LE TAHA’A, PRIVATE ISLAND RESORT & SPA
By Andréa R. Vaucher
March 2005

Flying into Bora Bora 25 years ago, I was dazzled by the color of the shallow lagoon; astonishing shades of turquoise, aqua and cobalt shimmered between an unbroken expanse of blinding, white sand and the protective necklace of coral that shielded the island from the ocean. Iconic motus—those tiny Robinson Crusoe islands with their clumps of coconut palms—dotted the lagoon, deserted except for a couple of honeymooners who had hobi-ed over from the Hotel Bora Bora and an errant windsurfer from the Club Med—the only two major hotels at the time.

Today, every Bora Bora motu boasts an hotel—a Ritz Carlton and a Four Seasons are presently under construction…and over-water bungalows, which were such a novelty when the Hotel Bora Bora was built in 1961, are everywhere.

Yet despite the phenomenal increase in tourism, Bora Bora is still pristine. There’s not one single traffic light on the island, and to float on one’s back in the lagoon at sunset in the shadow of towering Mount Otemanu is still a heart stopping experience.

But if you’re looking for a place like Bora Bora was before the boom, head to its southeast island neighbor, to Le Taha’a, Private Island Resort and Spa.

Since its opening in Dec. 2002, Le Taha’a, the only Relais & Chateaux in Polynesia, has garnered its share of industry honors and made all the lists, including Conde Nast Traveler’s 2003 “Hot List,” of the 80 best new hotels in the world. And it’s easy to see why.

First of all, there are over-water bungalows and there are over-water bungalows…

Le Taha’a’s over-water bungalows facing Bora Bora might just be the most amazing in the Pacific. These eight architectural gems are Zen in their simplicity and muted palate; they feature bamboo and slate floors, tamanu wood furniture, and details such as canoe-shaped bathtubs, and glass topped, bedside tables that open to allow guests to feed the fish below.

Though they are identical to the resort’s other 40 over-water units with direct access to the lagoon, a large patio deck with teak lounges, and an alfresco dining area under a thatched fare, these not only face Bora Bora and but also a couple of deserted motus, which frankly are devastatingly gorgeous, backlit by a magenta, Polynesian sunset.

It’s a feather in the hotel’s cap that general manager, Francois Laustriat, was previously in charge of quality control for the entire Relais and Chateaux association. Laustriat’s obsessive attention to detail permeates every aspect of the operation from the food, to the spa, to the quality of the terry cloth and linen robes provided to guests.

Laustriat’s eyes are everywhere. He’s on his cell trying to help one of his guests, Cirque de Soleil founder Guy La Liberte, find a private island to buy, while he’s planning a trip to the island of Taha’a for a Hawaiian kahuna and his wife. In between, he’s spoiling us with pink champagne and fois gras at the hotel’s gourmet restaurant, one of three available to guests.

The hotel’s Manea Spa, located in a coconut grove between the lagoon and a lake, offers sumptuous body and facial treatments incorporating the region’s natural resources of vanilla, tiare, coconut, and sandalwood. The bamboo treatment rooms are open to the lake, but guests may also opt for pampering on secluded tables outside on the beach.

Le Taha’a is the kind of place where going to the spa might be the most strenuous activity you engage in, other than gazing out on the lagoon. But, should you prefer, a myriad of recreational options are available including water sports from scuba diving to sailing, swimming with sharks, or visiting a black pearl farm and a vanilla plantation on the main island of Taha’a, which didn’t even have electricity until 10 years ago.

Either way, 25 years from now, you’ll be sharing indelible memories of what it was like on the island of Taha’a way back when.

www.letahaa.com

Ted: Ta-ta, I’m off to Taha’a

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