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 by
Mitchell Sacharoff
MSMITCHYMO@aol.com
Bora
Bora - Paradise On Earth
So you love Hawaii. You have been there, done that, and are looking for
something more exotic but still luxurious, then Bora Bora is the place
for you.
Bora Bora's stunning over the water bungalows that are rare throughout
the globe feature glass bottom tables that encourage you to feed the
colorful tropical fish while lounging from your bed.
When the sun hits the shallow Bora Bora lagoon the water takes on a
bright aqua color that is so beautiful it doesn’t seem real. Most people
are surprised to find out Tahiti is only an eight hour flight from L..A.
Take the overnight flight and you wake up in Paradise. Then it is a
short 45 minute flight from the capital of Tahiti to Bora Bora. So after
years of dreaming, I took the plunge, called my friend Stephanie, who
happens to be a gorgeous model, and said pack your bag, we are going to
Bora Bora.
Upon arrival at the Bora Bora airport, a hotel employee is there with a
boat to whisk you off on a short ride. Our Hotel Bora Bora Nui is
located on a small motu, with its volcanic cliff and white sand beach.
Talk about unique! Five minutes later we were pulling up to the front
desk which sits on a dock over the water. There is a basket of bread to
feed the hundreds of tropical fish below while you check in.
As an avid snorkel nut, I knew this was the magical trip I dreamed of.
Minutes later, we settled into our air conditioned bungalow, with a
living room and separate bedroom, private deck where you can sunbath
naked if you like. Remember, this is French Polynesia. A ladder on your
deck leads to the underwater paradise. And yes, there are 2 TVs, a
bedroom and a living room, with English speaking stations, DVD player
and free movie DVDs at the front desk.
I loved how every bungalow has two sets of fins, masks and snorkels
sitting in the closet. Within minutes of unpacking Stephanie and I
slipped off our deck and were swimming with dozens of yellow butterfly
fish and multi colored parrot and trigger fish. Bring bread, and they
will eat out of your hand and follow you as you explore this underwater
tropical paradise.
One afternoon, I was sunning on our deck with Hinano (Tahitian beer) in
hand when I spot a fin breaking the surface, not 10 feet away. Suddenly,
there are 5 spotted eagle rays (harmless, I promise) slicing thru the
water, which leads me to one of the most magical adventures in Tahiti,
the reef shark and stingray feeding/snorkel trip.
I recommend The Lagoonarium excursion (your hotel will book them for
you). You leave your hotel at 8 AM for a 10 minute boat ride to town
where the lagoonarium van will take you to their boat. A short ride
later, you and a dozen others, are standing in 4 feet deep water out in
the middle of the lagoon, side by side, holding on to an anchored rope.
Wearing your mask and snorkel, you watch your guide also in the water
just feet away throwing chunks of fish. Soon a dozen rays and several 4
foot black tip reef sharks are feeding.
Now, before you panic, these guides feed the sharks everyday at 9 am and
the sharks never attack anyone, but it is scary and exciting at the same
time. You won't find this experience in Hawaii. Then it is back on the
boat and off to an amazing snorkel spot. When the bread hits the water,
hundreds of colorful reef fish appear like a rainbow. Then its back on
the boat and off to the lagoonarium, which is on a small motu, with a
wire fence cutting off part of the lagoon, 30 feet wide, 2 to 5 feet
deep.
In The Lagoonarium you can observe turtles and a 8 foot yellow/brown
moray eel that your guide will play with. In another fenced off area you
can swim with very tame 6 foot lemon sharks and 4 foot black tip reef
sharks. This whole morning adventure has been filmed with you as the
star, and you can buy the DVD, which will be delivered to your hotel
within hours.
Back at the Bora Bora Nui by 1 PM, Stephanie and I are animated and
discussing our exciting morning while lunching at the Tamure grill, just
feet from the beach and infinity swimming pool where we had the best
mahi mahi burgers and French fries.
