Sheraton they are building is on a motu, but does not face the island). There were fresh flowers around the room and Tahitian music playing from the hotel TV channel. The bathroom area was half the room with both a shower and a tub. Sitting out on the deck and jumping into the water was HEAVEN. At night, the bungalows have many lights that point into the water below so you can see fish swimming by and even an occasional ray! We got bread from dinner to feed the fish…
Everyday we woke up at 6am and went to sleep at 9pm – easy when you’re on CA time anyway! The weather the first two days wasn’t the greatest – it was warm, but cloudy and windy. The premium bungalows do get more wind than the rest. So the day trip on the catamaran we had planned (not many activities available on Sundays) was cancelled. We took the hotel’s outrigger out into the water for a while. The catamaran was available for the afternoon trip so Cristophe took us around a nearby motu and we stopped to snorkel as well. We had the entire catamaran to ourselves!!!
I loved getting ready for dinner - putting on a sundress and a flower in my hair. Men wear nice shorts and Hawaiian shirts. The restaurant is open and airy – French food and fresh fish. The food is great, but not excellent. Don’t miss the warm chocolate cake with Tahaa vanilla ice cream! Some nights, the restaurant has a show and you can make reservations to request a table that looks out onto the show.
The third day we took the 4x4 safari – it’s not for the lighthearted, but don’t miss it! The guide was hilarious, the views spectacular, and the drive thrilling. Our guide cut us fresh coconut, pineapple, and grapefruit – but the grapefruit wasn’t bitter and the pineapple wasn’t tart! Everything was so sweet and juicy! We asked to be left in Vaitape because I had to get pearls. The prices on most things were the same as in the hotel gift shop, but t-shirts and pareos were a bit cheaper. You won’t need more than an hour here. The hotel’s bus and boat took us back and we spent the afternoon in the water, in the freshwater pool, on our deck, etc… At night, there are more stars than you have EVER seen.
The fourth day we spent the entire day on the catamaran, this time with other people. We went around the island to the other side and stopped to snorkel with MANTA RAYS. We saw a 10 ft ray! This was the highlight of the trip! We then did drift snorkeling in the coral garden. A little boat takes you up the current and you drift down it. A great way to see the coral garden, a little scary since the coral comes up pretty high! Cristophe then made us a picnic on the boat and we went back to the hotel oh so slowly – watching the palm tree covered motus and impossibly turquoise waters go by.
That night we had made reservations to go to Bloody Mary’s to see what the fuss was all about. DO NOT GO TO BLOODY MARY’S! The service is slow, the food is so-so – and the kicker, we got sick from the food! I heard the Top Dive is great – try that instead.
Leaving Bora Bora was the hardest thing we had to do. We flew to Moorea, stopping in Huahine (sit on the right side the whole way). Albert Tours took us to the Sheraton – the newest hotel on the island. They greeted us with sparkling pineapple juice that is the best I’ve had in my life. We booked three activities and they had a discount for doing two of them – 4x4 safari and day boat/picnic trip around the island – together. We also booked the Tiki Village (more on these later)
This hotel was quite different from the Pearl Beach, and Moorea is quite different from Bora Bora. While Bora Bora's beauty comes from its peaceful, unbelievable lagoon, Moorea's beauty is in the island - the flowers and mountains, and in the snorkeling. In comparison to BB, Moorea feels touristy and crowded – which is ironic because it’s really empty compared to a place like Hawaii! The Sheraton (opened Oct 2000) feels more “corporate” and “heavy” than the Pearl Beach, but is an outstanding hotel. It is situated between the two bays in the best sunset watching spot on the island. The water is about 5 feet deep and filled with amazing coral (best snorkeling of my life!) and water life (we even saw an octopus changing colors to match the coral! You will see every fish in the book here). We had a premium overwater at this hotel as well, which I would say was only marginally better than the non-premium. Ask for rooms 109, 107, or 105 to get the best views. (We had 104, which didn’t face either bay) (The premium beach bungalows are half over the water) The rooms are large with great decks and we loved them here. We were close enough to the reef to hear the surf, which was nice. Not quite as charming as the Pearl Beach, but new and clean feeling. The Sheraton brought us a tropical flower arrangement, champagne, and fresh fruit!!!
The food at the Sheraton was better and more reasonably priced (Moorea is cheaper than BB). The best thing to do is order room service, which costs the same as the restaurant, and they bring a tablecloth out to your deck! Again, you have to make reservations to eat dinner at the hotel or at other places. (Side note: I actually needed a doctor because I woke up with a fat lower lip that morning. The hotel got a doctor to come to my room, he said it was a bug bite or allergy of some sort, gave me anti-histamines (bring Benadryl with you) and cream and the whole thing was only $50!)
The day boat trip around the island was INCREDIBLE! We stayed in the reef most of the time, but the two times we left the reef we saw dolphins – RIGHT NEXT TO our boat! One of the guys running the boat used to work with dolphins and knows how to find them. We saw spinner dolphins and rough toothed dolphins. We also saw surfers and rode their waves. The trip took us to a private motu where we had a picnic lunch (including a demonstration of Poisson-cru making) and petted sting rays! The guy running the trip had practically domesticated the sting rays (Julie, Judy, Bob, and others) and they come right up to you like puppies to be petted. We came back and took the hotel kayaks out for a spin.
