July / August 2009
Blue Heaven
By Elaine Srnka
A yachting sojourn through French Polynesia is the ultimate island idyll.
“Stop the boat, stop the boat!” our guide called excitedly, as he pulled off his shirt and dove into the shallow lagoon. He was looking for something, and everyone turned to watch. He resurfaced to catch his breath and went down again, the still water so clear that we could see his every move. He pointed to long, thin trails in the sand, then followed one to its end for the prize: a perfectly spiraled spotted seashell, now a burrowing sea creature’s home, but a prime specimen destined to grace designer shell collections later. Scanning the water around us, we realized there were dozens upon dozens of trails, and for a moment we all considered plunging in. Instead, we opted to let the creatures remain in their hiding places and continued on with our snorkeling excursion. Just another day in paradise – on a private yacht.
French Polynesia is a perennial favorite destination in Virtuoso Life’s Travel Dreams Survey, and its allure is all about geography – both the region’s perceived remoteness on the map and its lush volcanic landscape of mountains encircled by coral reefs and famed blue lagoons. When it again ranked in the top five this year, I decided to investigate personally. A trusted Virtuoso travel advisor recommended a Nomade Yachting Bora Bora cruise as an ideal way to island-hop.
Also called Tahiti (the names are interchangeable), French Polynesia is one of those places that elicits oohs and aahs. Almost everyone, it seems, wants to go there, but many aren’t quite sure where, or even what, it is. Set in the South Pacific, about an eight-hour flight from Los Angeles, it is an “overseas country” of France, a collection of 118 islands and atolls that stretches across five major archipelagoes, one of which is the Society Islands. Its main island is the eponymous Tahiti; its most recognized is Bora-Bora.
Though a mere two hours beyond Hawaii from Los Angeles by air, Tahiti is a world away in terms of tourism: Hawaii receives the same number of visitors in 12 days as Tahiti welcomes in an entire year. But it’s an easy flight, and my husband and I arrived in Papeete (the capital city on the main island of Tahiti) in time for dinner. Like most tourists, we were only stopping over, and the next morning we took a quick Air Tahiti interisland flight to Bora-Bora, where we would soon board the gleaming 20-cabin, 226-foot Ti’a Moana, our floating home for the week.
The pop of Champagne corks greeted us as we traded introductions with the crew and fellow passengers, a vivacious party of 14 friends and family members from Brazil celebrating their patriarch’s 60th birthday.
With an indulgent staff-to-guest ratio (the yacht carries 43 crew members and up to 40 guests), the crew introductions took some time. They quickly charmed us with their attentiveness and “as you wish” attitude, which was not at all stuffy, but rather cheerful and intuitive.
Formerly known as Bora Bora Cruises, the new Nomade Yachting Bora Bora moniker more accurately reflects the intimate size and carefree chic of its twin ships Ti’a Moana and Tu’a Moana – there’s an inherent insouciance in the flexibility to explore islands up close on a whim. Virtually everything, from cocktails to kayaks, is included in the splurge-worthy price tag, but the cruise’s real value (beyond pampered bliss) lies in the absolutely stress-free ease of moving from island to island without packing and unpacking, transferring from hotels to airports; with no need to worry about timetables or itineraries, there’s a freedom to do as you please.
And we definitely did as we pleased. Unpack our bags? Housekeepers attended to that detail (as well as daily laundry and hand-washing of bathing suits, a minor treat that nevertheless delighted). Instead, as the yacht departed Bora-Bora, with jagged Mount Otemanu as a backdrop, we lunched in the restaurant’s outdoor seating area and learned about the itinerary – which included stops at the islands of Tahaa, Huahine, and Raiatea before returning to Bora-Bora – and about our new mobile home for the next few days.
The 18 cabins are comfortably outfitted with designer touches such as pebbled leather sofas and cashmere throws. At 172 square feet each, they offer either full, queen, or king beds; there are also two 323-square-foot suites.
No brightly colored tropical patterns here: The yacht’s interior is sleek and modern with warm wood accents. From the main deck’s restaurant and reception area, a dramatic spiral staircase lined with glass mosaic tiles leads to the upper deck’s library, indoor-outdoor lounge and bar area, and whirlpool hot tub, continuing on to the spectacular rooftop sundeck, where stylish outdoor sofas, chaises, and ottomans flank another bar and hot tub.
