tahitiWIN tahiti
WINDOW ON THE WORLD
Tahiti ...
a stroll through paradise
Above: In the
background are
the sparkling
waters and
overwater fares
(bungalows) of
Bora Bora and in
the foreground,
swimming with
stingrays.
There’s something a little unnerving about being nuzzled by a stingray the size of
a coffee table. Especially when this fellow’s affection looks set to be repeated by
another half dozen of his species.
By a Special Correspondent
Inevitably, Australian crocodile hunter’s Steve Irwin’s
demise in 2006 via the barb of a stingray springs to
mind. Our Tahitian guide, Remi, assures us these rays
have only good intentions.
I’m in the crystal waters of the Bora Bora lagoon,
some 40 minutes by air from Papeete, the principal
town of Tahiti in French Polynesia.
We head to another part of the lagoon and within
minutes are snorkelling amidst 1.5m sharks and fabulous
tropical fish. The sharks are a breeze after the stingrays,
as they circle at a polite distance. Then it’s on, past the
motor yachts of the seriously wealthy, to a private motu
(coral island) where our luncheon table, with thatched
roof cover, has been set brilliantly in the lagoon.
The meal comprises Tahiti’s national dish
poisson cru – freshly caught reef fish, finely
sliced and served raw with a lime and coconut
dressing, grilled swordfish, traditional Polynesian
vegetables, topped off with a dessert of sweet
fresh pineapple and watermelon. An unwooded
chardonnay (French, of course) completes this
unforgettable repast.
It’s my second time to French Polynesia, but first to
Bora Bora, which certainly fulfils its promise to be the
world’s most glamorous incentive destination.
All the big luxury resort chains are dotted around
Bora Bora – St Regis, Le Meridien, ClubMed, Sheraton,
InterContinental, Sofitel and more. Development land
22 incentiveworld.com Vol. 9 No. 4 2009
is limited at Bora Bora, so when the current swag of
resorts are complete, other islands will have to suffice.
We’re staying at the Bora Bora Lagoon Resort & Spa
which sits on its own motu overlooking the lagoon
across to Mount Otemanu, the sacred mountain that
stars in just about every photograph of Bora Bora. The
resort is part of the deluxe Orient-Express group of
luxury hotels and trains, of which the Mount Nelson in
Cape Town and The Westcliff in Johannesburg belong.
The resort has 44 luxurious over-water bungalows
complete with glass viewing hatches to the reef below.
A further 32 island bungalows, some with plunge pools,
make up the accommodation inventory.
Black Tahitian pearls are highly prized, with
the affluent resort guests involved in serious
retail therapy at the weekly manager’s cocktail reception
during which a fashion show features necklaces of
R600 000-plus.
French culture at Bora Bora Lagoon Resort is most
evident in the cuisine, which leans heavily toward
seafood. Much of the fish is fresh from the waters of
French Polynesia, with the Mahi Mahi, Swordfish and
spiny lobster being among the most prized dishes.
As with every premium destination worldwide, spas
and spa treatments are very much part of the holiday
or incentive travel experience.
The Maru Spa at the Bora Bora Lagoon has six spa
treatment rooms, two of which are in tree houses
located in spreading Banyan trees. Among its offerings
are a bath in coconut milk, a variety of wellbeing
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