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Recent Hollywood movie
Couples Retreat, filmed
mostly on the Tahitian island of Bora Bora, has been given a
mixed reception by critics, but many of them agreed on one
point: the real star is the island of Bora Bora.
The island, called Earth's most beautiful by the late author
James Michener and scores of others, was never identified
during the film, and was only given a mention at the foot of
the final list of credits.
Universal Studios booked the entire St Regis Resort for four
weeks during the shoot, renaming it the Eden Resort for the
occasion.
(St Regis says it offers package holidays but none for people
with marital problems like the four holidaying couples in the
movie - and there's no special hedonistic island for singles
there, either.)
Other movies have been shot in and around Bora Bora over the
past 80 years, notably the three versions of the Mutiny on
The Bounty story.
The star of the 1962 film, the late Marlon Brando, fell in
love with Tahiti and its islands while there on location,
married a Polynesian woman, bought his own small island and
was a frequent visitor to Bora Bora.
The Sofitel Resort's bar is named after, and is decorated
with photographs of, the 1969 film Hurricane starring
Jason Robards and Mia Farrow.
Bora Bora comprises one main island of 29sq km, roughly the
shape of a seahorse, with white-sand beaches and surrounded
by a coral reef and strings of "motus" (islets).
In between lies a lagoon of breathtakingly brilliant colours,
from turquoise to deep blue.
In the jungled hills of the interior, volcanic hills named
Otemanu (727m high) and Pahia (661m) dominate the skyline.
At Bora Bora's airport, on Motu Mote, a fleet of boats waits
to transport incoming tourists to their resort hotels, many
of which offer "over-the-water" bungalows with glass panels
in the floors providing mesmerising views of the fish
swimming below.
The five-star resorts on tropical Bora Bora are exclusive and
expensive, popular with celebrities - Nicole Kidman and Keith
Urban honeymooned at the St Regis, where they occupied the
palatial 1208sq m "royal estate" for four nights priced at
$US15,000 ($NZ21,079) a night.
But the island also has "pensions" (French for guest-houses),
and other cheaper accommodation.
Among activities for tourists are sailing in the lagoon,
where Polynesian guides introduce them to feeding (small,
reef, friendly) sharks and playing with stingrays, also
diving, snorkelling and boating of all kinds.
On land there are 4WD safaris into the interior for splendid
ocean views and to visit some of the 50 ancient "maraes". -
AAP
The writer flew to Bora Bora by Air Tahiti Nui from
Auckland, then by Air Tahiti, on an itinerary arranged by
Tahiti Tourisme. He was a guest of the Sofitel Bora Bora
Resort and the Sofitel in Papeete.
If you go
Bora Bora is in the Leeward group of the Society Archipelago
of French Polynesia. For accommodation and package holidays
go to www.tahitinow.com.au or www.tahiti-tourisme.pf.
