Greetings from French Polynesia!
As I write this, I in finding myself a ways from anyplace, on a tiny island in the course of the South Pacific Ocean. This a part of the sector has been a vacation spot that I’ve lengthy aspired to talk over with, and I will have to say it’s relatively surreal to after all be right here.
Whilst my go back adventure continues to be open-ended, I’ve controlled to attain some nice aspirational flights and remains in this very particular day trip, and right here’s the way it all got here in combination.
The Commute
As a few of you might know, 2023 is about to mark a significant milestone in my existence. I’ll be getting married this summer season, and my spouse Jessy and I’ve been busy making the entire vital preparations and making ready for the momentous instance.
The months main as much as the marriage will likely be very busy, and we’ve opted to front-load our travels to previous on within the yr, particularly to one of the most extra far-flung locations on our record.
Certainly, the original herbal wonderful thing about Bora Bora makes it a poster kid for aspirational trip, and a spot that has lengthy intrigued either one of us.
With azure-blue water, coral reefs, and the ever present Mount Otemanu towering within the background, there are lots of explanation why this position is referred to as a world-class romantic vacation spot.
After getting engaged within the Maldives 3 years in the past, it additionally appeared becoming that we’d come right here to Bora Bora for a “pre-honeymoon” as we get set to embark on a larger adventure in combination later in this yr.
As we spend time high quality time in combination in the course of the South Pacific Ocean, it’s every other stark reminder of the present of trip, in addition to the ability of Miles & Issues in unlocking some in point of fact unforgettable trip reports.
The Flights
As you’ll be able to believe, there isn’t a large number of selection in relation to direct flights from North The us to French Polynesia. To additional complicate issues, discovering a couple of seats in a top rate cabin on issues makes it much more tough, however no longer not possible.
To get right here, we redeemed 80,000 American Airways AAdvantage miles in step with individual to fly from Los Angeles to Papeete with Air Tahiti Nui in trade category. Availability in this specific path may also be laborious to return via, however I booked this day trip nearly a yr out and controlled to fasten within the seats.
For Jessy’s go back adventure to Vancouver, I booked her on an impressive, regardless that possibly lesser-known, Aeroplan candy spot that leverages the distance-based pricing of the “Between North The us and Pacific zones” chart.
For her flights from Papeete to Vancouver by means of San Francisco, I redeemed simply 53,400 Aeroplan issues, with the primary leg in United Polaris trade category and the second one in Air Canada’s regional trade category.
The flights measure 4,989 miles in distance flown, which is available in an excessively gratifying 11 miles wanting crossing over into the following distance band at 5,000 miles.
Once more, trade category flights in this path are quite tough to return via, however happily on this case, United dropped a large number of house at the Papeete–San Francisco path quite last-minute.
Whilst I had initially secured seats at the Air Tahiti Nui’s new Papeete–Seattle path for 80,000 American miles, I swapped it for the United routing the usage of a decrease quantity of Aeroplan issues as quickly because it become to be had.
Whilst Jessy is flying house to North The us, I’ve booked myself in Air Tahiti Nui top rate economic system from Papeete to Auckland for 25,000 American miles.
At simply 5 and a part hours lengthy, it’s in no way crucial to have a lie-flat seat in this flight, and I figured this can be an invaluable evaluation for any individual headed to Bora Bora in top rate economic system.
I’ll be proceeding my day trip onwards from New Zealand, with flights, motels, and trip plans to be shared in a separate replace.
The Lodges
As I discussed previous, that is very a lot a “pre-honeymoon”, because it’s a large aspirational day trip upfront of our wedding ceremony in the summertime.
(Did I simply make up the time period “pre-honeymoon”? Perhaps, however it sort of feels to have long past down neatly a few of the motels the place we’ll be celebrating. 😉)
Previous to catching our flight to French Polynesia, we’d spend an evening on the Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills, considered one of Los Angeles’s maximum aspirational motels and one of the vital best-possible makes use of of a Hilton Loose Night time Award.
Then, we’ll be spending a complete of 2 weeks in Bora Bora, divided up as follows.
Our first 5 nights are on the Conrad Bora Bora Nui, which I had booked nearly a yr out at a pre-devaluation fee of 89,000 Hilton Honors issues in step with evening.
We took good thing about the 5th Night time Loose receive advantages, and the keep totalled 356,000 issues, permitting me to after all redeem a large bite of the Hilton Honors issues I have been saving up for years.
(At the moment, the hotel prices 120,000 issues in step with evening, which is an important build up. Nonetheless, the 5th Night time Loose receive advantages may also be very useful in scoring the most efficient price when redeeming Hilton Honors issues right here.)
Issues redemptions guide into the base-level Lagoon View Suite, however I used to be upgraded to a King Seaside Pool Villa previous to arrival due to my Hilton Diamond standing from my Amex US Hilton Aspire Card.
In this day trip, we’re willing to take a look at out some seaside villas after experiencing a handful of overwater villas within the Maldives on earlier journeys. Nonetheless, I would possibly inquire about an additional improve to an overwater villa right here on the Conrad for one or two of the overall nights for some balanced reporting. 😉
After the Conrad, we’ll spend 3 days and two nights on the St. Regis Bora Bora. For this keep, I did a Money & Issues reserving for 120,000 Marriott Bonvoy issues + 40,000 XPF ($480 CAD) in step with evening for the St. Regis’s Beachside Villa.
