French Polynesia and the Breathtaking islands of Moorea & Bora Bora: A Visual Journal
When you dream of visiting a destination for your entire adult life you suspect it has the ability to take your breath away. In July, following a nearly year-long postponement, we were finally living this exact moment in French Polynesia, and we realized the beauty is absolutely as breathtaking as we had dreamed. I hope these images will speak for themselves of the tropical beauty we experienced on the islands of Moorea and Bora Bora.
French Polynesia: shimmering turquoise waters, fragrant tropical breezes, the shade of magnificent palms, glowing sherbet sunrises over the lagoon, all sprinkled with sugar-sand beaches.
When you dream of visiting a destination for your entire adult life you suspect it has the ability to take your breath away. In July, following a nearly year-long postponement, we were finally living this exact moment in French Polynesia, and we realized the beauty is absolutely as breathtaking as we had dreamed. I hope these images will speak for themselves of the tropical beauty we experienced on the islands of Moorea and Bora Bora.
First stop: Moorea
(Hilton Moorea Lagoon Resort)
Next Stop: Bora Bora
(Intercontinental Bora Bora Resort & Spa)
Arriving by plane and private boat to the Intercontinental Bora Bora Resort & Thalasso Spa
A peek at our luxurious Diamond Villa Otemanu (with sweeping views of Mount Otemanu) and a video tour.
We couldn’t resist a spa day, with a couple’s massage, at Deep Ocean Thalasso Spa.
I celebrated a ‘BIG’ milestone birthday in Bora Bora. Turns out it was completely painless in an overwater bungalow, with room service, views of Mount Otemanu, sunrise swims, and my sweet husband.
Thank you to the Hilton Moorea Lagoon & Spa Resort and the Intercontinental Bora Bora Thalasso Spa Resort for making our celebratory stays so memorable.
To learn more about travel to French Polynesia and/or to book your getaway to a true tropical paradise Contact Us at Curated Travel.
A Handy New Tool to Fuel Your Wanderlust: Meet The Wanderlist (It’s Complimentary!)
Wanderlust is having a moment with all the time we spent at home last year. As you are drooling over exotic destinations or a travel adventure closer to home? Do you ever wonder if there is a way to save and organize the destinations that capture your fancy? What about sharing travel dreams and ideas with family and friends or even your trusted travel advisor?
As a travel advisor with the global luxury network Virtuoso, I’m excited to share an innovative tool to capture your wanderlust travel dreams (plus it’s currently complimentary!).
Wanderlust is having a moment with all the time we spent at home last year. Are you are drooling over exotic destinations or a travel adventure closer to home? Do you ever wonder if there is a way to save and organize the destinations that capture your fancy? What about sharing travel dreams and ideas with family and friends and/or your trusted travel advisor?
As a travel advisor with the global luxury network Virtuoso, I’m excited to share an innovative tool to help capture your wanderlust travel dreams (plus it’s currently complimentary!) with my travel clients and readers of the blog.
Introducing the Wanderlist:
WANDERLIST FEATURES
Users can create a secure account
Browse destinations of interest and begin dreaming
Create personalized wish-lists
Experiences- Collect unique travel ideas
Hotels- Select from 1400 properties internationally to add to wish-lists
Cruise Lines- Discover cruise opportunities in destinations of interest to add to wish-lists
Share and compare ideas with friends, family, and your travel advisor
Add any wish-list ideas from the web to your list
Users are notified by email when friends, family, and clients create new lists, heart an idea and invite others to share in the fun.
Wanderlist is fun, easy, and FREE!
Consider the latest research on travel planning:
“It’s even possible to double-dip on the experience advantage. A study published in the journal Applied Research in Quality of Life showed a major spike in happiness — lasting about eight weeks — during the planning stage of a vacation, as people enjoy the sense of anticipation.
Another study shows a boost in happiness after a vacation, as people remember the experiences they had.
