Bora Bora: “more than just overwater bungalows”

Bora Bora: “more than just overwater bungalows”
By Anne Majumdar


The idyllic island of Bora Bora is synonymous with images of luxury houses on stilts set on a lagoon, however hoteliers are keen to show the world that the resort is “more than just over-water bungalows”.

Cate Morris, sales manager at Four Seasons Resort situated on the island, told Travel Weekly at Tahiti Travel Mart that sometimes it can be tricky to push past the essence of being just over-water bungalows, however the property is keen to also promote its individual villas, which she described as your “own Polynesian jungle”.

Encapsulated within the resort’s Lagoon area, the villas feature a variety of room configurations, each with a pool attached.

While Morris hopes the villas will gain more attention, that’s not to say Four Seasons has moved away from its over-water bungalows. Quite the contrary.

In an effort to further ramp up the appeal of the popular accommodation offering, the resort launched connected bungalows last year, connected by a platform and a private plunge pool. These have been “awesome” for catering to new customers, Morris revealed.

The resort also has its own marine biologist, Oliver Martin, who can provide guided tours for guests around the resort’s private lagoon. It’s another selling point that shows the resort is more than just accommodation, as are the wedding package offerings.

However, honeymooners remain the number one target market for Bora Bora Four Seasons, with most of the customer base from the US thanks to its accessiblity – roughly an eight hour flight from Los Angeles. But Aussies seem pretty keen to check it out too, placing next on the list, alongside France and the UK. China has also seen some growth, Morris said.

Referencing one of the French Polynesian’s toughest competitors, the Maldives, Morris believed Tahiti and the islands has more to offer. For her, coming to the clear turquoise waters of the islands gives her a very spiritual experience, as well as being surrounded by the rich culture and beautiful people.

“People come to Tahiti to get all new experiences,” she said. “Each island is different.”

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