Sadly, the hotel’s base-level Lawn View Villa wasn’t to be had on issues; on the other hand, this redemption additionally locks in our most well-liked room sort with none want for “suite-talking“. Actually, the Beachside Villa if truth be told seems to be a little bit higher than the Overwater Villas at this hotel, so I’m relatively proud of the end result.
We made up our minds to spend simply two days on the St. Regis as a result of, to be frank, the valuables seems to be somewhat bit old-fashioned. As keen on the emblem, I nonetheless sought after to peer what it used to be like, and I am hoping that it exceeds our expectancies.
Each the Conrad and St. Regis include further boat switch charges of about 7,500 XPF ($90 CAD) in step with individual in step with path, which is fortunately a good bit lower than the Maldives’ seaplanes.
Our remains on the Conrad and St. Regis permit me to try the most efficient of Bora Bora’s accommodations which might be bookable on issues. On the other hand, for the rest of the day trip, I’ve splurged on a couple of world-class homes which might be most effective bookable with money.
For our ultimate 5 nights, we booked two homes with money. We’ll spend 3 nights on the 4 Seasons Bora Bora, extensively thought to be to be the most efficient belongings at the island, in addition to two nights at The Brando, a luxurious hotel by itself non-public island of Tetiaroa that’s ceaselessly heralded as one of the vital ultimate and maximum unique accommodations on the earth.
To come up with a way of the fee vary, public charges on the 4 Seasons Bora Bora get started at $2,500 (USD) in step with evening. In the meantime, The Brando’s charges may also be present in their brochure, beginning at €2,900 in step with evening for the “Villa & Breakfast” fee, or €3,900 in step with evening for the all-inclusive fee.
Now, despite the fact that I controlled to attain some trip trade charges for those aspirational accommodations in toughen of our trip company, I wouldn’t precisely name them reasonable. Actually, those are simply the perfect quantities I’ve ever spent in step with evening for lodging in my existence thus far.
Undoubtedly, I’m for sure very lucky to be able to pursue those reports in provider of each private and trade targets, and I’m very a lot taking a look ahead to completely indulging within the enjoy.
On the 4 Seasons, we’re very willing to completely immerse ourselves in true five-star luxurious. The hotel’s overwater bungalows and beachfront villas have not too long ago been renovated, which is able to give us a way of the trendy path the idyllic hotel is headed.
We’ll make sure to surprise on the island’s herbal good looks from the beautiful convenience of our One-Bed room Mountain View Overwater Bungalow, observing out at Mount Otemanu all the way through the day and shedding ourselves within the unspoiled Tahitian sky at evening.
Our keep at The Brando would be the 2nd we’ve had on a non-public luxurious island, following Calala Island in Nicaragua. Calling this hotel upscale is for sure an irony, because it’s if truth be told an atoll composed of a dozen small islands surrounding a marvellous lagoon.
To additional upload to its attract, the island would possibly most effective be accessed via non-public airplane, which is bound to supply us with a way of seclusion and exclusivity in one of the vital global’s most lovely locales. Yet again, we plan to completely immerse ourselves within the enjoy as we loosen up on white-sand seashores and soak within the hotel’s distinctive wildlife.
To get right of entry to all of those reports, I’ve had to guide inter-island transportation between Tahiti and Bora Bora, which is able to most effective be booked with considered one of two airways (Air Tahiti or a brand new startup airline Air Moana), or by means of a ferry provider that sadly didn’t line up with my dates.
Flights with Air Tahiti price about $400 (USD) in step with individual round-trip, which isn’t completely unreasonable, regardless that is without a doubt every other layer of price to imagine in relation to making plans a day trip to French Polynesia.
I’ll be sharing a long run article concerning the logistics and prices excited about a Bora Bora day trip, in addition to evaluating our enjoy right here in opposition to what’s introduced on the earth’s different premier vacation spot for aspirational overwater villas, the Maldives.
Conclusion
Upfront of having married this summer season, my spouse Jessy and I’ve launched into an aspirational “pre-honeymoon” day trip to French Polynesia, the place we’ll reside within the lap of luxurious over the process the following two weeks.
As one of the vital global’s maximum iconic locations, Bora Bora is at the best of many bucket lists, together with our personal. At the moment, I believe in particular thankful to be able to mix a private and a trade day trip out to this a part of the sector, whilst passing some high quality time with Jessy forward of our wedding ceremony.
Reserving flights to this a part of the sector and getting access to a few of its extra sumptuous homes for sure got here with some further legwork, together with making plans this day trip nearly a yr forward of time, which is bound to be value the cost of admission.
Along with the commonplace flight and lodge opinions (of which I be expecting the phrase counts to be relatively in depth), I stay up for providing some additional insights concerning the logistics, pricing, and general making plans procedure for a day trip to Bora Bora as a part of this day trip assortment, to lend a hand the ones of you who’re enthusiastic about a equivalent once-in-a-lifetime day trip make it a truth.
