de Faaroa Botanical Garden Tours and Activities

I admit, when in FP I want the 5 star overwater bungalow experience…but we were blown away by the design, attention to detail and beauty of our room at Apatoa! Pinned as “Glamping” due to the structures it was anything but! On entering our room we were met with a five star interior! The pool is lovely, as was our private pool on the deck overlooking the lagoon. There is a beautiful fish filled reef just at the end of the dock. You can swim for hours with the fish, right out your front door! Dinners were impressive and the owners accommodating and friendly. The Island of Raiatea is laid back and peaceful. We highly recommend a visit to this hotel!

This was the highlight of our bucket-list trip to French Polynesia: three nights in paradise; and it delivered. We aren't accustomed to such a high end experience, so this was an unforgettable and amazing time. The resort grounds and buildings are immaculate, beautifull, and very well-maintained; despite it being the high season, the large footprint of the resort makes for a very tranquil and private stay. The sunset bungalow was spacious and luxurious; and we saw a large variety of fish, including a lemon shark, right from the walkway to our room. There was easy access to kayaks and paddleboards, although they are located on a windy point that makes entry slightly challenging for older guests due to small waves in the lagoon. But the lagoon is clear, warm, and shallow; quite inviting even for a nonbouyant person like myself! We did the drift snorkelling through the coral garden three times and could have done it many more times if we had the time and energy! We also arranged a half day tour of Taha'a (Fenua Safari) thru the concierge; it was very interesting to catch a glimpse of everyday life in this amazing place, and quite interesting to learn about the production of pearls and vanilla. The breakfast buffet was quite generous, so we never needed to stop for lunch. Three days flew by, but it was just enough to have the time of our lives.