Honeymoon in the South Pacific??

Jess1579

Hi everyone! My fiancé and I are planning on going somewhere in the south pacific for our honeymoon in July of 2013. Anyone have some suggestions on where to stay?? Our top choice right now is the Mantagi island resort - it looks so private and peaceful and I absolutely love the idea that it's all inclusive and adults only, but i'd love to hear some other ideas of good places to stay. We're open to anywhere - Fiji, Tahiti, Bora Bora...anywhere!! Any ideas or advice would be great!!! Thanks!

Jells2dot0

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_honeymoon_honeymoon-in-the-south-pacific?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:11Discussion:59e567e8-dfd5-4f18-82d2-05b0ef88e20ePost:c9ce3a88-e4eb-4f0f-a935-89ca3d0af4f3">Honeymoon in the South Pacific??</a>:
[QUOTE]Hi everyone! My fiancé and I are planning on going somewhere in the south pacific for our honeymoon in July of 2013. Anyone have some suggestions on where to stay?? Our top choice right now is the Mantagi island resort - it looks so private and peaceful and I absolutely love the idea that it's all inclusive and adults only, but i'd love to hear some other ideas of good places to stay. We're open to anywhere - Fiji, Tahiti, Bora Bora...anywhere!! Any ideas or advice would be great!!! Thanks!
Posted by Jess1579[/QUOTE]

If you want all inclusive and adults only, you are better off sticking to Fjii. French Polynesia (Tahiti, Bora Bora, Moorea, etc.) do not have all inclusive resorts or adults only resorts. I have been to French Polynesia 5 times and to Fjii once; they are very different from one another and a lot will depend on the type of experience you want and your budget. Fiji does not have the crystal blue water that you'll see in FP, but it does have amazing soft corals and the people are out of this world friendly. Fiji also has more private island resorts, many of which have only 20 bures at most. FP mostly has larger resorts, but has a few that are around the 30-50 bungalow range. There is one that has only 9 rooms (vahine Island Taha'a). Also, be aware that all inclusive in Fiji is not the same as inclusive in the Caribbean. Most resorts will include all meals, but not beverages. Namale does include beverages, as does Wakaya I believe. Check out Namale, LikuLiku, and Royal Davui as well. They are some of the more popular resorts. In French Polynesia, it depends on what island you want to go to. In Bora Bora, there are around 8 main resorts to choose from, all unique and all within varying price points. I'm more than happy to recommend islands or resorts based on my experiences, but knowing a budget and what you are looking for woud help (view of main island? best snorkeling? smaller resort? etc). Also, just so you are aware, your money will go further in Fiji. You may spend around the same amount on a package, but you'll probably have meals included in Fiji and you'll also end up spending less once there.

Also, not to confuse things, but you can also look into the Cook Islands. They are reasonably priced and not as touristy as French Polynesia.

Hope that helps!

Jess1579

Wow thanks so much for all that info!!! We're trying to keep it around $10,000 or so but don't mind if we go over our budget a bit. Fiji seems to be more affordable from what we've seen so far. We definitely want a place that is quiet and private and very romantic - the typical honeymoon spot. We love to just hang out on the beach, swim, relax, etc. We don't need too much adventure but definitely want a romantic atmosphere. It'll probably be a once in a lifetime trip for us. :)

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_honeymoon_honeymoon-in-the-south-pacific?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:11Discussion:59e567e8-dfd5-4f18-82d2-05b0ef88e20ePost:44fb0164-cab1-467a-b59b-4f7f6ebba51d">Re: Honeymoon in the South Pacific??</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Honeymoon in the South Pacific?? : If you want all inclusive and adults only, you are better off sticking to Fjii. French Polynesia (Tahiti, Bora Bora, Moorea, etc.) do not have all inclusive resorts or adults only resorts. I have been to French Polynesia 5 times and to Fjii once; they are very different from one another and a lot will depend on the type of experience you want and your budget. Fiji does not have the crystal blue water that you'll see in FP, but it does have amazing soft corals and the people are out of this world friendly. Fiji also has more private island resorts, many of which have only 20 bures at most. FP mostly has larger resorts, but has a few that are around the 30-50 bungalow range. There is one that has only 9 rooms (vahine Island Taha'a). Also, be aware that all inclusive in Fiji is not the same as inclusive in the Caribbean. Most resorts will include all meals, but not beverages. Namale does include beverages, as does Wakaya I believe. Check out Namale, LikuLiku, and Royal Davui as well. They are some of the more popular resorts. In French Polynesia, it depends on what island you want to go to. In Bora Bora, there are around 8 main resorts to choose from, all unique and all within varying price points. I'm more than happy to recommend islands or resorts based on my experiences, but knowing a budget and what you are looking for woud help (view of main island? best snorkeling? smaller resort? etc). Also, just so you are aware, your money will go further in Fiji. You may spend around the same amount on a package, but you'll probably have meals included in Fiji and you'll also end up spending less once there. Also, not to confuse things, but you can also look into the Cook Islands. They are reasonably priced and not as touristy as French Polynesia. Hope that helps!
Posted by Jells2dot0[/QUOTE]

