kicking back | TAHITI
Polynesian Paradise Pause for a luxurious break in the Tahitian Islands. BY KRISTY ALPERT I HAD JUST TAKEN OFF MY SANDALS, stepping onto the white-sand beach for a late-morning walk to a secluded spot I heard about from a front desk clerk, when I glanced down and saw the time on my phone. It had just turned 11 a.m., which meant it was only 7 a.m. back home, the perfect time to call and say good morning to my husband before he left for work. Not quite ready to head back to my room, I decided I’d test the WiFi signal and made the call as I continued walking toward the shoreline. “Good morning from Bora Bora,” I said, half guiltily, as I heard the line connect after just two rings. “Wish you were here!” The conversation continued as I trudged farther and farther away from the canopied loungers and sun beds
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sunken in the sand. I gripped my phone a little harder as I took my first step into the crystal-clear water, letting the salty, still liquid cool my toes and rise higher up my legs as I stepped deeper and deeper into the shallow Pacific Ocean lagoon. Up to my waist in seawater, I ended the call as I finally reached the aim of my morning journey. With one last, “Miss you,” I hung up the phone, placed it in a waterproof bag and collapsed into a private overwater hammock that hung loosely between two poles so the netting barely kissed the water’s surface as I swung slowly. All alone. Not another living soul in sight. Often regarded as a honeymoon destination due to its romantic scenery and private overwater bungalows, Bora Bora’s recent connectivity and increased flight schedules from
BLISSFUL BLUE:
Overwater hammock (above), and Four Seasons Bora Bora overwater bungalows (right) PHOTOS: © MARTIN VALIGURSKY DREAMSTIME.COM, © MOEAVA DE ROSEMONT / FOUR SEASONS BORA BORA
INFO TO GO
All international flights arrive and depart in Tahiti’s capital city of Papeete. From there, a 50-minute flight via Air Tahiti Nui puts guests at Bora Bora Airport, where they can either take a car transfer to a resort on the main island or hop in their corresponding resort boat to shuttle via water to their resort’s private motu.
