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Top 9 Reasons why you MUST add Bora Bora to your Bucketlist!
9 Reasons to Visit Bora Bora on your Honeymoon or in your Lifetime! We spent a few days in Bora Bora in French Polynesia on our Honeymoon and see what our favorite things were to do! Definitely bucket list worthy!
9 Reasons to Visit Bora Bora on your Honeymoon or in your Lifetime!
We went to Bora Bora in French Polynesia to bookend our honeymoon and it was worth every penny and mile it took to get us there! I was surprised our occupied our days were when I was expecting to not do anything! Check out what to expect with our 9 reasons below:
Overwater Bungalows InterContinental Bora Bora
1. Overwater Bungalows
We stayed at the InterContinental Bora Bora Resort Thalasso Spa and WOW, just being able to walk out into the water from your own porch is a dream. Its location has the best view of the center island, where the sun will set right behind the mountain.
Overwater Bungalow Sunset Bora Bora
In the guest room, there is a glass coffee table that lets you look down at the water below. We loved watching fish swim under our room! The bed faces a floor to ceiling window that makes you feel like you're just floating in the aqua lagoon. It’s literally heaven on Earth!
2. Infinity Pool with a Perfect View
This infinity pool is just gorgeous and the InterContinental Thalasso has the PERFECT view of the mountain! I don't think I need to add anything else here. Maybe a drink...
Infinity Pool InterContinental Bora Bora
3. Stingray Feedings
I was apprehensive about feeding stingrays at first but as long as you have their food, they are like little puppies that brush up against you begging for food.
Feeding Sting Rays in Bora Bora
The man with the bucket came out blowing a shell like a horn, getting the stingrays ready for a feeding!
Warning, watch out for the seagulls. They are food stealers.
4. Book a relaxing Massage at the Bora Bora InterContinental Thalasso Spa
The Bora Bora InterContinental Thalasso spa is top-notch! They even have a room where you can watch the fish through the hole in the table while getting a massage. How peaceful is that?
5. Scuba Dive in Bora Bora
The colors are beautiful deep below the surface, with thousands of fish along the gorgeous colorful coral reef. We even saw a 7 foot lemon shark swim through.
Scuba Dive in Bora Bora
6. Rent Jet Skis and tour around the Island
The jet ski tour was my favorite activity! We went around the entire island, and our guide showed us how to break open a coconut on the shore with our bare hands! It was delicious!
Jet ski in Bora Bora
7. Rent Paddle boards, Kayaks, and Other Activities
Paddleboards and kayaks were provided by the hotel (InterContinental Bora Bora) at no extra cost. Just ask the pool boy for permission and float your cares away in the lagoon.
For a price, you can also go on a rainforest tour, ATV safari, or even go parasailing!
8. RELAX, You’re literally in paradise!
There's not a lot of pressure to do anything but hang out in your swimsuit for 24 hours. That's actually what we did for 4 days.
9. Fruity Drinks & Ice cream by the pool
Brownie sundaes are always acceptable, even at the pool. Other food and many drinks can also be indulged poolside. Much like Hawaii or any tropical destination, they have all the fruity poolside drinks you can think of. Delicious and refreshing!
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More to do in French Polynesia:
How to Spend 3 Relaxing Days in Moorea - Complete Itinerary
How to spend 3 days in Moorea, French Polynesia! Check out our full itinerary listing about how we spent our days on our Moorea Honeymoon Trip! What to do in Moorea, where to go in Moorea, and how to get to Moorea!
What to do for 3 Days in Moorea, French Polynesia - Complete Itinerary
On our Honeymoon, we stopped in French Polynesia on our way back to the States. We were ready for some relaxation after going nonstop for over a week in Australia & New Zealand. We spent 3 nights in Moorea in an overwater bungalow and it was fabulous! Here’s everything you need to know about Moorea!
How to get to Moorea
Getting to Moorea requires a few transfers. We booked our Moorea portion through Tahiti Legends, who booked everything including our transfers from airports and hotels (we booked our own flights). We stayed at the Sofitel Moorea, in an overwater bungalow, which is something everyone must do in their lifetime! We flew via Air Tahiti Nui in business class (from New Zealand) using our miles, which was a comfortable flight with big seats and great amenities. Air Tahiti flies from Paris to LA to Tahiti to New Zealand and back. We didn’t go to Paris on this trip!
