IC Bora Bora Le Moana Master Thread [merged]

Old May 13, 2007, 2:10 am
  #46  
 
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 6,355
Originally Posted by Big_Foot
Go for Thalasso only. You will be coming through Le Moana
every time you will go to the main island, so you can spend some time there,
but the quality of the OWB is so much higher at Thalasso.
I have pictures from both here:

http://www.wildlifeland.com/BoraBora/


I'm going again in July this year and I will be staying at our favorite
OWB with Mount Otemanu seen from our bed... Can't wait!
Thalasso is our favorite place on earth.
I think I've said this before, but your pictures are so dang good it's not even funny. I don't know how you do it, but those things are fantastic!!! ^
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Old May 13, 2007, 5:56 pm
  #47  
 
Join Date: May 2004
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Originally Posted by gregorygrady
... it's not even funny.
Greg, if you want something what might make you cry, check out
(if you haven't already) those great videos from Thalasso and Le Moana:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sukJc2yILFo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1gIz0Ef-7Y




Andrew
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Old May 13, 2007, 9:48 pm
  #48  
 
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I sent many e-mails to both IC Thalasso and La Moana and no response so far. It has been more than a week. Any experience with that?

MD
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Old May 14, 2007, 9:06 am
  #49  
 
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Originally Posted by flying MD
I sent many e-mails to both IC Thalasso and La Moana and no response so far. It has been more than a week. Any experience with that?
I recall not getting a response when I tried the addresses on the main IC site that were .com, all the emails I received from the resort were interconti.pf. I think the email I found that worked for La Moana was [email protected].
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Old Sep 5, 2007, 10:23 am
  #50  
 
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What currencies are accepted in French Polynesia? I'm off there in a couple of weeks and noticed that Travelex don't do CFP Francs (XPF)...
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Old Sep 6, 2007, 8:04 am
  #51  
DCF
 
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The French Polynesian Franc is the only accepted currency, but if you can't order any take Euros instead - just don't take US$.
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Old Sep 7, 2007, 2:20 pm
  #52  
 
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Originally Posted by DCF
The French Polynesian Franc is the only accepted currency, but if you can't order any take Euros instead - just don't take US$.
Travelex and the Post Office don't seem to do CFP... can anyone suggest any places that do?
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Old Sep 7, 2007, 5:14 pm
  #53  
 
Join Date: May 2004
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Originally Posted by schofs
Travelex and the Post Office don't seem to do CFP... can anyone suggest any places that do?
ATM machine at Papeete airport, just behind AirTahiti (domestic) office.

Don't change too much, you don't need it.
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Old Sep 13, 2007, 9:12 am
  #54  
 
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Questions from Bora Bora virgin

I have been planning a trip to Bora Bora and this thread has been very helpful. I do however still have a couple lingering questions:

1. How much do things cost once you are down there? Is food and bottled water going to break the bank? What about water taxis?

2. How easy is it to get from Thalasso to main island? I hear a lot of people say it is a pain, but what makes it a pain? Does it take a long time? Is it pricey?

3. What is it that you love about Bora Bora? Is it that much more beautiful than Hawaii or the Carribean?

4. Last question. I am thinking of going with my girlfriend and her sister. Is this one of those places where three is going to be a crowd? I'm not so concerned because we always travel together, but will we be the only people on the island not traveling as a couple?

Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated. I don't mean to sound too thrifty, but I am using miles / points for this trip and I have to keep costs down if I can get away with calling it a "Free trip". Thanks!
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Old Sep 14, 2007, 1:51 am
  #55  
 
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Originally Posted by davidjdewey
I have been planning a trip to Bora Bora and this thread has been very helpful. I do however still have a couple lingering questions:

1. How much do things cost once you are down there? Is food and bottled water going to break the bank? What about water taxis?

2. How easy is it to get from Thalasso to main island? I hear a lot of people say it is a pain, but what makes it a pain? Does it take a long time? Is it pricey?

3. What is it that you love about Bora Bora? Is it that much more beautiful than Hawaii or the Carribean?

4. Last question. I am thinking of going with my girlfriend and her sister. Is this one of those places where three is going to be a crowd? I'm not so concerned because we always travel together, but will we be the only people on the island not traveling as a couple?

Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated. I don't mean to sound too thrifty, but I am using miles / points for this trip and I have to keep costs down if I can get away with calling it a "Free trip". Thanks!
This tahiti travel forum below will answer most of your questions, if not all:

http://www.tahiti-explorer.com/forum...s.php?ubb=cfrm

Hope you find it helpful. I can make brief answers to your questions:

1) A bottle of water will cost you at least $5 dollars in the hotel, but you can get complimentary minibar if you are Royal Ambassador. If not, you can load up food, snack and beverages at much cheaper price at the local convenience store across the street outside the front entrance of IC Le Moana.

