Tahiti and Bora Bora

[hog 1]

Anybody been to Tahiti and the Islands, thinking Bora Bora specifically?
I'm Singapore based so not too far to fly but the only shortish routes from here look like SNG-SYDney-PFT Papeete.
Suggestions welcome.

[willmcc]

Sydney probably the best way to get there but dear God it is the most expensive place on earth. Stunning to look at though.

[LD1Racing]

Bora Bora is stunning, no where else quite like it on earth, but obviously not cheap. I've been there a couple of times, and also to Papeete, which is nice but just not quite as special. Planning on going back next year for my honeymoon. Getting there from Singapore shouldn't be too much of a headache though, either via Sydney or Air NZ from Auckland.

[Fezant Pluckah]

(Whoops, PH said I had duplicated the post, and when I came to delete it, it deleted both posts. Sorry)

I own a travel company and we arrange holidays to Tahiti.

As willmcc says, it is very expensive, and that applies for just about anywhere in French Polyfilla, but particularly Bora Bora.

If you want to go to Bora Bora the best hotels to stay at are on the motus (low lying coral islands) that surround the main island. This way you can look back across the lagoon to the main island. On the main island it is hard to look back up to the mountains (Pahia & Otemanu). Also, the main island is ringed by a road and this passes close to (and in some cases straight through the middle of!) most of the hotels.

My favourite hotel on Bora Bora is the Pearl Beach. It is on one of the motus and also offers a free boat shuttle service to the main island if you want to go and eat out. The Pearl Beach has overwater bungalows if you want to stay in one, but in my opinion the beach suites are the nicest rooms. They have a little private walled garden at the back with open air bathroom & plunge pool. They stetch along a secion of the resort's beach that hardly anyone ever goes to, so you feel much more private.

Here's a photo of the resort:



Here's a beach suite interior:



and the garden & bathroom:



While Bora Bora is a beautiful island there are some other islands that are worth considering, such as Huahine (also in the Society islands) and Nuku Hiva and Hiva Oa in the Marquesas (though the Marquesas are remote and expensive to get to).

Huahine has a really nice "cheap" (!) hotel called Relais Mahana that offers excellent value for money compared to most of the others.

In my opionion perhaps the best hotel in French Polyfilla is on Taha'a. It's part of the Pearl Resort's chain but is now called Le Taha'a Private Island and Spa.

Here's a piccie:



BUT, it is darned expensive. Its price makes Bora Bora look like Butlins.

If you like scuba diving then I would also spend a few days in the Tuamotus, specifically on Fakarava Atoll, wher there is a really good hotel called Le Maitai Dream. It does not have overwater bungalows, but is in a really spectacular setting, close to Tehere Pass, which is in my opinion the best pass in the Tuamotus for diving in that you can access from a resort. (There are other passes that are better, but you can't get to them from a resort, only on a liveaboard dive boat).

If you live in Singapore then your only real bet would be to fly with Singapore Airlines via Sydney and then on to Papeete with Qantas or Air Tahiti Nui. Air New Zealand do not fly to Singapore so you would have to pop up to Hong Kong to catch a flight to Auckland and then on from there to Papeete.

Feel free to email me through my profile if you want any more advice!

Hope this has been of help!
Jim

[hog 1]

Cheers Guys & especially Jim for the write-up.
I can feel the Gold Amex going into melt-down as we speak!
Flight times via Aukland look best bet.
Just got to finish construction of two oil platforms and I'm a gone sonofabh.
Because of my gazillion points accrued in Eurpoean Sheraton's and St.Regis in Sing, I was aiming to stay at the St.Regis on Bora Bora. I love this hotel chain even though the breakfasts are not exactly 'The Full English'!
Won't be packing my laptop but watch this space.

[Fezant Pluckah]

The St Regis is VERY nice indeed!

If you get the chance while you are there, pop over to the main island and have dinner at Bloody Mary's. It's got a great atmosphere and the nosh is excellent too.