Jells2dot0

Either place will fit your criteria and both are super romantic and perfect for honeymooners. You certainly will get a more private experience at a smaller resort in Fiji, though. Some of the private island resorts there are AMAZING! They will make sure your honeymoon is beyond incredible. If you decide on French Polynesia, I recommend looking into a split island combo of Moorea/Bora Bora or Huahine/Bora Bora. I also recommend a multi island stay in Fiji as well. Some people stay on the main island first to do more exploring (the InterContinental on the Coral Coast is gorgeous but it's big) or they stay in Port Denarau at a place like the Westin or Sofitel. The main island is more crowded and not quite as secluded but it's a good way to conserve budget and splurge on the outer islands.

Jess1579

I really like the idea of splitting our time between two places. We thought about spending a night or two when we first arrive on the main island and then spending a week on one of the private islands. I absolutely love the overwater bungalows but they seem so expensive!! But the bures at the private islands look gorgeous too! His is o exciting - Thanks for the help!!! :).

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_honeymoon_honeymoon-in-the-south-pacific?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:11Discussion:59e567e8-dfd5-4f18-82d2-05b0ef88e20ePost:6bae9bd2-e434-4c14-ae5c-476f3210d414">Re: Honeymoon in the South Pacific??</a>:
[QUOTE]Either place will fit your criteria and both are super romantic and perfect for honeymooners. You certainly will get a more private experience at a smaller resort in Fiji, though. Some of the private island resorts there are AMAZING! They will make sure your honeymoon is beyond incredible. If you decide on French Polynesia, I recommend looking into a split island combo of Moorea/Bora Bora or Huahine/Bora Bora. I also recommend a multi island stay in Fiji as well. Some people stay on the main island first to do more exploring (the InterContinental on the Coral Coast is gorgeous but it's big) or they stay in Port Denarau at a place like the Westin or Sofitel. The main island is more crowded and not quite as secluded but it's a good way to conserve budget and splurge on the outer islands.
Posted by Jells2dot0[/QUOTE]

Jells2dot0

Yes, they are expensive, unfortunately. Especially in July, which is high season in both places, but even more so in FP because of Heiva. You can always consider spending a few nights at LikuLiku in the Mamanuca chain in Fiji. The OWBs there aren't the same experience as those in FP, as they are a bit higher up from the lagoon and the lagoon there is also more tidal. But. LikuLiku is known for it's amazing food and gorgeous grounds. I think I have a picture looking out from the infinity pool in my bio. They run around $1500USD/night, but include all meals. I considered Matangi and Royal Davui for my destination wedding, so I personally think those resorts are fantastic. We opted for something different since I had already been to Fiji before. I don't think you can go wrong with either spending a few nights on the main island then going out to an island, or doing two outer islands.

amyelise25

Just returned from our 11 nights in Bora Bora/Moorea.  For an October honeymoon it ran us almost $15K including flights, accomodations, transfers, food, alcohol, and excursions (all were pretty expensive).  One of the nights was spent in a nice hotel in Tahiti because during most of the week flights from the US don't  land until 10:30 pm and we needed to wait until the next morning to transfer to Moorea. 

Most people don't stay in Tahiti more than that one requred night.  It is very busy and not very pretty. 

There are cheaper locations in Moorea and Bora Bora.  We stayed at the Pearl in Moorea (4 stars), but the cheapest OTW bungalows are at Hotel Bali Hai.  There are non-chain hotels in Bora Bora that were cheaper.  We saw the bungalows at Chez Nono.  They were cute without a lot of frills.  You can also save a lot by staying in a room on the property or a beach bungalow. 

