French Polynesia (Tahiti, Bora Bora, etc.) Honeymoons!!!!!!

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Posted by BoxOfRocks
I'm sorry, you're right. I had forgotten about the smaller dipping pools in the spa. I thought they were decorative, not functional. I didn't see anyone using them when I went (I had two appointments at different times) and the staff didn't refer to them as amenities. Perhaps they are used for hydrotherapy or another service I didn't use. Did you use the spa pools?

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Yup - I used all the spa pools and they were all amazing. You even need to try the ice cold one...just take a really quick dip into it and get right out...it feels amazing!!!
The leg walk pool is really cool too - there are really strong jets so you have to struggle to walk thru it but again - feels great!
The rain showers are the best though!!! I didn't want to get out of them!

Hey girls!! We just got back from our honeymoon and I just wanted you all to know that Tahiti is amazing!!! We went to bora bora and stayed at the IC Thalassos for 6 days (before heading off to australia) and it was absolutely beautiful!!! The resort is gorgeous and the service is terrific...especially that concierge that take care of booking everything from activities, pick-ups and dinner. We miss the thalassos already!!

A few of our favorite activities were:
underwater helmet dive (aqua safari)
jet ski around bora bora

The best restaurants were:
Kaina Hut
Villa mahana
Le Lotus (in the intercontinental tahiti resort in papeete)

We saw the hotel bora bora and thalassos show and thought both were ok (I had been to hawaii before and had expected it to be more extravagant like some of the luau's I attended).

The spa was amazing -- the couples massage is definitely worth doing on your first day to get your relaxed and ready for the time of your life!!

Thanks to everyone on this thread for helping me plan one of the most memorable trips ever!!! (I haven't uploaded pics yet but will share as soon as I do)

To all the girls heading to Tahiti -- have an amazing time and enjoy every minute!!!

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Posted by SunBride07

Hey girls!! We just got back from our honeymoon and I just wanted you all to know that Tahiti is amazing!!! We went to bora bora and stayed at the IC Thalassos for 6 days (before heading off to australia) and it was absolutely beautiful!!! The resort is gorgeous and the service is terrific...especially that concierge that take care of booking everything from activities, pick-ups and dinner. We miss the thalassos already!!

A few of our favorite activities were:
underwater helmet dive (aqua safari)
jet ski around bora bora

The best restaurants were:
Kaina Hut
Villa mahana
Le Lotus (in the intercontinental tahiti resort in papeete)

We saw the hotel bora bora and thalassos show and thought both were ok (I had been to hawaii before and had expected it to be more extravagant like some of the luau's I attended).

The spa was amazing -- the couples massage is definitely worth doing on your first day to get your relaxed and ready for the time of your life!!

Thanks to everyone on this thread for helping me plan one of the most memorable trips ever!!! (I haven't uploaded pics yet but will share as soon as I do)

To all the girls heading to Tahiti -- have an amazing time and enjoy every minute!!!

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Thanks for sharing- Glad you had a great time!
I am leaving for tahiti this Sunday & we are also staying at the bora bora IC thalasso!!

Is it true that you don't really need to know how to swim for the hemlet dive?

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Posted by Dee606

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Thanks for sharing- Glad you had a great time!
I am leaving for tahiti this Sunday & we are also staying at the bora bora IC thalasso!!

Is it true that you don't really need to know how to swim for the hemlet dive?

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from what i remember i dont think you need to know how.. we opted out of this execursion but you can confirm when you get there with the activites desk..

have a GREAT time!!!!!!

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Posted by acsm

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Posted by Dee606

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Thanks for sharing- Glad you had a great time!
I am leaving for tahiti this Sunday & we are also staying at the bora bora IC thalasso!!

Is it true that you don't really need to know how to swim for the hemlet dive?

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from what i remember i dont think you need to know how.. we opted out of this execursion but you can confirm when you get there with the activites desk..

have a GREAT time!!!!!!

