In the shadow of Bora Bora’s Mount Otemanu, overwater bungalows and pristine white beaches welcome you to enjoy your time at the Four Seasons Resort Bora Bora. Experience a little piece of paradise, explore the turquoise waters of the lagoon and discover colourful corals and thousands of exotic reef fish. Ending your day in your private pool guarantees marvelous views of the golden sunset and the Polynesian night sky.
The resort is located on a Motu, a private islet, on the French Polynesian Leeward Islands. It is the perfect place to take you away from the stress of everyday life and lets you relax in absolute privacy alongside a tranquil turquoise lagoon. The secluded location with breathtaking views of the ocean and Mount Otemanu makes it one of the most loved resorts in the world – a guarantee for a memorable stay.
Bora Bora is an equatorial atoll in French Polynesia, midway between Papua New Guinea and Ecuador. Days are hot, and nights are warm throughout the year. The ocean temperature averages a comfortable 80 ºF / 27 ºC, making this an ideal location for a laid back aquatic holiday stay.
There’s a single main entrance into the atoll, wide and deep enough to admit cruise ships. American Airlines, Air France, and Air Tahiti provide regular services. Bora Bora Four Seasons Hotel is on the eastern atoll fringe, with beach access to the lagoon and ocean.
Recently awarded the title of “Most Epic Stay Hotel in the World” by AFAR, the Four Seasons Bora Bora Resort offers three different types of accommodations. Wake up to a stunning ocean view in an Overwater Bungalow Suite, take your Overwater Bungalow experience to the next level with a Specialty Bungalow, or reserve your own beach vacation with a Beachfront Villa Estate. Regardless of your choice the many different activities at Four Seasons Bora Bora will make your trip unforgettable.
Overwater bungalow suites with traditional teak wood furnishings, and Polynesian artwork add a touch of luxury to a holiday of a lifetime. It’s almost like living in a thatched hut in a traditional village.
Four Seasons Bora Bora is an exceptionally well-endowed resort. But nature added the final touches by including one of the best snorkeling and diving destinations in the world. The resort is a heartbeat away from a breathtaking lagoon.
The narrow openings in the coral atoll, between lagoon and ocean teem with aquatic life that congregates to feed on the rich bounty of food flowing through. The more intrepid can swim alongside manta rays, and sharks cruising along the coral wall.
Across the lagoon on the main island, Mount Otemanu rises 2,385 feet above the water. Guests have a choice of sightseeing boat tours, helicopter rides, catamaran trips and hiking adventures.
Wilderness treks meander through the foothills hinting of a castaway experience. History buffs can take a 4-wheel drive around the island, to view caves, ancient archaeological relics, and giant cannons dating back to the South Pacific military campaign.
There are larger, land-based beachfront villas, for family groups who prefer the luxury of a private pool. These have indoor-outdoor flows to full al fresco kitchens, and access to private beachfront settings.
These spacious bungalows also have traditional finishes, featuring local Polynesian architectural materials and styles. Guests are allocated dedicated villa hosts, to ensure they have everything they need and a personal guide.
The Kahaia Haven Spa at Four Seasons Bora Bora takes inspiration from a Polynesian tree that relieves headaches and pains, and provides timber for dwellings and trees. Wellness services include traditional, and western practices to nurture body and soul.
But they also offer healthful outdoor therapy, including yoga on the shore of the lagoon, and a vitality plunge pool close by natural vegetation but also providing spectacular views across foothills to the lagoon.
Fine French wine and cuisine are available at the Arii Moana Restaurant, presided over by executive chef Eric Desbordes from Thiais, France. The Fare Hoa Beach Bar and Grill provides all-day dining, and cocktails with toes in the sand. While a traditional Tahitian Fish House showcases local marine foods.
Lovers of each other, and of the quiet life can elect in-bungalow dining, or an intimate breakfast in an open-air restaurant with views of Mount Otemanu. Or if they feel like something completely different, they could paddle to a private island for a champagne dinner for two, as the sun sinks closer to the rim of the ocean.
Sheer luxury competes with nature’s stunning beauty, at Bora Bora Four Seasons Hotel on an equatorial island in French Polynesia. Yet the architecture blends seamlessly everywhere you go and the interfaces are transparent.
Architect Didier Lefort Architect Associates oriented the buildings to optimize island views, and use natural ventilation to reduce air conditioning. They used simple shapes to downplay the intrusion, and cultural elements to enhance the serenity.
A sense of understated opulence, underpinned by personal service follows you everywhere in this Four Seasons resort. There’s a sense of spaciousness everywhere you go. Sometimes, if you let your imagination soar you could be that castaway in your dreams.
Serenity envelops you while you are here, and invites you to return. Perhaps it’s the laidback life style of the Polynesian people. Maybe it’s being able to wake when you like, sleep when you like, and dine with your feet wiggling in the sand. It’s certainly an opportunity shake off the stress.
There are echoes of the rich culture of the Polynesian islands in adornments of everyday items. These features find their way into the artwork, the woodcarvings, and even the patterns in the textiles.
But perhaps the ultimate experience in this special place is to retire for the night to luxuriously understated accommodation over a peaceful lagoon. What better way can there be to drift off. Other than listening to the sounds of the universe, as the gently-lapping water lulls you to sleep…
Coral Reef Restoration Project
The Bora Bora atoll relies on its coral reef to sustain the marine food chain, and attract sufficient tourists to maintain the economy. Four Seasons Bora Bora planted its foundations in the living reef.
Global warming is raising sea water temperatures closer to the point where the tiny coral organisms can no longer survive. The rich marine life, including the seaweeds that root on it could vanish forever, unless something can be done to sustain the coral.
Four Seasons Bora Bora is participating in a project to grow artificial reefs, and sustain marine life despite this threat. A low electric current passing through the water causes marine crystals to develop on an electrode, which encourages natural coral growth.
Resorts guests may participate in this project, by placing new ‘seeds’ of artificial coral in the lagoon. Then they can find them with GPS tracking when they return, and see how their ‘baby coral reef’ has grown.
This ‘Biorock’ technology is safe for swimmers and marine life, although there is some evidence it repels bull sharks and Caribbean reef sharks. This is because it affects their electro receptive ability during the final stages of their attacks.
PHOTOS COURTESY FOUR SEASONS HOTELS
