French Polynesia Travel Forum

Hi, my husband and I will be spending 5 nights in Bora Bora end of December 2007 and were wondering which of these is the best place to stay - Pearl, Sofitel or Le Meridien. Is there any other resort you would recommend? We want to stay in an Over Water Bungalow and are willing to spend up to USD 1000 per night. Also, in all these places, are the Premium Over Water Bungalows worth the extra price compared to the regular Over Water Bungalows? Thanks!

All three of these resorts are on their own motu (tiny islet) facing the main island in the middle. They are all good. To get the center island for more restaurant choices and some shopping, then Pearl is closest (you have to take the resort's shuttle boat).

Depending on resort (you may have to check with them), premium overwater bungalows are at the end of the bungalow string (or pier) so it's far out and provide more privacy (however, the water may be deeper). However, if the layout of the bungalows is parallel to the beach then there is not much difference between the normal overwater bungalow and the premium. I stayed on a normal overwater bungalow and loves it. I stayed at the Bora Bora Lagoon Resort (closed to the Pearl resort). My bungalow has a balcony and stairs go down to the water, so we snorknel right at our bungalow. My wife stands on the balcony and throw bread down. Lots of fish come in around us. (You can ask for stale break from your resort resort to feed the fish from your bungalow. All overwater bungalow has a glass buffet table inside, you can open the top to fish the fish down below. The other benefit of overwater bungalow is there is no mosquito :-)

The one thing that I don't like about the Bora Bora Lagoon Resort is the noise of the cruise ship coming into Bora Bora once a week. Pearl resort may not hear this noise. The Meridien and Sofitel definitely will not since they are on the other side of the main mountain.

You may consider the Bora Bora Nui resort which faces out to the ocean instead of facing toward the internal mountain (the mountain is the landmark of Bora Bora)

Make sure to take a snorkeling tour to the coral garden. If you dive, then take the Manta ray dive. They frequent the area near the Meridien resort.