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Yes that is true. We did the helmet dive because DH doesn't know how to swim. You put on a helmet that lets you breathe under water and you walk the ocean floor only a few feet down...it was a really cool experience! Have a wonderful trip!!!!!

wow! sounds great! I am getting so excited to stay at the Thalasso! So how was the food at the resort? Was breakfast good? My agent says it's a buffet with lots to choose from. Did you eat dinner there? Just curious about the fine dining restaurant. We can't go to Villa Mahana (they are closing for a few months) but I'm still smiling cause we'll go to the St Regis instead!

What was your favorite meal?

best, evon

I can't believe this thread has gone on non-stop for over 2 years and is 62 pages!!!!!!!!
Just wanted to mention that.

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Posted by CaMacho

I can't believe this thread has gone on non-stop for over 2 years and is 62 pages!!!!!!!!
Just wanted to mention that.

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I think you started it!

I cant choose hotels its driving me nuts..im scared to make the right choice!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So TA says to skip Tahiti dont even stay over night and go straight to Bora Bora what do you think?

I like Tahiti!

We stayed two nights at the intercontinental when we arrived and two nights at the Radison when we flew out!

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Posted by Mizzdimple

I cant choose hotels its driving me nuts..im scared to make the right choice!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So TA says to skip Tahiti dont even stay over night and go straight to Bora Bora what do you think?

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I think you have to stay overnight in Tahiti...when I went the flights from NY got in too late at night...so there were no inter island flights/ferries at that time so you have no choice but to stay over...isn't this still the case or did they change NY flight times?

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So TA says to skip Tahiti dont even stay over night and go straight to Bora Bora what do you think?

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It depends on what you and FI like doing. DH and I stayed a couple of days in Tahiti, too. Other islands we visited were Moorea and Bora Bora, and Tahiti is definitely the most citified of them.

We like planning our own activities and driving around taking in the sights, so we weren't pressed to fit in water activities, etc. on Tahiti or the other islands. That increased the attractiveness of hanging out on Tahiti for us. Plus, we were fine with the relatively urban environment. If you want to do a lot of the resort activities or want to spend your entire vacation lounging, maximizing your time on the other islands will probably be the best fit for you.

If you haven't already, check out the Frommer's guide to Tahiti and French Polynesia. We found that to be the single most helpful book. The version we have was published in '05 and is still 99% accurate (although the Thalasso Bora Bora was under construction at the time). It will give you a sense of what activities are available.

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I think you have to stay overnight in Tahiti...when I went the flights from NY got in too late at night...so there were no inter island flights/ferries at that time so you have no choice but to stay over...isn't this still the case or did they change NY flight times?

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We went in May 2007 and this was still the case. Mizzdimple, have the flights changed?

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Posted by Mizzdimple

I cant choose hotels its driving me nuts..im scared to make the right choice!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So TA says to skip Tahiti dont even stay over night and go straight to Bora Bora what do you think?

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I highly recommend the Pearl Resorts on moorea and bora bora, but I've heard great things about the ic thalasso on BB.

Like the other girls said, if you take the direct flight from NY to Tahiti it gets in late at night, like 11pm their time. There are no flights/ferries that leave that late so we had to stay 1 night in Tahiti. I'm glad we did, but wouldn't stay there more than the 1 night... moorea and bora bora are absolutely amazing!

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Posted by evonm

wow! sounds great! I am getting so excited to stay at the Thalasso! So how was the food at the resort? Was breakfast good? My agent says it's a buffet with lots to choose from. Did you eat dinner there? Just curious about the fine dining restaurant. We can't go to Villa Mahana (they are closing for a few months) but I'm still smiling cause we'll go to the St Regis instead!

