Le Taha'a by Pearl Resorts is the overwater honeymoon for couples who want Bora Bora's view without Bora Bora's crowds. It sits alone on Motu Tautau, a reef islet off the west side of Taha'a, with 59 overwater suites and pool villas looking across the lagoon to Bora Bora's peak on the horizon. It was the first Relais & Châteaux hotel in French Polynesia and the food, service and sense of calm reflect that.
The resort's other great asset is the Coral Garden next door, one of the best snorkel sites in the Society Islands. You can drift with the current along a channel between two motus over coral heads full of fish, then walk back along the beach and do it again. Taha'a itself, known as the Vanilla Island, is a short boat ride away, with vanilla farms and pearl farms to visit.
It suits couples who want overwater luxury, excellent snorkeling and real quiet. It is less suited to those who want nightlife or the choice of restaurants that Bora Bora offers.
Highlights at a glance
- 59 overwater suites and pool villas on a private motu
- Bora Bora Overwater Suites facing the famous peak
- Coral Garden drift snorkel next to the resort
- First Relais & Châteaux hotel in French Polynesia
- Tipairua tasting menus and a garden spa
Why Couples Love Le Taha'a
The setting is the reason. Motu Tautau is a long, low islet with the resort to itself. On one side is the turquoise Taha'a lagoon with Bora Bora's silhouette in the distance. On the other is the reef and the deep blue Pacific. You arrive by boat and do not need to leave until you go.
Couples often mention how calm it feels compared with Bora Bora. There are no other hotels in sight, no jet skis racing past and no day-trippers on the beach. The Coral Garden drift snorkel is a favorite: let the tide carry you from a small reef at the edge of the islet into the coral garden, then walk back and repeat. Evenings bring sunsets over the water from your deck and dinners that take Polynesian ingredients seriously.
Suites and Villas to Book
All 59 suites and villas have direct access to the lagoon or the beach.
- Overwater Suites are about 969 square feet each and come in five versions. The Bora Bora Overwater Suite faces Bora Bora, the Sunset Overwater Suite faces due west for sunsets and the End of Pontoon Overwater Suite looks toward the horizon. The Taha'a and Taha'a Premium suites face the main island.
- Pool Beach Villas and Premium Pool Beach Villas are about 1,937 square feet, on the sand with a private pool.
- The Royal Pool Beach Villa is about 2,800 square feet with two pools, better for two couples.
For a honeymoon, the Bora Bora Overwater Suite gives you the postcard view and the Sunset Overwater Suite the best evenings. Choose a Pool Beach Villa if you want more privacy and your own pool.
Food, Drink and the Spa
There are three restaurants and two bars. Hawaiki Nui, the main restaurant, is a treehouse-style room set high among the foliage with a racing canoe hanging from the ceiling, serving breakfast and dinner. Titiraina is the beach restaurant for lunch, with a weekly barbecue where you pick the catch of the day. Tipairua is the flagship: a candlelit room with five-course tasting menus blending Polynesian flavors and French technique, closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. Dress up for it.
The Manuia Bar has a swim-up bar at the pool and serves Champagne cocktails with local fruit, while the Tiki Bar is the evening spot for rum. The Tāvai Spa sits in a tropical garden overlooking the inner lagoon, with two indoor couples' cabins, an outdoor couples' cabin and a sauna. Ask about meal plans, since everything you eat will be at the resort.
Why guests fall for it
Things to Do
The resort lends kayaks, stand-up paddleboards, snorkel gear and water shoes, so the lagoon is yours from breakfast to sunset. Snorkel the Coral Garden at different tides, paddle to a quiet sandbar or rent a small boat to find a motu of your own.
The concierge arranges trips to the main island of Taha'a with trusted local partners. Visit a vanilla plantation to see how French Polynesia's finest vanilla is grown and cured and tour a pearl farm to learn how Tahitian black pearls are cultivated. Raiatea, across the lagoon, is home to Taputapuātea, a UNESCO World Heritage marae complex and the most sacred site in Polynesia. A fitness center is open daily for anyone who wants a workout. Wear reef shoes on coral and listen to the staff about currents in the Coral Garden channel.
Getting There
Taha'a has no airport. Fly from Papeete (PPT) to Raiatea (RFP) with Air Tahiti, a flight of about 45 minutes. Resort staff meet you at Raiatea airport and walk you to the dock, where the private shuttle boat makes a 35-minute crossing to Motu Tautau. Bora Bora's peak appears on the horizon during the ride. Helicopter transfers can also be arranged from Tahiti or Bora Bora.
Most couples combine Le Taha'a with Bora Bora, Moorea or Huahine. Domestic flights have tighter baggage limits, so pack light. Bring reef-safe sunscreen and insect repellent. If you're pregnant or hoping to be soon, check CDC travel health notices for French Polynesia, since mosquito-borne illnesses occur in the islands.
Is It Worth It?
Le Taha'a is expensive, as overwater resorts in French Polynesia are, but it is often noticeably cheaper than comparable rooms on Bora Bora. Rates for an overwater suite run roughly $700 to $1,500 a night depending on season and category, approximate, before meals. Because the resort is isolated, food and drink add a significant sum, so ask about meal plans.
It is worth it if you want an overwater suite with a Bora Bora view, superb snorkeling at your door and a quiet, refined atmosphere. Pick Bora Bora itself if you want a choice of restaurants and a livelier scene. Pick Huahine or a family-run pension on Taha'a if your budget does not stretch to overwater luxury. Most couples find three or four nights here a good complement to a busier island.
Insider tips
- Book the Bora Bora Overwater Suite for the view, or the Sunset Overwater Suite for evenings.
- Snorkel the Coral Garden at different tides; the current changes the experience.
- Reserve Tipairua early, since it is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.
- Book the spa's outdoor couples' cabin for a treatment beside the lagoon.
