Le Taha'a Island Resort & Spa, Iripau

My husband and I stayed in a Taha’a Overwater Bungalow for the last three nights of our honeymoon (early September 2007). The bungalow was spacious, comfortable and quite luxurious. I would recommend staying in the Taha’a or Sunset Bungalow because they are more secluded from the pool, tennis and other activities. We noticed that we could see the guests in the Bora Bora bungalows when we were at the pool; if you are looking for privacy, pay a few extra dollars to upgrade to the Taha’a or Sunset bungalow. The glass coffee table (which opens up so that you can feed the fish) was definitely entertaining and the deck with the ladder into the lagoon was fantastic. I wasn’t sure how the transportation from the Raiatea airport to the private island would work out, but it was very easy. Le Taha’a Private Island & Spa has a booth in the Raiatea airport (which is very small) so when you land, let them know that you’ve arrived (be sure to give them your flight information before you head to French Polynesia) & they will take care of you from that point onward. It is a quick (30 minutes) and beautiful boat ride to the resort. The transfer is approx. $40(US)/person each way. The food was expensive, but very good. We’re accustomed to spending a lot of money on food because we live in New York, but the difference is that you can’t purchase an inexpensive sandwich or slice of pizza because it is an isolated, private island. Expect to pay at least $50(US)/person for lunch and twice that amount for dinner. La Plage, which is located by the pool, offers a fantastic lunch buffet (full of fresh fish, fruits, cheese, etc.) that is updated each day – everything was delicious! We brought granola bars with us for breakfast and just made coffee in the room – have to admit, if this resort is a splurge ($) for you (like it was for us), brining breakfast food is a nice way to save some money. We enjoyed the Polynesian buffet and show (every Tuesday night) at Vanille and ate at Ohiri our last night at Le Taha’a. Keep in mind that Ohiri is closed Monday and Tuesday night. I am not sure that Ohiri is worth the price – it is approximately $200(US)/person, which is approximately twice the cost of Vanille for dinner and was just “okay.” To be specific, I ordered black cod and there were so many peppercorns used in the vegetables that accompanied the fish that I couldn’t eat more than a few bites. Keep in mind that we’ve been living in New York for several years and are a bit spoiled with fine dining restaurants so maybe we just experienced Ohiri on an “off” night. The resort is so beautiful, secluded and natural, but the negative aspect of that is: Bugs. Bring bug spray! I didn’t see any bugs in the bungalow, but at the Vanille restaurant, which is an outdoor, tree house dining atmosphere, you should be prepared to see little bugs… yes, on the table. There is a coral garden out in the lagoon near the pool so be sure to pick up snorkeling gear (complimentary) and a laminated “fish guide” to explore that area – there’s also a great view of Bora Bora from that side of the island. I would recommend the Taha’a Safari excursion, which takes you to the main Taha’a island (the vanilla island) to see the Pearl Farm and learn about vanilla production. It was a fun, interesting and beautiful day trip – it took approximately four hours and was approx. $100 (US)/person. If you have an opportunity to stay at Le Taha’a Private Island and Spa… go for it and go soon. They are building a Four Seasons resort on another Motu off the coast of the island of Taha’a, which is opening in 2008 so you might want to get to Le Taha’a before Taha’a becomes highly developed like Bora Bora.

The most amazing place on earth. The food was fantastic, the accommodations perfect. Spent the second week of our honeymoon here after a week in Moorea. The overwater bungelow's are very private and extremely roomy, while luxurious. The spa was lovely and the island relaxing. If you plan on visiting multiple islands in FP, definately end your trip with a stop to Le Taha'a!