What was your favorite meal?

best, evon

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I thought the breakfast at the Thalasso was great -- lots to chose from and a grill for special ordering your omeletes, pancakes, etc....warning - stay away from the chocolate croissants...I couldn't stop eating them once I tried them and must have had at least one every day! I blame the Thalassos breakfast for my honeymoon weight gain
In terms of fine dining -- Kaina Hut was really good! If you want to splurge, order the lobster...it was great!
St. Regis - one of the couples we met up with said they went to their sushi restaurant and it was the best sushi they had and the prices were really reasonable. We ended up going to Jean Georges and my DH was not thrilled with the teeny tiny tasting portions that they offer and the price we paid for it (I knew what to expect because I had been to the one in NYC and tried to warn him but he was dying to go after speaking to the concierge about good french food options).
The best advice I could give you is do not stress about any of this now - the concierge will know everything and guide you to the best places, get you reservations and work out your transportation.

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Posted by Mizzdimple

I cant choose hotels its driving me nuts..im scared to make the right choice!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So TA says to skip Tahiti dont even stay over night and go straight to Bora Bora what do you think?

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That is what we did - we went straight through to bora bora but then on the way out we stayed one night in papeete.
Honestly, having been there, you cannot pick the wrong hotel -- the ferry went by most of the resorts and we did a jet ski tour around the island - every resort was nice!! You will be so happy with whatever you choose!

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Posted by SunBride07

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Posted by evonm

wow! sounds great! I am getting so excited to stay at the Thalasso! So how was the food at the resort? Was breakfast good? My agent says it's a buffet with lots to choose from. Did you eat dinner there? Just curious about the fine dining restaurant. We can't go to Villa Mahana (they are closing for a few months) but I'm still smiling cause we'll go to the St Regis instead!

What was your favorite meal?

best, evon

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I thought the breakfast at the Thalasso was great -- lots to chose from and a grill for special ordering your omeletes, pancakes, etc....warning - stay away from the chocolate croissants...I couldn't stop eating them once I tried them and must have had at least one every day! I blame the Thalassos breakfast for my honeymoon weight gain
In terms of fine dining -- Kaina Hut was really good! If you want to splurge, order the lobster...it was great!
St. Regis - one of the couples we met up with said they went to their sushi restaurant and it was the best sushi they had and the prices were really reasonable. We ended up going to Jean Georges and my DH was not thrilled with the teeny tiny tasting portions that they offer and the price we paid for it (I knew what to expect because I had been to the one in NYC and tried to warn him but he was dying to go after speaking to the concierge about good french food options).
The best advice I could give you is do not stress about any of this now - the concierge will know everything and guide you to the best places, get you reservations and work out your transportation.

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Thanks so much! I really appreciate the advice too. I'm just so excited I'm ready to be there and order something! haha! We are excited to go to St Regis and have heard it was really expensive. Kaina Hut is on the list my agent gave me and we will definately go there!
best, evon

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Posted by BoxOfRocks

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So TA says to skip Tahiti dont even stay over night and go straight to Bora Bora what do you think?

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It depends on what you and FI like doing. DH and I stayed a couple of days in Tahiti, too. Other islands we visited were Moorea and Bora Bora, and Tahiti is definitely the most citified of them.

We like planning our own activities and driving around taking in the sights, so we weren't pressed to fit in water activities, etc. on Tahiti or the other islands. That increased the attractiveness of hanging out on Tahiti for us. Plus, we were fine with the relatively urban environment. If you want to do a lot of the resort activities or want to spend your entire vacation lounging, maximizing your time on the other islands will probably be the best fit for you.

If you haven't already, check out the Frommer's guide to Tahiti and French Polynesia. We found that to be the single most helpful book. The version we have was published in '05 and is still 99% accurate (although the Thalasso Bora Bora was under construction at the time). It will give you a sense of what activities are available.

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I think you have to stay overnight in Tahiti...when I went the flights from NY got in too late at night...so there were no inter island flights/ferries at that time so you have no choice but to stay over...isn't this still the case or did they change NY flight times?

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We went in May 2007 and this was still the case. Mizzdimple, have the flights changed?

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NOt sure- we only booked the flights to Tahiti only! I will repost the itinerary when its finalized

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Posted by ChiefMT

Anyone using a TA that has gotten you a great deal on Tahiti?

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you've got FM :)

best, evon