Being a Four Seasons affectionado I always look forward to reading their newsletter when it pings into my mailbox. But it was about two years I saw a picture that took my breath away and immediately forwarded the email to Mr Silver.
‘OMG, check out the Four Seasons Bora Bora, it’s stunning,’
Admittedly I wasn’t sure where Bora Bora was, but a quick google told me that Bora Bora was one of the Society Islands which make up the various island groups of French Polynesia. It’s also in the middle of nowhere, halfway between South America and Australia. Next question, can I use my British Airways Air miles to get me there? No, BA don’t fly there. I’d have to go to Los Angeles and then fly with Air Tahiti Nui to get to Tahiti, the largest and most populous of the Society Islands, and from there get another flight to Bora Bora.
This was proving a long journey. And an expensive one. Maybe this is one for the honeymoon. Of course at this time myself and Mr S weren’t even engaged, but a girl can dream can’t she? 😉
Anyway, once we were engaged, there was clearly no doubt in my mind about where we would be going for honeymoon. The journey was a long one, from LA it was an eight and a half hour flight to Papeete in Tahiti, a three hour wait in the airport, another 40 minutes flight and then a 20 minute boat ride. But it was all worth for the view we saw when we arrived.
My predictions were confirmed; Bora Bora was the most beautiful place I’d ever visited. From the Four Seasons we had a perfect view of the majestic extinct volcano Mount Otemanu.
The water and the sky were so blue and made the perfect back drop to the imposing mountain.
For me the idea of going on honeymoon also somehow involved those beautiful over water villas that have become associated with the Maldives and I had always dreamt of staying in such a paradise place. Bora Bora is surrounded by a placid lagoon and a barrier reef, which is why it is possible to construct these bungalows directly in the water.
Our room was right at the very end of the jetty so we had a totally unobstructed view of the lagoon and absolute privacy. The hotel has around 100 villas but when you are in your own little sanctuary it feels like you are on a private island!
The bedroom was sizeable, light and bright and when we woke up we had a view directly across the lagoon before our eyes.
There was a huge soaking tub for honeymooners to luxuriate in, drinking champagne while admiring the view.
The large living room area was the perfect place to relax…
Or to blog…Ooopps caught blogging!!
And it led directly out on to our deck with loungers for two!
Mr S loves the ocean, and for him it was heaven to be able to dive directly in.
Whereas I’m happy to relax and enjoy the view without getting my hair wet 😉
Glass panels in the floor allowed us to peer down into the ocean.
If you do venture out of the room there’s plenty to enjoy…
The beautiful wave shaped pool was fringed with palm trees and looked directly over the ocean. Waiters circulated with frozen sweet treats and regularly topped up our iced water.
A beautiful beach was just steps away.
The hotel offers the opportunity for snorkelling, scuba diving, wind surfing and paddle boarding. And adventurous ocean lovers like Mr S can choose to take a jet ski tour.
Whereas people like me can sit by the pool drinking cocktails!
In the evening the hotel’s Sunset Bar was the perfect place to start the night.
They serve cocktails as big as your head and delicious sushi and other Asian dishes.
The are two main restaurants in the hotel, Tere Nui and Ari Moana. Breakfast is served in the former but we chose to have it in the room most days so that we could relax and enjoy a quiet morning together, whilst admiring our beautiful view.
For lunch we had the choice of dining at Tere Nui or the Fare Hoa Beach Bar.
Or enjoy the perfect sanctuary of our room.
And for dinner the fine dining restaurant, Ari Moana provided a fusion of Polynesian and French fare.
While we were there the other restaurants were open on varying nights for dinner presenting Polynesian buffets or beach barbecues.
The setting was totally beautiful but, unfortunately the food didn’t quite live up to my expectations. The fish was a little over-cooked and meat was often burnt on the outside. The national dish of French Polynesia is poisson cru, a twist on ceviche, it is raw tuna marinated in lime juice and coconut milk, it was this and the other raw dishes that were the stars of the show at hotel. Plus the breakfast of fresh tropical fruits were perfect!
During dinner we were also entertained by fabulous Polynesian fire dances and witnessed locals twirling, juggling and swinging fire, as well eating it and fire breathing!
If you fancy dinner away from the resort, one of the best options is Bloody Mary’s. The Kardashian’s went there when they stayed in Bora Bora and if it’s good enough for Kim…
Actually a whole host of celebrities’ feet have touched the sandy floor the the tiki restaurant.
The restaurant feels like a beach shack
And you perch on wobbly tree trunk like stool as you sip their signature cocktail…
Or if you’re less brave, a glass of house wine!
You can then select your own meat or fish from the counter.
More classic choices such as tuna and steaks were available but there were also local specialities such as mahi mahi and angelfish all cured in different marinades.
I preferred the preparation of the fish at Bloody Mary’s to how it was served at the hotel and I would definitely recommend a trip out there. A word of warning though, it does take an hour to get there, but it is worth it!
I hope you enjoyed reading about my time in Bora Bora, my next post will recall a gorgeous sunset cruise that we took during our stay on the island…
Bora Bora was my dream honeymoon location, what’s yours?
