nikkilou

We're thinking of staying at the pearl beach tahaa and then the pearl beach Bora bora. First off, where is the resort located in Bora bora... on a motu or on the main island? Also, how good/bad is this resort? Is there another one in the same price range that is better?

Thanks for your help! Trying to finalize our honeymoon plans and want to make the right decision!

LordBalfor

Stayed at the BB Pearl Beach in March of 2000 and loved it. Most folks that stayed there seem to feel the same (as near as I can tell). I wrote an extensive trip report about the place on Epinions.com which you can read at the following URL (bottom of the page):

http://www.epinions.com/user-lordbal..._~1/pa_~1#list

Note that Epinions also has a few other reviews of the place by other travels, so you might want to look at those as well.

Also, I've posted some photos of the place on Webshots.com at this URL:

http://community.webshots.com/user/lordbalfor

The BB Pearl Beach is on a motu (island along the reef) of the main island of Bora Bora and so has a great view of the island itself. The drawback is you are bit isolated (though not too much).

In general the BB Pearl Beach seems to be pretty well liked, though the 2 favorite places seem to the the very pricy Hotel Bora Bora or the Sofitel Motu (not to be confused with the Sofitel Marara).

Anyway, try not to stress yourself out too much trying making the RIGHT choice. The islands' lagoon is the main star and I'd stay in a tent if it meant I coule live there.

Ken

nikkilou

WOW, thank you SO much... your comments and your review on epinions is extremely thorough!! We are thinking about a beach bungalow at the PB in bora bora and a OWB in tahaa... do you recall any beach bungalows that would be optimal to reserve? I don't know if where they are located on the shore makes a difference?

THANKS!

LordBalfor

You're welcome. Glad I could be of some help.

I don't think that any particular beach bungalow would have a better location than another. It seems to me that they all had pretty much the same view.

I should point out that a lot has happened at the resort since we were there. It apparently has already had a renovation (remember how I mentioned in the "Comparison of Bora Bora Resorts" review how places get nasty-looking in a very short time down there in the tropic?) and some expansion. Also, there is a new resort (the Bora Bora Nui) situated on the southern end of the same motu that the Bora Bora Lagoon Resort is on. From what I can gather, it is apparently very luxurious but surprisingly does not offer very good views of the main island (I guess the units all look out towards the reef). For the most up-to-date info on Tahiti, I'd check out the Tahiti-Explorer.com message board.

Ken

By the way, from the photos I've seen, the PBR Tahaa resort looks like it's to die for. You're going to have a terrific time.

LordBalfor

PS: The Bora Bora Pearl Beach has a new webcam (photo updated hourly). Here's the URL:

http://www.pearlresorts.com/

Click on "Bora Bora Pearl Beach Resort Webcam"

Ken

nikkilou

Right on... thanks! Great point of view. I have one more question if you'll indulge me... any problems with bugs on the islands? Particularly at night buzzing in your ears while you're trying to sleep? Just curious... I heard that the land bungalows are worse than the OWB... would you concurr? Would you stear me clear of any beach bungalows for that reason, or do you think people just exaggerate?

LordBalfor

Well. Like others, we had NO problems in the OW bungalows. I SUSPECT the beach bungalows would be alright, but the garden bungalows may indeed have mozzies. The deciding factor in the presence of these pests is the wind. Mozzies are very poor flyers and as long as the wind is blowing you will have NO problem. If the wind dies down they start appearing. This is true anywhere in the South Pacific (or elsewhere for that matter). Fortunately, the trade winds blow pretty much ALL the time. However, trees, buildings etc will block the wind and make it possible for the little buggers to get airborne. This is why the OW bungalows are usually mozzy free (nothing to block the wind out there). Bungalows on the beach are usually OK, but in the case of the PBR they have walled-in yards. This is great for privacy, but not for mozzy control. The upshot is, you might have some problems in the private yard, I just don't know for sure. You might want to post this question on the Tahiti-Explorer board. Lots of folks there have ACTUALLY stayed in the PBR beach bungalow units.
Personally, I would not hesitate to stay in a beach bungalow, but I would bring mozzy repellant (with DEET).

Ken

PS: I just noticed the BB Pearl Beach webcam has not updated since Monday. Well, so much for hourly updates.