We had to stay in Tahiti overnight because our flight got in so late from New Zealand, there wasn't an option to get to Moorea after 8pm. We used our points to stay at the InterContinental. This was the view from an “average” room:
InterContinental Tahiti Room with Garden Views
Day 1
Morning in Tahiti
We had a car pick us up bright and early from the InterContinental in Tahiti to take us to the ferry. Driving around in the daylight unmasked the island and certain areas were definitely not paradise.
Aboard the Ferry from Tahiti to Moorea
We boarded the ferry around 8 am and the ride was about 20 minutes to Moorea. On the other side, a car picked us up (previously arranged) and took us about 10 minutes down the road to our hotel, the Sofitel Moorea.
We were too early for check-in when we arrived in Moorea, so we wandered around the resort to get our bearings. We walked over to the spa to check it out and made reservations for a couples massage for the late afternoon.
Entrance to our Overwater Bungalow Room
After about an hour, our room was available and we were so excited to check out our overwater bungalow. The room was spectacular and unlike any hotel we had ever stayed in!
Sofitel Moorea Overwater Bungalow Bed
The room felt like a suite. Walking in, you first notice the giant windows leading out to the water, then the high ceilings making the room feel enormous and spacious. The bed was perfectly placed in the middle of the room facing the water with a fantastic view. It had mosquito netting to which Josh said, "It's like a fort!"
Once you step in front of the bed, there is a part of the floor that has a glass square, where you could see the fish swimming under the bungalow.
Floor to see fish under our room!
Afternoon - Swim and Snorkel
Although we REALLY wanted to, you can't really jump off the deck of the bungalow, since it's pretty shallow and there is a lot of coral below. BUT you can go for a swim and there is a ton of marine life to see if you snorkel.
Just a small fish in a big pond
After a leisurely snorkel, we decided to switch it up and go over to the main pool to do more swimming (more like wading) and grab a bite to eat at the bar-restaurant.
Fish in Moorea in front of our Overwater Bungalow
In the late afternoon, we had our couples massage appointment. The spa room was huge, complete with a shower and bathtub. We only signed up for a massage but realized we could have spent an entire day at the spa. The massage was soothing and relaxing. After being in the sun all day, there was a slight burn to which aloe vera was offered. I was soothed and comforted, I could have laid face down on that table for the rest of the evening.
Day 2
WAKING UP IN MOOREA!
Sunrise in Moorea - View from Sofitel Moorea
Here's how to properly wake up in Moorea:
Not a bad way to start the day! Am I right?! From the Sofitel Moorea, we could see sunrises but the us would set on the other side of the island.
Morning - Drive around the Island of Moorea
We rented a little 2 seater buggy through Moorea Fun Roadster, which was like a small go-kart that went faster than you would expect, zooming around the island in about 4 hours. The road was bumpy at parts, but overall it was a blast! Since the island is so small it was nice to take the time to experience it on our own, checking out all there is to do!
See our post all about our buggy ride here: How to Rent a Buggy in Moorea
Afternoon in Moorea
After returning from our island tour, we were ready for some relaxation. We jumped in the water from our patio, and cooled off.
Patio stairs to the water
We spent the rest of the day on the patio of our deck playing cards with some fun drinks!
Pro tip: Buy alcohol at duty-free store at the airport and mixers if available. On our buggy ride, we stopped and bought concentrate (which we thought was juice) at the grocery store on Moorea. The concentrate was an ok way to go since you can get TONS of drinks out of it, but they get old after awhile.
Once we got too hot, we'd jump in the water, swim around, and come right back to our card game. I don't think I changed out of my swimsuit that day.
Sofitel Moorea - Overwater Bungalows
Once we needed a break from the cards, we decided to feed the fish under our bungalow which was great entertainment for at LEAST 20 minutes.
Evening in Moorea
We grabbed dinner at the bar restaurant and took it back to our room so we could do some star gazing. Since it is so quiet and so dark, there were thousands of stars to see. I don't think I've seen that many before in my life!
Stargazing in Moorea
On average, we seemed to go to bed when the sun went down (around 9-10 pm) and woke up as soon as it came back up (around 6:30-7 am). We weren't on any time zone in particular as we had been bouncing around so many places the previous week (we were in Australia and New Zealand).