And the people they enjoyed those experiences with. ”
On a personal note: The gallery above is from our very own Wanderlist with a trip to French Polynesia on our summer horizon. #wanderlist
How About You-
Are you ready?
Creating a Milestone Anniversary Celebration When Bora Bora is Postponed to 2021
As I shared on Instagram, my husband and I made the difficult decision to postpone our long-awaited ‘wanderlist’ trip to French Polynesia for our 20th wedding anniversary. We had plans to arrive today to enjoy the beauty of Moorea and Bora Bora, experience those aqua waters in overwater bungalows for the first time as we toasted our anniversary. As you can probably relate, the delayed gratification is not easy, especially when you are looking forward to the change of pace, ease of stress, a new adventure, and reconnecting with nature, yourself, or someone you love.
Early in the pandemic, when I missed out on a trip to Italy, I called it ‘delayed grativacation’. At that point, I could not have imagined we would be at home every day and every night for seven long months and it’s still mind-blowing when I think about it. I took 5 international trips in 2019 so all this home time would not have seemed possible. Are you feeling it too? Like so many of you-clients, friends, and blog readers- who have had to postpone your travel plans, we feel for you and have recently done the same.
As I shared on Instagram, my husband and I made the difficult decision to postpone our long-awaited ‘wanderlist’ trip to French Polynesia for our 20th wedding anniversary. We had plans to arrive today to enjoy the beauty of Moorea and Bora Bora, experience those aqua waters in overwater bungalows for the first time as we toasted our anniversary. As you can probably relate, the delayed gratification is not easy, especially when you are looking forward to the change of pace, ease of stress, a new adventure, and reconnecting with nature, yourself, or someone you love.
But for now, it feels safer to postpone, so we pivot. We feel the disappointment and move those plans further back on our ‘wanderlist’ calendar. Bora Bora will have to wait until July 2021. And then we make some new plans. For us, it needed to be something meaningful, something worthy of our 20th celebration and it needed to feel safe in these COVID times. By sheer coincidence, and a webinar I joined with preferred travel partners, the perfect destination fell right into place. The answer, it seems, was hanging on the wall in my husband’s home office all along.
My dress for our anniversary dinner is more coral than red, but Scott and I will lounging on this very balcony, and enjoying a stay at this residential-style boutique hotel in the Napa Valley later this week. Auberge Du Soleil, “Inspired by the south of France. Infused with California soul'“ will be perfect for our celebration. With a bit of planning and creativity, we have another ‘wanderlist’ stay on the horizon for this milestone and I hope you do for yours.
Stay safe and cheers! Heather
Follow along with us on Instagram Curated Travel + StyleMindChic (behind the scenes)
View Auberge Du Soleil and contact us at Curated Travel for more information and to book this or any of the Auberge Collection Resorts.
Painting by California Artist: Michael Flohr
CURATED TRAVEL: Dream Destination - Bora Bora in French Polynesia
One of the destinations at the top of my travel bucket list is Bora Bora in French Polynesia. The shimmering turquoise waters and sparkling sugar sand beaches speak to a tropical paradise. The Tahitian experience, in over-water luxury bungalows, is the stuff of fantasy.
Destination: Bora Bora
One of the destinations at the top of my travel bucket list is Bora Bora in French Polynesia. The shimmering turquoise waters and sparkling sugar sand beaches speak to a tropical paradise. The Tahitian experience, in overwater luxury bungalows, is the stuff of fantasy.
The St. Regis Bora Bora Resort is located on this pristine island in French Polynesia. Spanning 44 acres of lush landscaping, edged by powdery white sands and a crystalline lagoon with the majesty of Mount Otemanu for iconic backdrop, The St. Regis Bora Bora Resort represents the epitome of carefree elegance.
For more on The St. Regis Bora Bora and the 5th-night free sale here.
I'm happy to book this unforgettable getaway for you!
For travel to other amazing destinations, contact me at Curated Travel services.
Which destination is on top of your travel bucket list?
Images: Classic Vacations