The tuna sandwich and salads were very good, but we flipped over the
mahi mahi and had those burgers for lunch almost everyday. The Tamure is
also your casual dinner restaurant; the fresh fish is fantastic. Once a
week there is a huge buffet and Tahitian dance show, a must to
experience.
For something more upscale, the Nui has the elegant Iriatai restaurant.
Any of the local fish dishes are amazing with a French hand in the
sauces. The desserts are to die for. The chocolate cakes and fondue and
vanilla crème with berries were amazing.
The staff at the restaurant and hotel are warm and very helpful. In no
time you learn to say welcome, ia orana (ur-on-a) and thank you,
mauruuru (mar-roo-roo), because everyone there says it to you all day
long.
Many nights we found ourselves shooting pool and sipping tropical
drinks. Stephanie loved the 24-hour business center with free internet.
The Mandara Spa perched atop the volcanic cliff, which allows for a 360%
view of Bora Bora and our hotel below, where we had a 50-minute two
person massage.
You never have to leave the hotel. Between the pool and ocean, jet ski
tour of the island, kayaking, wind sail, scuba diving excursions, the
Nui even has its own boat that will take you on a free hour long snorkel
to the reef just minutes away. Ask the pool boys and they will bring you
plates of fresh fruit and cups of sorbet, all on the house.
After 5 glorious days we headed to the Bora Bora Pearl Beach Resort and
Spa for 2 more nights in paradise. The Pearl also has wonderful over the
water bungalows, slightly smaller since there is no separate living
room. But the Pearl is located on its own Motu, the only private island
resort in Bora Bora with 70 species of fish living under the bungalows.
The Pearl Manea Spa was magical. We did the 30-minute massage for two.
You pick out your own massage oil, vanilla, grapefruit, or
coconut/banana to name a few. The Pearl has two wonderful restaurants,
although the meat and chicken are very good the fish is exquisite.
Once a week the Tahitian dance show comes here as well. We loved doing
shots at the bar and pool table room was cozy. One late night we went
back to our bungalow and did a midnight skinny dip/snorkel just to say
we did and enjoyed our outdoor warm water deck shower.
Whatever romantic adventure you can dream up you can do in Bora Bora.
The other excursion you must take is a private shark and stingray
feeding/barbecue run by Remy Pujol (ph 72 93 39). Any hotel will book it
for you. They pick you up in their boat. A rather cautious Stephanie was
talked into the water by Mrs. Pujol only to be surrounded and pet a
dozen ocean stingray. Stephanie had enough of the sharks from our first
excursion, but after a short boat ride we snorkeled with hundreds of
tropical fish feeding bread while Remy sat on the boat playing his
ukulele and singing Tahitian songs. Next, they took us to a deserted
motu and barbecued the best chicken and salad I ever had, but that was
just the beginning, then steak, followed by tuna steak, with rice with
corn, and of course some Hinano beer or French wine, we love the beer,
(man-uya) cheers in Tahitian.
We didn’t leave the Pearl till 5:30 PM for the boat to the airport. It
was the end of 8 days and 7 nights of pure magic in paradise. We loved
both hotels, but keep in mind the dollar is not good right now overseas
so this unique first class trip will run you about 30% across the board
more than a trip to Hawaii. Like Hawaii, the rainy season is Dec. thru
Feb. But there are great values in the winter, discount rates and free
breakfast.
The flowers and plants are in full splendor. But there is nothing like
staying in an over water bungalow in Bora Bora. I dream of that aqua
lagoon almost every night and the warm welcome of ia orana. I only hope
to get back soon. You can book and read about both hotels at
www.starwood.com/tahiti
and
www.boraborapearlbeachresorts.com
Reservations can be made at:
Nuireservations.tahiti@sharaton.pf
salesusa@pearlresorts.com
www.starwood.com/tahiti
www.boraborapearlbeachresorts.com
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