Mary Beth Preston's Trip to Tahiti
Saturday April 19-Departed Los Angeles on Air Tahiti Nui at 1 pm to Papeete. Check-in was easy and security and X-ray line were quick. We took a bus from the terminal to the aircraft. Flight time was 8 ½ hours with individual video entertainment. Immigration and customs in Papeete were very slow and signage for lines was poorly marked. We were welcomed in baggage claim with a beautiful flower lei. After an easy check-in and welcome drink at the InterContinental Tahiti we were treated to dinner and a "Bounty Night" performance. This was a reenactment of the love story between Fletcher Christian and Maimiti, daughter of King Iti Iti. It was performed by the award-winning Les Grands Ballets de Tahiti. This ballet troupe travels around the world, and the performance was spectacular. The InterContinental Tahiti is a 5 star and one of the top resorts on the island. We stayed in a panoramic room with a view of the lagoon and the Sea of Moons looking toward Moorea.
Sunday April 20-Breakfast at the Tiare Restaurant and a site inspection. Mid-morning flight to Moorea in a 19 passenger twin otter. There wasn't any security at either airport. Ferry service is offered between islands and it takes 30 minutes, whereas the flight is only 10 minutes. Transportation to the hotel was by bus to the other side of the island, approximately 20 miles. Upon arrival at the InterContinental Moorea Resort and Spa we were again treated to an island drink and a flower lei. We were then escorted to our overwater bungalows. We had a bedroom, sitting room, bath and private deck where we could descend the ladder to stand in the lagoon and view the fish. Mid afternoon we met at the Moorea Dolphin Center. The Dolphin Experience was 1 hour where we went to the lagoon for an interactive dolphin experience. We had hands-on contact, education, fun and adventure. Dinner that evening was on our own at 1 of 2 restaurants at the property.
Monday April 21-Breakfast was on our own before touring the Helene Spa prior to our treatment. All the treatments and massage therapies are based on fresh plants, flowers and fruits of Tahiti. You can enjoy a fresh flower bath or river bath in the private gardens. The afternoon was at leisure for sunbathing, snorkeling or other water sports. Dinner was hosted by the hotel's general manager. We were treated to a folkloric dance show where we were all given flower crowns and baskets woven by the islanders.
Tuesday April 22-Morning was at leisure and lunch with the hotel manager prior to check-out. The flight to Bora Bora was 50 minutes, on a 48-passenger twin otter, again no security at the airport. We were transferred by shuttle boat to the InterContinental Bora Bora Le Moana Resort where we were again treated to overwater bungalows. Our bungalows had glass-topped coffee tables for lagoon viewing. They were recently renovated and featured a living room, bedroom and a bathroom and dressing area. They had split-level sun terraces with stairs into the lagoon and a shower on the lower terrace. Dinner this evening was on our own.
Wednesday April 23-The entire day was at leisure to enjoy the water activities. In the afternoon we took a taxi to Vaitape for local shopping and dinner at Bloody Mary's. This is where the cruise ships tender in so there are many souvenir shops and a small market.
Thursday April 24-After breakfast we took a 15-minute shuttle boat to the InterContinental Bora Bora Resort and Thalasso Spa. This resort is located on Motu Piti Aau and is the newest five-star resort on Bora Bora. Here we had a Diamond overwater villa with an extraordinary view to Mount Otemanu and the lagoon. They are very roomy and again have a split-level terrace and the sundeck where you step into the warm lagoon. After lunch we had a site inspection of the resort including their Sea Water Air Conditioning System exhibit. They have deployed a 7,874 foot pipe to a depth of 3,000 feet off the reef of Bora Bora. The pipe pumps ice-cold, deep sea water through a titanium heat exchanger, transferring the cold into the fresh water circuit that then powers the air conditioning throughout the hotel. This system saves 90 percent of the hotel's electricity consumption for air conditioning. The rest of the day was at leisure.
Friday April 25-We had a shark viewing and sting ray feeding excursion. The water was shallow and the Black Tip Reef Sharks gathered around the boat where you could see the tip of their fins above the water. We also swam with the sting rays as the glided against our legs. Upon our return we were treated to a spa treatment at the Thalasso Spa. They offer daily treatments or a full customized weekly regime. The spa uses mineral-rich deep seawater in their signature treatments. The evening meal was hosted by the hotel's general manager.
Saturday April 26-The day was at leisure to soak up more sun before taking the shuttle boat to the Bora Bora airport. There we boarded our Air Tahiti flight to Papeete. Check-in at the Papeete airport took 90 minutes, with passport control and security taking another 20 minutes. You should allow at least 3 hours for check-in especially if you want to enjoy the shops at the airport for last-minute purchases. Again the food and service on Air Tahiti Nui was not good for the overnight flight back to LAX. Upon our arrival in LA everything went smoothly. We had our luggage and cleared customs within 30 minutes. I was very impressed at how easy it was.
Overview
I would suggest considering a visit to Tahiti on a cruise as it is very expensive. If you book a land package, try to add the meal plan. A continental breakfast was $42, a hamburger and fries was $25, and most dinners were $70-$80 without drinks or dessert. It is a beautiful destination but primarily of interest if you enjoy water activities.