Day 3
Morning in Moorea
We got up early to catch the sunrise! Since we didn’t get many sunsets here, it was nice to catch the sun coming up!
Sunrise in Moorea - Sofitel Moorea
We might have gone back to bed and then got up just in time to catch the end of breakfast at the main restaurant. The food was delicious, they offered a large spread of almost anything you could think of - eggs, omelets, french toast, pancakes, juices, coffee... and the view wasn't half bad. The only problem was the birds would try to snatch your food if you looked the other way!
Breakfast at the Sofitel Moorea
Afternoon
We packed up and checked out. Although we weren't hanging our heads quite yet, it was time to head to our next destination, Bora Bora!
Don’t forget to pack some of our favorite things:
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Hotel Review: InterContinental Bora Bora Resort Thalasso Spa - Best hotel in Bora Bora!
You must stay in an overwater bungalow at the InterContinental Bora Bora Resort Thalasso Spa in French Polynesia! It's the best hotel in Bora Bora, check out why in our review! | Where to stay in Bora Bora | Honeymoon
Why you MUST stay at the InterContinental Bora Bora Resort Thalasso Spa
Address: Motu Piti Aau Bora Bora French Polynesia, 98730, French Polynesia
Website: https://www.ihg.com/
Some posts on this site contain affiliate links, meaning if you book or buy something through one of these links, I may earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you!).
Walking to our overwater bungalow
French Polynesia was the last stop on our Honeymoon and after Moorea we thought it couldn’t get any better, Bora Bora took it up a notch! Bora Bora is beautiful and one of the most relaxing places I have ever been to! The InterContinental was the PERFECT place to stay! We loved the spacious overwater bungalows, the food, and the activities the hotel offered!
Click here to see rates and room availability: InterContinental.com
Mountain views - overwater bungalows
Booking and Arrival into Bora Bora
After looking at many travel magazines, Instagram, Pinterest and other publications showing some of the most beautiful places in the world, every time I would see Bora Bora, I added to my bucket list that I had to stay in an overwater bungalow someday. My wonderful husband helped make that happen.
We started planning more than a year ahead of time. We both opened an IHG credit card to accumulate points and free nights to help fund our dream vacation. We booked our free rooms well in advance (almost a year), knowing we were going in January, which is also their rainy season in Bora Bora. We used our 2 free reward nights and paid for another 2 nights with points and a small fee at the InterContinental Bora Bora Resort Thlasso Spa, all we had to do was wait until January, but it's ok, we were busy planning our destination wedding in Maui.
Finally, January arrived and we were Bora Bora bound! Upon arrival at the airport in Bora Bora, which was one of the smallest airports I’ve ever seen. They did have a gift shop and snacks. There were many hotel check-in desks, and we had to find the InterContinental check-in desk so we could board our boat to the hotel. Everything was by boat there! None of the hotels really connect.
The InterContinental reception staff greeted us with refreshing drinks and a cool towel as it was very hot and humid outside. The lobby was covered but still open air like a giant patio. Our host let us know what our accommodations were and gave us a brief overview of the amenities of the hotel. We were whisked away on a golf cart to our room, our overwater bungalow! Dreams were coming true!
THE OVERWATER BUNGALOW ROOM
After you walk along the aqua water, the path leads you to your overwater villa. Inside, the room was huge! There was a living room with a glass coffee table the peered into the depths below, allowing you to see the fish swimming underneath your room!
The bedroom had a king size bed facing a giant floor to ceiling window facing the water with no one in sight. Just the pretty aqua water and some palm trees. There was a large walk-in closet, with shelves made of beautiful wood. I wish I had this closet at home!
The bathroom was long a narrow with a stand alone shower and a huge bath tub. They had large oversized towels that were the softest hotel towels I had ever used in my life. They were so great, we immediately got towels just like them when we returned home! The robes were really nice too!
Off of the living room was a large patio with a table and chairs as well as 2 cushioned lounge chairs, and a ladder that went straight into the water of the lagoon.