As day turns to twilight, attendants change the mood of each public area, adjusting lighting, music, and even the decorative pillows and throws. One night, red accents ruled, with crimson pillows, throws, and candles twinkling in scarlet hurricane lanterns; another night saw hues of blue, and still another, monochromatic creams. More than just superficial changes, such touches reflect a real aesthetic and attention to every detail.
Our first stop was Tahaa, with breakfast on the beach, but this was no mere picnic in the sand. As the tender shuttled guests from yacht to shore, the water changed from the darkest midnight blue to turquoise and every brilliant shade in between. Servers stood ankle-deep in the lagoon to greet us with trays of juice-filled flutes. Tables were literally set in the water, the linens’ hems swishing in the waves. “I’ve experienced many things in my life,” observed a 50-something guest, “but never this.” Throughout the week, that would be the recurring theme of conversations with these sophisticated, well-heeled travelers, who want what they pay for – and this cruise delivered.
After indulging in omelets and pastries and every type of exotic jam, we set out to snorkel. Our guide, Mahea, led us over the rocky shoreline to his favorite snorkeling spot and regaled us with tales from his colorful life (he knows where all the celebrities live in Tahiti, and Sharon Stone once used his bathroom during a photo shoot in the islands). We passed two women cleaning their catch of the day: hundreds of sea urchins, which they’d plucked clean of the dangerous spines and cracked open with a rock to remove the meat. “Would you like some?” one offered in island-inflected French, and so I sampled uni – a sushi restaurant delicacy – straight from the sea.
The snorkeling was just as exotic, and we spent the rest of the morning floating weightlessly above the coral gardens and peering at the vibrant sea life below. As we emerged from the water and stepped onto the beach, an attendant waited with a tray of refreshingly cold, scented towels – and bottles of local Hinano beer. Ahh.
The days blurred, and we fell into the easy rhythm of yachting life. One day a tattoo artist came on board to “ink” willing participants with temporary Polynesian tattoos; another day we paddle-boarded and floated on outrigger canoes while other guests slipped into the gauzy netting of an impromptu beachside spa for massages. We kayaked and snorkeled nearly every day, and also embarked on unforgettable scuba-diving and shark-feeding excursions.
One morning we cycled around Huahine, its verdant foliage seemingly straight from a Paul Gauguin canvas. Biking past vanilla plantations, watermelon patches, and forests of noni fruit trees, we stopped outside a schoolyard to watch students practicing a Polynesian dance performance, complete with coffee-can drums and barefoot chants. Back in the island’s small main town, we shopped for black pearls and pareos and even discovered an Internet café with an outdoor balcony where we checked our e-mail – and the world news, of which we’d been blissfully ignorant since boarding the yacht.
With the scenery ever-changing, the days were relaxing yet active, the better to burn off who-knows-how-many calories consumed at our gourmet meals. Chef Laurent Luttringer makes exceptional use of local ingredients, and fishermen pull up alongside the yacht so he can make his selections right from their boats. Every menu includes several creative first courses, from shrimp tempura and scallop carpaccio to pumpkin-vanilla bisque and consommé with coconut milk. Main courses are simply but skillfully prepared – think seared red tuna steak with pineapple salsa and herb-crusted New Zealand lamb – followed by dessert and cheese courses, all accompanied by thoughtfully selected wines. The same staff tended the restaurant for every meal, and they quickly learned diners’ preferences for a particular table, wine, sparkling water versus still, and the like – the epitome of stellar service.
Dinner one night was a beach barbecue. As the sun set on a day spent sprawled on chaise lounges (where snacks and drinks seemed to appear just before you realized you wanted them), we shuttled to the beach, where lights twinkled, music filled the air, and tables awaited in the sand. The captain joined us for a perfectly lovely Polynesian feast under the stars.
On one of our last days, the yacht anchored at dawn in a calm bay off Raiatea, French Polynesia’s sacred isle. After an early-morning yoga session on the sundeck and a leisurely breakfast, we departed on a nature walk to an ancient temple on the island. Exploring the area while Mahea explained its cultural importance, we gathered brilliantly colored torch ginger, Polynesian hibiscus, and fragrant tiare flowers, and sampled exotic fruits plucked from trees and bushes as we passed. Later, my husband and I kayaked in the shallow lagoon, trailed by a curious stingray. Paddling to an uninhabited motu – a tiny island – we left our flowers as an offering in exchange for a few minutes of solitude on the rocky, palm-studded shore before returning to the yacht.