2) you can take the complimentary shuttle boat provided by IC hotels from IC Thalasso to IC La Moana at the main island. It runs like every hour back and forth from very early in the morning till 10 or 11 something pm. It is pretty easy, no pain at all. The journey takes about 15 mins.

3) Turquoise water, french food and friendly Tahitian make me keep going back there 3 times in 3 years. The place is not as commercial or as crowded as Hawaii.

4) Most of the people who go there are couples, but not unusual to see groups of friends going together.

Last edited by GordonGordon; Sep 14, 2007 at 10:14 am
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Old Sep 14, 2007, 5:12 am
  #56  
DCF
 
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Responses.....

1. How much do things cost once you are down there? Is food and bottled water going to break the bank? What about water taxis?
You just need to understand that it is like an expensive European destination. The good thing about Le Moana IC (apart from prettier views than the Thalasso) is that you can walk to various inexpensive restaurants and a supermarket, where bottled water is $3 and a big bottle of Coke is $4, and where you can buy bread / cheese / meat etc to prepare affordable lunches. In contrast, at the Thalasso you have virtually no way of bringing in your own food and drink.

2. How easy is it to get from Thalasso to main island? I hear a lot of people say it is a pain, but what makes it a pain? Does it take a long time? Is it pricey?
It's only a pain in that you are a prisoner of their boat schedule, so you need to plan when you go and come back. It's fine really.


3. What is it that you love about Bora Bora? Is it that much more beautiful than Hawaii or the Carribean?
Bora Bora is so much more special than those destinations that it is hard to put it into words. Firstly, it is far more beautiful: water more turquoise than
you've ever seen before (even at the airport) plus amazing craggy mountains. Hawaii's beaches are very poor in comparison, while some Caribbean beaches are nice, but only St Lucia has comparable mountain backgrounds. Secondly, it's more exotic: there is a far smaller density of tourists, and the people are Polynesian. Thirdly, it's terrific not having to tip and knowing that in a country where the minimum wage is $1500 per month and there's universal free health insurance there are simply no homeless people, no hawkers trying to hassle you to buy souvenirs, no-one who wants to steal your passport (as they all have French European Union passports).

4. Last question. I am thinking of going with my girlfriend and her sister. Is this one of those places where three is going to be a crowd? I'm not so concerned because we always travel together, but will we be the only people on the island not traveling as a couple?
I go every year with my small kids and it's just fine. Anyway, your girlfriend's sister might meet a hot Polynesian guy with a French accent.

The simple fact is that Bora Bora is the best of the best. But avoid the rainy season from November to April.

By the way, if you're SPG Platinum I'd be much more inclined to book the Best Available Rate at the Bora Bora Nui (usually around US$480 per night) in the knowledge that they are generous with upgrades and it is much easier and quicker to go to the capital Vaitape to shop than from the Thalasso.

I'm SPG Platinum and an Ambassador, and I prefer the BB Nui to the IC Moana Beach and the St Regis to the IC Thalasso. The only advantage of the IC's is that redeeming points for free nights is a better deal.
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Old Sep 14, 2007, 9:33 am
  #57  
 
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Thank you guys so much! Bora Bora sounds great. I am definitely going to book something in the next few days. I am still undecided on the hotel situation. I think I will stick with the IC's since it's the best use of points. A lot of IC's tend to be business hotels, thus not a great use of points for vacation. Plus, 40K IC points vs. 60K SPG points for Bora Bora is not even close. There does seem to be great debate over which IC to choose. Some people say Thalasso is much nicer and some say Le Moana is nicer. I am sure that it just depends on what you are looking for. I am definitely leaning towards Thalasso because of the rooms. We will have three people and the rooms seem very large. Le Moana only shows rooms with 1 double bed available and that won't work since there are three of us. It sounds like we could use the shuttle to go over to the main island and buy some groceries to bring back to Thalasso with us to help with expenses. It also sounds like we would still be able to hang out over at Le Moana a little if we got sick of Thalasso. I know that the rainy season starts in November, but I can only go the week of Thanksgiving. I saw that the average rainfall for November is 6.5 inches, which is a lot. Is that going to ruin my trip? I imagine that's part of the reason that there is award availability and should help me chance of an upgrade. I do have one final question for the RA's out there:

I am really hoping for a nice upgrade as an RA. I would like to book the whole trip using points, but I don't know what kind of room I would get. I thought of booking the first night as a paid stay and using a BOGO for the second night. The other nights would be using points. Will paying for the first two nights give me a better chance of a nice upgrade? If so, what room category should I book? I thought of just paying for the Diamond OWB the first night and hoping to keep that room. Do you think that will work? If I do use the BOGO, should I not tell them until check-in? Would that even work if I book using the Advance Purchase rate? Sorry for all of the questions, but I really appreciate the help!
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Old Sep 15, 2007, 1:13 am
  #58  
 