Most hotels seemed to offer the option of doing 'half-board' where your breakfasts and dinners are included.  This was a godsend in Bora Bora because most hotels are on their own island and getting back to the main island every night would have been costly ($30 per couple round trip just to take the ferry at night to the main island).  We figured that if we had to pay for our dinner at any of the restaurants at the hotel, we would have been forking over about $150/couple for what ended up being included in our stay.  Most hotels on both islands include a breakfast buffet with lots of food that keeps you full through lunch.  There are grocery stores around where you can go to pick up snacks and drinks.

We were at the Hilton in Bora Bora and although it is the 3rd largest resort on the island, we didn't see a lot of people.  It just seems very quiet. 

The best decision we made was doing all OTW bungalows.  It was so much fun to just jump off our room to swim every day.  We spent a lot of time at the room. 

Jess1579

It sounds like you had a great time!! We are looking at both the hotels you stayed at. Did you stay in OTW bungalows at both places? The toughest part is finding places with meals included. We're so afraid we're going to go broke on food and drinks. That's why we are looking at some of the private islands in Fiji too. We have our hearts set on the south pacific or sure!!

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_honeymoon_honeymoon-in-the-south-pacific?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:11Discussion:59e567e8-dfd5-4f18-82d2-05b0ef88e20ePost:f0d0fb4b-b9c1-478c-b18b-3ef25d03c5f2">Re: Honeymoon in the South Pacific??</a>:
[QUOTE]Just returned from our 11 nights in Bora Bora/Moorea.  For an October honeymoon it ran us almost $15K including flights, accomodations, transfers, food, alcohol, and excursions (all were pretty expensive).  One of the nights was spent in a nice hotel in Tahiti because during most of the week flights from the US don't  land until 10:30 pm and we needed to wait until the next morning to transfer to Moorea.  Most people don't stay in Tahiti more than that one requred night.  It is very busy and not very pretty.  There are cheaper locations in Moorea and Bora Bora.  We stayed at the Pearl in Moorea (4 stars), but the cheapest OTW bungalows are at Hotel Bali Hai.  There are non-chain hotels in Bora Bora that were cheaper.  We saw the bungalows at Chez Nono.  They were cute without a lot of frills.  You can also save a lot by staying in a room on the property or a beach bungalow.  Most hotels seemed to offer the option of doing 'half-board' where your breakfasts and dinners are included.  This was a godsend in Bora Bora because most hotels are on their own island and getting back to the main island every night would have been costly ($30 per couple round trip just to take the ferry at night to the main island).  We figured that if we had to pay for our dinner at any of the restaurants at the hotel, we would have been forking over about $150/couple for what ended up being included in our stay.  Most hotels on both islands include a breakfast buffet with lots of food that keeps you full through lunch.  There are grocery stores around where you can go to pick up snacks and drinks. We were at the Hilton in Bora Bora and although it is the 3rd largest resort on the island, we didn't see a lot of people.  It just seems very quiet.  The best decision we made was doing all OTW bungalows.  It was so much fun to just jump off our room to swim every day.  We spent a lot of time at the room. 
Posted by amyelise25[/QUOTE]

Jess1579

LikuLiku looks amazing!!! We looked at Royal Davui too. It's so tough to decide! Have you ever been to Mantangi?

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_honeymoon_honeymoon-in-the-south-pacific?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:11Discussion:59e567e8-dfd5-4f18-82d2-05b0ef88e20ePost:2262771a-bb4b-43e0-b3a7-d9f18689d0a6">Re: Honeymoon in the South Pacific??</a>:
[QUOTE]Yes, they are expensive, unfortunately. Especially in July, which is high season in both places, but even more so in FP because of Heiva. You can always consider spending a few nights at LikuLiku in the Mamanuca chain in Fiji. The OWBs there aren't the same experience as those in FP, as they are a bit higher up from the lagoon and the lagoon there is also more tidal. But. LikuLiku is known for it's amazing food and gorgeous grounds. I think I have a picture looking out from the infinity pool in my bio. They run around $1500USD/night, but include all meals. I considered Matangi and Royal Davui for my destination wedding, so I personally think those resorts are fantastic. We opted for something different since I had already been to Fiji before. I don't think you can go wrong with either spending a few nights on the main island then going out to an island, or doing two outer islands.
Posted by Jells2dot0[/QUOTE]

Jells2dot0

I have not been to Matangi. I have been to LikuLiku, Tokoriki, Malolo, Mana, and several hotels on the main island, inlcuding the Hilton, Sheraton, and InterContinental.

