Bora Bora Is it worth it??
Bora Bora Yacht Club – Sunsets are Amazing
The answer is YES! It costs more to get to Bora Bora but you are all the way in French Polynesia, you may never go back. Don’t miss it. There is no place like the lagoon in the world.
Bonnie fretted about the extra airline tickets and the costs of lodging. All she could think about was the romance and the honeymoon to die for photos she has seen. Marlon Brando went there, celebrities travel there and James Michener wrote about it. In his book, “The world is my home.” he wrote, ” Bora Bora is the most beautiful island in the world.
” It was always on her top 5 travel bucket lists and she knew she had to go there and see the colors of the lagoon for herself.
View from the plane- A Bonnie Tip- as you enter from the rear of the plane- sit on the left for views of Bora Bora as you arrive.
But is it worth the extra Airfare to get there?
The extra $800 plus for airfare on Air Tahiti was absolutely worth it. Those Bora Bora memories will last you a lifetime.
Bonnie was so glad she went to Bora Bora and booked those airfare tickets!
Book your flights sooner than later. The planes are small and flights tend to sell out quickly. Don’t fret about the cost, just do it!
Being in Bora Bora was like a dream and the awe of its beauty left Bonnie speechless. Photographs only document a fragment of the island’s beauty.
Where to stay on Bora Bora?
Want to spend a fortune in complete luxury? Bora Bora is the ultimate Honeymoon romantic! From the posh and swanky 4 Season’s Resort where all those to die for photographs come from. It was over $2,000 a night to stay there or 214,000 American Express reward points! One night!
(If you are an SPG member the St. Regis had reward stays available for 60,000.) Bonnie didn’t want to convert American Express points to SPG points. 1,000 American Express points = 5oo Spg points. It would have cost 120,000 rewards just for one night. She prefers using her rewards for airline tickets. After all 132,000 American Express Points got her to Tahiti.
Bonnie did her entire trip including airfare, lodging, food, and tours for under $6,000 using rewards points and cash. She stayed 2 nights at the Bora Bora Yacht Club. It’s not luxury but it has the most amazing sunset views. Who’s going to be in the room anyway? You want to spend your time in the Lagoon. On her last night, She scored a reward night at the Intercontinental Le Moana.
The Bora Bora Yacht Club
Bora Bora Yacht Club- A rustic overwater bungalow with amazing sunset views
Lodging at the Bora Bora Yacht Club- Bonnie’s rustic hut on the right.
The Bora Bora Yacht Club isn’t the 4 Seasons. It’s a rustic overwater bungalow with amazing sunset views, next to a fun, casual restaurant full of tourists and yachters.
Bonnie’s trip was enriched just meeting and talking to all the people getting off their fancy catamarans sailing from New Zealand. She met people sailing around the world. It was fascinating.
When staying at the Bora Bora Yacht Club it’s only a $20 taxi to the main part of the island where the ferry dock and shops. Her taxi driver stopped by the grocery store for her so she could buy wine and snacks for the room.
Instead of spending $4,000 for 2 nights at the 4 Seasons, Bonnie spent a total of $471 for 2 nights at the Bora Bora Yacht Club using a $25 Airbnb voucher. See, you can afford to travel to Bora Bora! However, If you prefer luxury this probably not the place for you.
Good wine list and good fresh fish dishes
When you stay at the Bora Bora Yacht Club you get fresh fruit, warm chocolate croissants, coffee and free wi- fi! There is Bonnie’s husband working! The Bora Bora Yacht Club was his favorite place to stay! Bonnie prefers a tad bit more luxury but she planned her excursions during her stay there so time in the room was limited.
Bonnie really wanted to stay at the Intercontinental Thalasso and Spa. She was hoping for IHG reward night availability while she was in Bora Bora. She signed up for alerts from Award Wallet but nothing came available. A week prior to leaving an award night became available for the…
Intercontinental Bora Bora Le Moana Resort
The Intercontinental Bora Bora Le Moana Resort is on the main island of Bora Bora. Bonnie enjoyed staying on the main island. Taxi transportation is affordable. The shops and restaurants are on the main island. Le Moana was the perfect choice for Bonnie.