[dan1981]

Not been to Bora Bora but have been to the paupers island or Moreea, (i was backpacking) and by god it is expensive.

But its also stunningly gorgeous.

I can only imagine how Bora Bora compares.

[snotsnfarts]

Stayed here after wondering in and payin $80 a night, all the guests of the other $500 a night hotels kept on nipping in because this hotel has all the facility's that lots of the outlying ones don't,

http://www.accorhotels.com/gb/hotel-5737-novotel-b...

[theaxe]

I went last year. We did a few night in Tahiti to get used to the timezone before heading to BoraBora. I'm a fan of the Intercontinental Priority club so we stayed the ICs in Tahiti and BoraBora (Thalasso Spa).

It's wonderful but food is VERY expensive. We spent £30 a day (each) on breakfast alone.

My top tip is to book a table at Villa Mahana on the main island, you have to book a few month in advance though.

Edited by theaxe on Thursday 9th April 12:10

[oyster]

Fezant Pluckah said:

amazing holiday stuff

So just for planning's sake, how much does it cost to stay in the Pearl place in an overwater bungalow?

[theaxe]

oyster said:

Fezant Pluckah said:

amazing holiday stuff

So just for planning's sake, how much does it cost to stay in the Pearl place in an overwater bungalow?

Something like $700-800 per night at the height of summer which is towards the lower end of the scale.

[Fezant Pluckah]

oyster said:

Fezant Pluckah said:

amazing holiday stuff

So just for planning's sake, how much does it cost to stay in the Pearl place in an overwater bungalow?

I'll dig out a "special" rate and get back to you

[Fezant Pluckah]

Oyster. Here are some rates for you for the Bora Bora Pearl Beach Resort.

Prices are per person per night and include continental breakfast.

HIGH SEASON: 01 June - 31 October 2009
Garden Pool Suite:
Single: £445 Twin: £225 Triple: £185
Beach Suite with Jacuzzi:
Single: £480 Twin: £240 Triple: £200
Overwater Bungalow:
Single: £510 Twin: £255 Triple: £205
Premium Overwater Bungalow:
Single: £550 Twin: £275 Triple: £220

LOW SEASON: 01 January - 31 May & 01 November - 31 December 2009
Garden Pool Suite:
Single: £415 Twin: £205 Triple: £175
Beach Suite with Jacuzzi:
Single £450 Twin: £225 Triple: £185
Overwater Bungalow:
Single: £475 Twin: £240 Triple: £195
Premium Overwater Bungalow:
Single: £515 Twin: £260 Triple: £210

Communal bed tax: 1.26 euros per person per night, payable locally!

Return airport transfers: £50

01 April 2009 - 31 March 2010, stay 6 nights pay 5, stay 12 nights, pay 10 etc etc
01 April 2009 - 31 March 2010, for honeymooners, the bride gets a 15% discount on accommodation, a bottle of champagne and a black pearl! (Lucky you!)

Domestic flight Papeete - Bora Bora - Papeete:
LOW SEASON: 12 January - 31 March & 01 November - 11 December 2009: £270
MID SEASON: 01 April - 31 May 2009: £295
HIGH SEASON: 01 - 11 January, 01 June - 31 October & 12 - 31 December 2009: £325

Airfares would be different if you did a multi centred holiday, but the above rates would apply if you were to do just Bora Bora.

I don't have 2009 rack rates ("book direct rates") for the resort, but as an indication, a premium overwater bungalow high season in 2008 was £380 pp in twin share - compared with the rate above at £275, you can see it is quite a saving!

Hope they're of some interest!

Cheers
Jim

Edited by Fezant Pluckah on Wednesday 15th April 09:34

Edited by Fezant Pluckah on Wednesday 15th April 10:35

[oyster]

Fezant Pluckah said:

Oyster. Here are some rates for you for the Bora Bora Pearl Beach Resort.

Prices are per person per night and include continental breakfast.