In French Polynesia, I've been to every resort on Moorea and Bora Bora, but have stayed at the Hilton and the Pearl on both Moorea and Bora Bora. I've also stayed at Te Tiare Huahine, Le Taha'a (my fav!!!), Tikehau Pearl, and Kia Ora Rangiroa. On the main island, I've stayed at Manava, Radisson, and InterContinental. The majority of my trips have fallen in the over $10K category, but that doesn't mean you can't do it for less. The best way to do it is to spend more time on a less expensive island (example: 5 nights Moorea/4 Bora Bora) and stay in a garden bungalow on one island (example: deluxe garden on Moorea, overwater in Bora Bora). As I mentioned before, and as the pp mentioned, FP can get crazy expensive and especially in July.

Jess1579

Thank you SO, SO, SO much for all of this information!!!  I really appreciate your help!!  <img src="http://cdn.cl9.vanillaforums.com/downloaded/ver1.0/content/scripts/tinymce/plugins/emotions/images/smiley-smile.gif" border="0" alt="Smile" title="Smile" />

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_honeymoon_honeymoon-in-the-south-pacific?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:11Discussion:59e567e8-dfd5-4f18-82d2-05b0ef88e20ePost:1cfa24d4-ace5-4ee3-8e31-b605f83330fa">Re: Honeymoon in the South Pacific??</a>:
[QUOTE]I have not been to Matangi. I have been to LikuLiku, Tokoriki, Malolo, Mana, and several hotels on the main island, inlcuding the Hilton, Sheraton, and InterContinental. In French Polynesia, I've been to every resort on Moorea and Bora Bora, but have stayed at the Hilton and the Pearl on both Moorea and Bora Bora. I've also stayed at Te Tiare Huahine, Le Taha'a (my fav!!!), Tikehau Pearl, and Kia Ora Rangiroa. On the main island, I've stayed at Manava, Radisson, and InterContinental. The majority of my trips have fallen in the over $10K category, but that doesn't mean you can't do it for less. The best way to do it is to spend more time on a less expensive island (example: 5 nights Moorea/4 Bora Bora) and stay in a garden bungalow on one island (example: deluxe garden on Moorea, overwater in Bora Bora). As I mentioned before, and as the pp mentioned, FP can get crazy expensive and especially in July.
Posted by Jells2dot0[/QUOTE]

SuMmErKuTiE

We honeymooned in Fiji and stayed at Qamea Resort & Spa, we loved that it only accomodates up to 36 people at once and everyone has their own private bure (villa). We booked through South Seas Adventures. Let me know if you have any questions

Pics in my married bio under the HM tab.

http://www.south-seas-adventures.com/

Jess1579

Thanks!! We love the idea of a resort on a private island. We're looking at Qamea too. Looks beautiful!! We like Namale and Matangi too. So tough to decide! :)

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_honeymoon_honeymoon-in-the-south-pacific?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:11Discussion:59e567e8-dfd5-4f18-82d2-05b0ef88e20ePost:13d2ca5c-4fe6-42c8-b417-5e97c60a0278">Re: Honeymoon in the South Pacific??</a>:
[QUOTE]We honeymooned in Fiji and stayed at Qamea Resort & Spa, we loved that it only accomodates up to 36 people at once and everyone has their own private bure (villa). We booked through South Seas Adventures. Let me know if you have any questions ;) Pics in my married bio under the HM tab. <a href="http://www.south-seas-adventures.com/" rel="nofollow">http://www.south-seas-adventures.com/</a>
Posted by SuMmErKuTiE[/QUOTE]

girlinchicago

We got married at Royal Davui and then honeymooned there and Likuliku.  Happy to answer any questions. From a foodie perspective, Likuliku wins because the food was incredible.  Also, staying in the OWB was really nice.  Still, between the two, we much preferred Royal Davui.  The accommodations were amazing, the people there were incredible, the snorkeling was the best we've ever experienced...I can't recommend it highly enough. 

We looked into Moorea/Bora Bora as well.  For us, the decision became a lot easier once we decided we wanted to get married there.  We couldn't get legally married in Moorea/Bora Bora, plus we wanted to go somewhere small and intimate - Royal Davui offered a lot more in that sense than a chain hotel in FP.  Also, the prices were much more reasonable in Fiji in comparison - we were able to use that extra money to do helicopter transfers, more excursions, etc.  I was actually nervous that Fiji would disppoint somehow since Bora Bora had always been my dream, but I didn't regret not going at all in the end.  We had an amazing wedding/honeymoon.