Canadian World Traveller Spring 2024 Issue

Nui, overlooking the lagoon and
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Mount Otemanu. On Mondays, Tere
Nui hosts a Polynesian dance show,
giving guests another glimpse into Polynesian
culture.
Beneath its cathedral roof, Te Mahana Spa
pampers and revitalizes guests with traditional
Polynesian treatments. The verdant lagoon
views are remarkable, no moreso than in a
couples’ suite in a bungalow — with a glass
floor allowing a tranquil view of fish swimming
below.
The resort caters not only to couples on
romantic getaways but also to families. “We
are seeing more and more families joining us,
especially over the holiday season,” confirmed
general manager Romain Chanet.
Four Season Resort Bora Bora
The Ultimate Bucket List Destination!
Article and photography by Nicholas Kontis
For those who want to do nothing at all, Four
Seasons has you covered. But there are activities
enough to fill every hour of every day.
Water sports include paddleboarding, kayaking,
and snorkeling — in two lagoons or
directly from your bungalow — as well as a
popular jet-ski tour. There’s an open-air fitness
room open 24 hours, for those who like
to pump iron at 3 a.m. There’s an exclusive
Kids Club for 4 to 12-year-olds. Daily shuttles
transport guests to off-property shopping or
sightseeing, and a daily lunch shuttle visits the
Bora Bora Beach Club.
Uhere are 118 islands in French
Polynesia, yet only one of them finds a
place on every traveler’s bucket list.
Bora Bora is a place so nice, you’ve got to say
it twice. South Pacific author James Michener
called it the most mesmerizing island in the
world. Indeed, visiting Bora Bora is like living
in a dream. Its marine palette of cobalt,
turquoise and sapphire is unrivaled in any sea.
So it comes as no surprise, really, that Four
Seasons Resort Bora Bora rests right at the top
of any bucket-list resort compilation. Indeed,
in its 2023 Awards of Excellence, “Luxury
Travel Advisor” named the property the “Best
Luxury Beach Hotel Worldwide.” In other
words: There’s no real competition.
The over-water suites have a magnetic draw.
There are 108 of these thatched bungalows,
as well as seven beachfront villa estates of two
and three bedrooms. As the Four Seasons
rests on its private motu, or islet, everyone has
a spellbinding vista of mystical Mount
Otemanu rising in the near distance.
Every bungalow has a private balcony and a
large soaking tub overlooking the waters of
the South Pacific. Each accommodation features
traditional teak furnishings, local artwork,
a flat-screen TV, a bar and a Nespresso
machine. And every day, before breakfast, I
could wake up and plunge into the warm
waters of the lagoon outside my bungalow.
All dining options are exceptional. Arii Moana
is the open-air Mediterranean option.
Blending the cultural traditions of Asia, Vaimiti
is my personal favorite, with a locale that provides
eye-popping sunsets. (The crispy pork
belly is to die for.) Breakfast is served at Tere
But once you’ve arrived on your private
Polynesian motu, you won’t ever have to leave
— at least, not until your French visa expires.
Four Seasons guests are picked up at the Bora
Bora airport and taken by boat to the island,
a 15-minute voyage. Most American guests
arrive directly from Los Angeles, San
Francisco or Seattle on nonstop nine-hour
flights.
Four Seasons Resort Bora Bora redefines the
word “relaxing.” It exceeds all expectations of
a private island resort. The serene setting —
over-water villas, accented by impeccably
manicured grounds, before one of the most
stunning backdrops on the planet — lends a
refined superiority that I’ve seen nowhere else
in my far-flung travels.
I’m left to contemplate only one remaining
question: Why didn’t I stay longer?
www.fourseasons.com
World Traveler Spring 2024