The 4x4 ride the next day was good, but not as thrilling as the one on BB. You really could have seen most of the things it took you to on your own if you rented a car, but we didn’t want the hassle. If you want to buy any fruit related things (liqueurs, dried fruit, jam, etc) wait to do it on this trip. Our guide didn’t speak English that well, but there are great guides – so check around. We saw a pineapple plantation, agricultural school (with the best papaya/pineapple juice EVER), flower/vanilla farm, the Belvedere lookout, an ancient temple, a “waterfall”, and some great views. You do need good walking shoes (although we wore our water shoes and were just fine) for the waterfall – on BB you can wear flip-flops for the 4x4. That afternoon I took the hotel transfer to the “Petit Village” for shopping. An hour here is plenty – I got gifts for everyone at the best prices I saw.
We went to the Tiki Village on our last night and they were half an hour late picking us up and the show itself was mediocre (definitely don’t get the food there). If you have ever seen shows in Hawaii, this will pale in comparison. All the hotels have shows – you are better off seeing those.
The flight from Moorea to Tahiti (5 minutes) was on a 20-seater so take the boat if you are a nervous person. However, it’s only 5 minutes and takes WAY less time than the boat – up to you.
This was the best trip of my life! I can’t wait to go back! Please feel free to write me if you have any questions.
Activities: When you get to the hotel, ask to see what activities they have available and make reservations. We had the catamaran to ourselves but if we had waited, it might not have gone out at all. You will not miss sold-out trips and if trips are cancelled for some reason, you will be notified and able to book something else. (You can cancel with 24-hour notice) We booked all trips through our hotel, but on Moorea it would be very easy to get other companies to pick you up. For instance, the Sheraton didn’t have a deal with any shark-feeding trips yet and you might want to try another 4x4 company. On BB, don’t miss the day trip on the catamaran, shark feeding, and the 4x4. On Moorea, don’t miss the day boat trip with motu picnic.
Meal plans: If you can get a breakfast plan – go ahead. Continental breakfasts are about $20/person. For dinner, you may want to try other places, so perhaps don’t limit yourself unless you are only staying less than 3 nights. Make reservations a day in advance for non-hotel restaurants, same day for hotel. You can request tables near the shows, but you may be asked to dance! ;)
Trip order: We did BB first and then Moorea to avoid the extra night on Tahiti. Don’t worry about the “letdown” factor, especially if you are staying at the Sheraton on Moorea – because every time you switch islands you waste more time than you would think.
Paying: We only spent about $30 cash the entire week we were there. Nearly everything is chargeable. Make sure you bring VISA and not other cards. You can exchange $100 at Faaa just to feel good (you can always get more at your hotel). There are ATMs at Faaa, but my Wells Fargo card didn’t work there despite their assurances.
What to pack: PACK LIGHT. We saw couples with large suitcases for one week! We took carry on rollie-bags and backpacks, and still over packed! Bring two swimsuits, t-shirts/tank tops/pareos to wear over them, and flip-flops. That is what you will wear during the day. For dinner, women wear sundresses/casual skirts, men wear nice shorts and nice t-shirts (island shirts mostly). You will not need nice shoes, long pants, etc. I only had a pair of sandals, water shoes, and flip flops and I am one of those people with a closet full of shoes ;) Bring underwater cameras, medicines, sunscreen, film/batteries, and a hat and you are set!
Insect Repellant: If you are prone to mosquito bites, bring Off! for the 4x4 trips/garden bungalows. My boyfriend never gets bitten and didn’t get bitten there either. I always get bitten at home and got just a few bites when not wearing repellant. There are no bugs in the overwaters.
Choosing hotels: There are a few hotel classes: home stays, motels, low end (club med, mai tai), lower upper end (pearl beach), insanely expensive (hotel bb). The difference between the low end and the next step is big, but the step between the upper level hotels is smaller. I wanted an incredible place, but didn’t want to spend $800/night, so I chose the Pearl Beach. Moorea is cheaper and everyone said the Sheraton is worth the money, and it was. I am still deciding whether it is better to get a better room at a worse hotel or vice versa, but I lean toward staying at the best hotel you can afford and taking any room there. If you can afford to stay in an overwater for only 1 night, do it! I loved both hotels even after seeing others by boat. Although I think many people feel this way about their hotels ;)
Air France: I highly recommend them. Expect 1-2 hour delay leaving LAX.
Who was there: Most people were couples – many 30ish honeymooners, many 40 couples. There were some families with young children as well. This isn’t a great place for traveling alone or with friends, or for traveling on a tight budget (we spent about $1000/day!!)
Bottom line: After one year of constant reading, worrying, talking to people online, etc, the second I landed and felt the warm breeze – I forgot about everything and gave in to the slow, incredible island days.
My Tahiti reviews:
Rangiroa: http://www.epinions.com/content_77153865348
Huahine: http://www.epinions.com/content_77156421252
See also: Reviews by LordBalfor, Twunschl, Kboo
Recommended:
Yes
Best Suited For: Couples
Best Time to Travel Here: Jun - Aug
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Epinions.com ID:
yaelcow
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Member: Yael
Location: San Francisco Bay Area, CA
Reviews written: 5
Trusted by: 3 members
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