Such an active day called for a cocktail-hour soak in the whirlpool. Settling into the warm bubbles, cold beverages in hand, we watched a postcard-worthy sunset to our right while a full moon rose over a motu to our left, a heavenly symmetry neither of us had ever experienced. We marveled at the sight and sighed. Paradise found, indeed.
Tahiti’s top trips
French Polynesia to perfection.
DOING IT There’s a reason why this Nomade Yachting Bora Bora cruise was the highlight of a recent Today show honeymoon: It’s posh pampering at its best. Seven-day cruises begin and end in Bora-Bora. Departures: Multiple dates through 2009; from $7,600.
More Ways to Go
Tahiti Legends’ eight-day excursion begins on Moorea, Tahiti’s sister island that some believe is James Michener’s mythical Bali Hai. Enjoy an overwater bungalow at the 95-room Moorea Pearl Resort before transferring to Tahaa, the Vanilla Isle, for four days at the 60-room Le Taha’a Island Resort & Spa. Departures: Any day through 2009; from $4,349, including roundtrip flights from Los Angeles, transfers, and accommodations.
Star Clippers’ tall-masted 170-passenger Star Flyer sails 7-, 10-, and 11-day cruises, calling on such ports as Moorea, Bora-Bora, Huahine, and Rangiroa. Departures: Multiple dates through 2009; from $2,225, including complimentary flights from Los Angeles.
GoGo Worldwide Vacations takes you to Tahaa for three days, where you’ll stay in an overwater suite at Le Taha’a Island Resort, visit a black pearl farm and a vanilla plantation, and snorkel to a picnic lunch on a private motu. From there you’ll spend five nights at The St. Regis Bora Bora Resort, take a mountain safari, and dine at Bloody Mary’s. Departures: Any day through 2009; from $4,355.
Regent Seven Seas Cruises’ 330-passenger Paul Gauguin explores Tahiti, Raiatea, Tahaa, Bora-Bora, and Moorea on 7- to 15-day cruises. Departures: Multiple dates through 2009; from $2,395.
I never wanted to leave our villa’s expansive confines, but we ventured out to bike around the 100-room property, take a treatment at the Miri Miri Spa, and dine at Lagoon, chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s intimate overwater restaurant. Sated from a specially created five-course chef’s menu, we hopped on a waiting golf cart to return to our villa. “I hope you like flowers,” the chauffeur said slyly, giggling proudly as he opened our door to reveal a trail of hundreds of hibiscus blooms from the living room to the bedroom and bathroom, on the bed, on the table, everywhere. Sometimes, too much is definitely a good thing. Doubles from $1,141, including breakfast, airport boat transfers, flower turndown, a bottle of Champagne, and a 20 percent discount on spa services.
We also visited the brand-new 107-room Four Seasons Resort Bora Bora, which boasts its own terrific views of Mount Otemanu and thatched-roof overwater bungalows (complete with bathtubs that open to the deck and views outside). The resort’s palm-fringed infinity pool has a swim-up bar and alluring cabanas to escape the sun, and families love the dedicated children’s spaces – there’s even a separate teen club with its own beach and a marine biologist to teach kids about the lagoon’s teeming sea life.
With its real sense of place, the expansive spa is reason enough to stay here. Splurge on a couple’s massage in the Kahaia Spa Suite, where the treatment tables have the best views of any I’ve seen: Perched over glass windows in the floor, the open headrests look down into the lagoon below. Doubles from $879, including breakfast, airport boat transfers, and a 15 percent discount on spa services.
Time did not allow a visit to the 79-room Bora Bora Lagoon Resort & Spa, an Orient-Express hotel, and its winning Marù Spa, but the overwater bungalows entice with illuminated glass-topped coffee tables through which you can actually feed the sea creatures below. Doubles from $501, including breakfast and airport transfers.
EAT With just six tables, the French-inspired Villa Mahana tops every insider’s restaurant list. Opt for one of the set menus, featuring such dishes as seared ahi tuna with vanilla oil and mahimahi in a curry banana crust with mango sauce. PK 4, Amanahune; 689/67-50-63.
Suspended over the water, the sleek Lagoon Restaurant by Jean-Georges is destination dining at its best. The French-Thai menu includes red tuna spaghetti with avocado and spicy oil, and pineapple carpaccio with lemongrass and burnt vanilla sorbet. The St. Regis Bora Bora Resort, Motu Ome’e; 689/60-78-88.
Bloody Mary’s is one of the most revered bars in town. Sit on a coconut stool in the sand and order a fish sandwich with a local Tabu beer. PK 4 Paofai Bay, Amanahune; 689/67-72-86.