BALCONIES OFF THE OVERWATER BUNGALOWS
Note: rainy season (January) wasn't that bad, in the 4 days during our stay, there were storms everyday that came through but would clear up. These storms involved HEAVY rainfall. We were in our bathing suits most of the time so it didn't matter. The last day it poured all morning and didn't look like it was going to clear. I like to think the island was crying because we were leaving. The sunsets were pretty spectacular!
Sunset in Bora Bora
THE POOL
Since it was their "off season" they only had one restaurant open for lunch and dinner, but you could also get food at the pool.
POOL VIEWS
Speaking of, let's talk about the pool. A gorgeous infinity pool overlooked the lagoon and island, with plenty of lounge chairs and some shade to go around. The sun is very intense there and even after reapplying sunscreen a few times, we burned. Shade was our friend.
INFINITY POOL VIEWS
Seemed like everyone else at the pool was also on their honeymoon after we talked to a few others!
ICE CREAM AT THE POOL
There was a wait staff for towels, drinks and food. We of course ordered ice cream while at the pool!
THE RESORT
Around the resort were a lot of free things to do, such as feeding tropical fish, feeding stingrays, playing pool at the pool tables, renting kayaks and stand up paddle boards by the pool. If you get bored, there are other things to do.
You can also pay for activities and a resort host would be more than helpful to get you booked and prepped for activities such as: renting jet-skis, scuba diving, sunset cruises, breakfast brought to your balcony by kayak.
Check out some of our favorite things we did during our time in Bora Bora: Top Things to do in BORA BORA
BREAKFAST BROUGHT TO YOUR ROOM BY KAYAK!
BATHROOM SIGNS
FEEDING STINGRAYS
Everyday the Stingrays were fed around noon or so, I’d ask the hotel what time the feeding will take place. The stingrays come up to you like little puppies and want to be pet and fed! It’s AMAZING!
The spa even offers massages with glass floors that let you look into the water below at the fish! How relaxing is that?!
Don’t forget to pack these essentials (my fave):
Love this hotel as much as we do? Check InterContinental.com for rates and availability or try Booking.com - we find the best rates there!
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Please note this is not a sponsored post and based on my own personal experience, all thoughts are my own.
More French Polynesia Posts Here:
Things to do Moorea: Buggy Ride Around the Island
Moorea is a gorgeous island with fantastic resorts! To get the best views, rent a buggy from Moorea Roadsters and take a ride around the island! Things to do in Moorea, French Polynesia. What to do in Moorea, French Polynesia!
Moorea is such a beautiful island! One of our favorite activities when we visited was when we took a drive around the island in a cute little buggy! We rented a little 2 seater buggy, which was like a small go-kart that went faster than you would expect, zooming around the island in about 4 hours. The road was super bumpy at parts but overall it was a blast!
Related Post: Top 10 Things to do in Moorea
How to Rent a Buggy
We rented our red buggy through Moorea Fun Roadsters. The Sofitel Moorea concierge assisted us in booking the car the night before, and without a problem, they delivered it to our hotel the very next morning!
We went back and forth between renting for 4 or 8 hours, but we decided to do the 4 hour which was the perfect amount to go around the entire island and make all recommended stops.
Where to Go in Moorea
A map was provided by the Moorea Fun Roadsters, including the best places to stop (which we did most all of them). They recommended the following:
Opunohu Bay (black sand), Opunohu Belvedere, archaeological and legendary sites, Agricultural High School (tasting)
Protestant Papetoai Temple, Churches, Dolphin center & Marine Turtle Clinic (Intercontinental), Tiki village (Polynesian Village)
Surf Spot, Cascasde in the Afareaitu Valley, Golf, Moorea Juice Factory & Distillery (tasting)
Cook's Bay
Tahiti Aromas Factory (Noni, Monoi, Vanilla, Coconut and Tamanu Oil Production Laboratory, Natural Tiare Essences.)
Driving Around the Island
We were on our way! We drove for 2 minutes and then saw a picture-perfect view of our hotel, so we pulled to the side of the road and stopped for pictures. 4 hours didn't seem like it was going to be enough!
We hopped back in and made our way to our first stop, Belvedere lookout. The road to the top was bumpy and unpaved most of the way, but it was totally worth it!
To our surprise, there were many wild chickens around the island (and bugs)!
This was our favorite site, we were able to experience Belvedere and all its beauty.