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Originally Posted by davidjdewey
Thank you guys so much! Bora Bora sounds great. I am definitely going to book something in the next few days. I am still undecided on the hotel situation. I think I will stick with the IC's since it's the best use of points. A lot of IC's tend to be business hotels, thus not a great use of points for vacation. Plus, 40K IC points vs. 60K SPG points for Bora Bora is not even close. There does seem to be great debate over which IC to choose. Some people say Thalasso is much nicer and some say Le Moana is nicer. I am sure that it just depends on what you are looking for. I am definitely leaning towards Thalasso because of the rooms. We will have three people and the rooms seem very large. Le Moana only shows rooms with 1 double bed available and that won't work since there are three of us. It sounds like we could use the shuttle to go over to the main island and buy some groceries to bring back to Thalasso with us to help with expenses. It also sounds like we would still be able to hang out over at Le Moana a little if we got sick of Thalasso. I know that the rainy season starts in November, but I can only go the week of Thanksgiving. I saw that the average rainfall for November is 6.5 inches, which is a lot. Is that going to ruin my trip? I imagine that's part of the reason that there is award availability and should help me chance of an upgrade. I do have one final question for the RA's out there:

I am really hoping for a nice upgrade as an RA. I would like to book the whole trip using points, but I don't know what kind of room I would get. I thought of booking the first night as a paid stay and using a BOGO for the second night. The other nights would be using points. Will paying for the first two nights give me a better chance of a nice upgrade? If so, what room category should I book? I thought of just paying for the Diamond OWB the first night and hoping to keep that room. Do you think that will work? If I do use the BOGO, should I not tell them until check-in? Would that even work if I book using the Advance Purchase rate? Sorry for all of the questions, but I really appreciate the help!
well, November is not high season, so it shouldn't be any problem and not surprise to receive complimentary room upgrade to sapphire or diamond overwater bungalow even on reward nights for regular ambassador. If you have enough points for your entire stay, why not using points and why wasting money? Both IC hotels at Bora Bora are very accommodating for room upgrade. If you want to ensure that you will get the diamond o/w bungalow and don't want to take any risk, then it is a good idea to book the 1st night for a sapphire o/w bungalow (regular ambassador is entitled for one room categaory upgrade) and use your BOGO for the 2nd night and the rest of the nights are paid by points. I don't think they will be that tacky to ask you to move to the cheaper room on the reward nights.

You should not worry too much about the weather as dry season can also be very rainny, and rainny season can be very sunny. It really depends on your luck. When I were in Bora Bora last year in late July-early August during the driest months, it had been rainning almost like non-stop and very windy for the entire 3 days out of 5. I were also there in January (the wettest month) this year, and it was very sunny for the entire 4 days out of 5.

However, I have to warn you that you all might get infected with "Tahitian Flu" right after you get back from your first Bora Bora trip. The only cure is to immediately plan for the next Bora Bora trip, but then the flu will be getting worse and worse.

Last edited by GordonGordon; Sep 15, 2007 at 1:35 am
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Old Sep 15, 2007, 7:58 am
  #59  
 
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Gordon,

Thanks for the advice. Since I will be going off-season (If there is such a thing), maybe I will try to do it all with points. I will try to contact the hotel ahead of time to see about the upgrade. I should have my RA status soon, which will help. I will watch out for the Tahitian Flu. Maybe the 4x points promo that's starting next week can help me find a cure!
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Old Sep 15, 2007, 10:44 am
  #60  
 
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Originally Posted by davidjdewey
Gordon,

Thanks for the advice. Since I will be going off-season (If there is such a thing), maybe I will try to do it all with points. I will try to contact the hotel ahead of time to see about the upgrade. I should have my RA status soon, which will help. I will watch out for the Tahitian Flu. Maybe the 4x points promo that's starting next week can help me find a cure!
I have to tell you that when you ask them about the upgrade through email, for sure they will disappoint you by giving you a reply that you will have a one category upgrade, but when you arrive there, it is totally a different story. They will try thier best to accommodate you to your satisfaction. If you will be RA before this Bora Bora trip, then I can say 99% you will get a diamond o/w bungalow.

In addition, if you plan to stay at the IC at Papeete (Tahiti Island) for a night or 2 before heading to Bora Bora (which I don't suggest), they are very stingy for room upgrade even if you pay for the room although the 2 ICs at Bora Bora and IC Tahiti are owned by the same owner.
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