HIGH SEASON: 01 June - 31 October 2009
Garden Pool Suite:
Single: £445 Twin: £225 Triple: £185
Beach Suite with Jacuzzi:
Single: £480 Twin: £240 Triple: £200
Overwater Bungalow:
Single: £510 Twin: £255 Triple: £205
Premium Overwater Bungalow:
Single: £550 Twin: £275 Triple: £220

LOW SEASON: 01 January - 31 May & 01 November - 31 December 2009
Garden Pool Suite:
Single: £415 Twin: £205 Triple: £175
Beach Suite with Jacuzzi:
Single £450 Twin: £225 Triple: £185
Overwater Bungalow:
Single: £475 Twin: £240 Triple: £195
Premium Overwater Bungalow:
Single: £515 Twin: £260 Triple: £210

Communal bed tax: 1.26 euros per person per night, payable locally!

Return airport transfers: £50

01 April 2009 - 31 March 2010, stay 6 nights pay 5, stay 12 nights, pay 10 etc etc
01 April 2009 - 31 March 2010, for honeymooners, the bride gets a 15% discount on accommodation, a bottle of champagne and a black pearl! (Lucky you!)

Domestic flight Papeete - Bora Bora - Papeete:
LOW SEASON: 12 January - 31 March & 01 November - 11 December 2009: £300
MID SEASON: 01 April - 31 May 2009: £330
HIGH SEASON: 01 - 11 January, 01 June - 31 October & 12 - 31 December 2009: £365

Airfares would be different if you did a multi centred holiday, but the above rates would apply if you were to do just Bora Bora.

I don't have 2009 rack rates ("book direct rates") for the resort, but as an indication, a premium overwater bungalow high season in 2008 was £380 pp in twin share - compared with the rate above at £275, you can see it is quite a saving!

Hope they're of some interest!

Cheers
Jim

Edited by Fezant Pluckah on Wednesday 15th April 09:34

Thanks for that detail. How do you get such a good discount off rack rates?

[Fezant Pluckah]

oyster said:

Thanks for that detail. How do you get such a good discount off rack rates?

Cos I is in the travel bizniz and have a contract with the resorts

ETA I've changed the domestic flight prices. They're now cheaper

Edited by Fezant Pluckah on Wednesday 15th April 10:35

[oyster]

Fezant Pluckah said:

oyster said:

Thanks for that detail. How do you get such a good discount off rack rates?

Cos I is in the travel bizniz and have a contract with the resorts

ETA I've changed the domestic flight prices. They're now cheaper

Edited by Fezant Pluckah on Wednesday 15th April 10:35

Do you have similar contracts for SE Asian beach resorts?

[Fezant Pluckah]

oyster said:

Fezant Pluckah said:

oyster said:

Thanks for that detail. How do you get such a good discount off rack rates?

Cos I is in the travel bizniz and have a contract with the resorts

ETA I've changed the domestic flight prices. They're now cheaper

Edited by Fezant Pluckah on Wednesday 15th April 10:35

Do you have similar contracts for SE Asian beach resorts?

Some, yes. Where are you looking to go?

[JRM]

I'd thoroughly recommend Moorea as well, it's a volcanic island which has plnety above the ocean, unlike Bora Bora and if you have Sheraton points SPG.com might have some good deals going.

I got 50% a few years back in one of the water bungalows, amazing place.

PLUS you can buy decent French wine reletively cheaply

[Merp]

I'm looking into wedding abroad in 2012. I've mainly been looking at St Lucia / Mauritius / Sandals but this little gem called Bora Bora was mentioned.

I'm looking at taking myself Fiancee an both families so 8 people in total for a week. Me and the Wife would then stay a further week or travel somewhere else for another couple of weeks.

Do these hotels operate all inclusive / half board? I've had a quick flick through the Four Seasons resort and everything looks fantastic and the room rates are suprisingly acceptable.

[Matt Harper]

Looks st - I'm sticking with Primrose Valley.