On the way back down from Belvedere, we stopped at the Moorea Juice Factory & Distillery for a quick refresher. The pineapple drink was delicious, it tasted like ice cream!
We continued on, with many unpaved roads and quick turns, but overall we were enjoying our buggy ride. We kept stopping to enjoy the sights, including the gorgeous aqua water.
We figured it would be a good idea to stop at the only grocery store on the island on the way back since we had a way to get there! We picked up a few things such as cheese and crackers to snack on in the room and needed a mixer to go with our duty-free liquor pickup. Unfortunately, we picked up concentrate instead of juice but had plenty of Mango/Orange drinks for days!
Returning the Buggy
Before you return the vehicle, just like renting a regular car, you have to fill it up but it doesn't use much gas and it cost about $8 to fill it back up!
This was a great way to see the island and get out of the resort for a little bit. We would highly recommend it to anyone who visits Moorea!
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Top 10 Best Things To Do in Moorea - French Polynesia
Top 10 things to do in Moorea, French Polynesia. What to do in Moorea | Where to go in Moorea | where to stay in Moorea | Hotel Honeymoon in Moorea #Moorea #frenchpolynesia
During our 3 week Honeymoon, another stop was Moorea in French Polynesia. This was our first break after going nonstop for almost 2 weeks and boy were we ready for relaxation.
We booked our Moorea portion through Tahiti Legends, who booked everything including our transfers from airports and hotels. We stayed at the Sofitel Moorea, in an overwater bungalow, which is something everyone must do in their lifetime!
Here's our list of the best things to do in Moorea:
1. Nothing
We made some drinks in our room from the alcohol that we bought at the duty free shop in the airport, then sat on the patio of our overwater bungalow and played cards. When we got too hot, we jumped into the water for a few minutes, then hopped back up on the patio and continued to play cards. Talk about fun and relaxing!
2. Snorkel
There was plenty to see right off of our bungalow balcony (or right through the floor), including tons of coral, fish, seas slugs, etc. We bought rash guard T-shirts with UPF 50+ protection and definitely needed them. The sun is very intense and we burned quite easily even with 50 sunblock. Plunge right in!
3. Wake up and Swim
First of all, sunrises in Moorea are gorgeous, try and wake up early for one! Here is a video on how to wake up in Moorea for a perfect start to your day:
4. Take a Buggy Ride around the Island
We rented a buggy through Moorea Fun Roadsters. We had booked a buggy the night before, and without a problem they delivered it to our hotel the very next morning! A map was provided, including the best places to stop (which we did almost all of them), and we were on our way. We went back and forth between renting for 4 or 8 hours, but we decided to do the 4 hour which was the perfect amount to go around the entire island and make stops.
Before you return you have to fill it up but it doesn't use much gas and it cost about $8 to fill it back up! The road was bumpy at parts but overall it was a blast! It was like riding in a fast go kart around the island!
See our full review here: Buggy Around Moorea
5. Feed the Fish Under your Bungalow
In our Bungalow, there is a spot with glass flooring which you could watch the fish swim around under your feet! We had some bread and decided to have some fun:
6. Massages
We booked a couples massage and it was perfect. After traveling for 2 weeks, we were ready for relaxation and getting those knots out of our backs from lugging around bags. We had a private room for the two of us and after the massage, there was a shower in the massage room to rinse off all oils before putting our clothes back on.
7. Lounge by the Pool
Even though we could jump in the ocean off of our balcony, the pool had warm calm waters without worrying about coral or fish below you (and they had some fancy tropical drinks).
8. Go on a Hike
There are a few trails around or you can walk around the top of Belvedere. We rented the buggy to get to the top for great views! Watch out for the wild chickens!
9. Star Gaze at Night
Living in Los Angeles, you definitely don't see enough stars, but in Moorea, there are millions of stars to see right off your hotel balcony! Don't forget the bug spray!
10. Polynesian Dance
Experience the culture of the Tahitian Polynesian dance! This occurred nightly at the Sofitel Moorea's main restaurant.
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More Posts from French Polynesia:
9 Reasons to Visit Bora Bora on your Honeymoon or in your Lifetime! We spent a few days in Bora Bora in French Polynesia on our Honeymoon and see what our favorite things were to do! Definitely bucket list worthy!