Show me to my room, please? Thank you Tim, for the amazing celebrity treatment and giving us a triple upgrade!
Bonnie highly recommends this resort. A reward night became available one week prior to leaving on this trip. It was for a beach bungalow. She stayed a few nights in the Staybridge Suites in 2016 and earned reward miles. She had signed up for bonus promotions that year. When the reward night became available she purchased extra rewards points with a 50% bonus promotion for $333 USD. She was excited to stay in the beach bungalow but Tim gave her the best room in the entire resort. Her neighbor even asked how she scored that room. A BIG THANK YOU to Tim! It was an amazing night in paradise.
You’ll never want to leave….
Read Bonnie’s review on Trip Advisor for the Intercontinental Bora Bora Le Moana Resort. It’s paradise if only for 1 night! This room was over $1,000 a night and she booked it for $333 using a 50% bonus point promotion and IHG rewards points. You will love feeding the fish through the coffee table that slides open in your bungalow. Just snorkel right off your second platform below.
Use Award Wallet and set an alert for IHG in Bora Bora and hopefully you can score an award night. Register for IHG promotions and stay in a few IHG hotels before you go. You can even purchase additional points on bonus promotions. They have credit card promotions too to give you additional points. If one becomes available you are in luck! They released an award night 1 week prior to Bonnie’s departure to the French Polynesia.
Intercontinental Bora Bora Le Moana Resort- it’s so dreamy with a traditional Polynesian feel.
JUST GO!!!
When it comes to Bora Bora, it’s all about the Lagoon! Spend your time on a boat, jump in the water with sharks, jet ski around the island. The shades of blue in the lagoon make this one of the most beautiful islands in the world. The beauty is indescribable. You must see it for yourself. There is only 1 inlet to Ocean in Bora Bora and that makes it so special and unique.
Do a Circle the Lagoon Tour
It’s good to get out of your comfort zone and jump in the water with sharks- Bonnie was scared to death but did! It’s a lesson that we should all push ourselves outside our comfort zone more often and face your fears. There were some pretty large Lemon Sharks deep in the water too.
Lagoon Service Bora Bora- one of the best tours ever taken
Lagoon Service Bora Bora picks up at the Bora Bora Yacht Club and resorts around the island. You will circle the entire island on the full day tour. Snorkel with rays, colorful exotic fish, Black- tip and Lemon sharks. They take you to 3 different snorkel spots around the island. The 4th destination is lunch with optional snorkel time. It was one of the best tours Bonnie has ever taken on her travels. They cook you a nice traditional Polynesian BBQ lunch and teach you how to open a coconut. Simply Amazing! Want to read Bonnie’s review- here it is on Trip Advisor.
One Quick Tip to Note
If staying on the main island, take the free ferry to the Vaitape. Taxis are approximately $20 to your hotel. Intercontinental Le Moana charges a more expensive fee to use their boat to the airport.
Plus, Bonnie wanted to do some quick shopping before leaving the island. The ferry schedule is posted right at the terminal. Take a picture of the schedule when you arrive at the dock. It follows Air Tahiti’s flights mostly.
If staying on the private Motu’s you can investigate the boat charge from the main island. It may be less expensive to take the free ferry to Vaitape, taxi and have your resort’s private boat pick you up from the Vaitape pier or a sister resort.
Arriving at the Bora Bora Airport and getting ready to take the free ferry to Vaitape.
Bora Bora is a must for people that love the sun and sea! It is an exotic island paradise! The 3 nights were too short! It is on the places to re-visit bucket list. If you have never been to Bora Bora put it on your top 5 Romantic Islands you have to travel too. It’s one of the most picturesque beautiful destinations you must see with your own eyes to appreciate the true beauty.
It’s the perfect destination for couples! This is paradise!
Here’s to you traveling to the French Polynesia!
YES!!! Bora Bora is worth it!!
After writing this, Bonnie is dreaming of going back to this Island paradise
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