Bora Bora

Posted by Nixon on May 23rd, 2008 filed in News

One of the themes with AnythingVice is that a vice can be a lot of different things.  We’re not just talking booze, blondes and blunts.  Cars, clothes, even an obsession with high end golf clubs can be seen as a vice.

Travel to remote and exotic destinations, where one can spend the GDP of a small African country for a one week stay is certainly one of my vices.

If you wanted to impress someone, don’t take them to New York, Prague, London or Ibiza.  Take them to an island in the South Pacific. Take them to Bora Bora.  Even the name Bora Bora stirs visions of palm trees, crystal clear water and luxurious surroundings. 

Bora Bora is an island in the Society Islands of French Polynesia and is an overseas territory of France.  We’re talking some grade A hotels available.  The St. Regis Resort Bora Bora will run you US$1400 a night and has a spa which is located on its own private island.

I’d rather stay at the Bora Bora Pearl Beach Resort and Spa which features 570 sq ft bungalows situated over water. You don’t even need to rough it, the bungalows come with air conditioning, cable and all the mod-cons which you’ll need to impress your special friend.  If the over-water “fare” (Polynesian for home) doesn’t act as an aphrodesiac then nothing will.  So tranquil and perfect is the island that almost 5,000 American soliders were “forced” to leave following the end of WWII after they didn’t want to leave their station (and they didn’t even have chicks with them).

Part of the beauty of Bora Bora is its remote location. This ain’t Orlando. For those of you on the west coast, I’d recommend a flight out of LA on Air France or Air New Zealand into Tahiti.  It’ll take about 8.5 hours from LA. East Coasters - fly through LA with Air Tahiti for 11 hrs.  If you want to add a stop in Honolulu to take in some of the Aloha spirit, Bora Bora is only 5.5 hours from Waikiki beach.  You come into Tahiti and then transfer on a little puddle jumper courtesty of Air Tahiti for a hour long flight into Bora Bora.

How much is that going to run you?  Plan on $2000 for economy airfare (as if) and about $4500 - $5500 for business class.  The 2008 rate for the Bora Bora Pearl Beach is US$818/night for an overwater bungalow and US$1035/night for a premium overwater bungalow.  Figure on $150/per person per day for food (you have to eat at the hotel, only place on the island).  So we’re talking about $17,000 for a one week stay in paradise for two, all in.  Can’t beat it.