My Vacation Lady’s honeymooners are many times looking for the more exotic, more unique and once in a lifetime.
Bora Bora is one that comes up very frequently and lately the Maldives are being requested a lot more as well.
Where are they located and how can you get there?
Bora Bora is in the South Pacific and is part of the Tahitian Islands, also known as French Polynesia. They are known for their iconic over water bungalows. From the U.S., Tahiti is a relatively easy flight- 8.5 hours from Los Angeles to Tahiti (the main island). Many of our clients will do a bit of island hopping before ending their honeymoon in Bora Bora for the WOW experience.
The Maldives are in the Indian Ocean and are made up of 26 ring-shaped atolls, which are made up of more than 1,000 coral islands. It’s known for its beaches, blue lagoons and extensive reefs. The Maldives are a bit further from the US and will require a connection. Dubai is a good option or some airlines will stop in Asia or Europe so many of our honeymooners will opt for a Multi Country Honeymoon including the Maldives. As an example- from NYC to Dubai, it is a 12.5 hour flights and then another 5+ hours in the air from Dubai to the international airport in the Maldives. You still need to take a speedboat or sea plane to your resort. We will usually recommend a combo of Dubai (city) + the Maldives (relaxing) but we have had clients go from Bali and Thailand. For our more adventurous honeymooners, think Sri Lanka (history, culture, wildlife and beautiful scenery- landscapes and beaches) + the Maldives.
Many of our clients will visit a number of different islands in the Tahitian Islands because the flights are relatively short and each island has something different to offer. For the Maldives, since most resorts are on their own atoll (coral islands), our honeymooners will typically stay in one place for the duration of their stay. The way to get to the resorts can be by sea plane and that’s part of the fun!
When is the best time to honeymoon in Tahiti and the Maldives?
This is where the 2 destinations differ quite a bit.
The dry season in the Tahitian Islands is from May to October, and it is the best time for weather. You can expect a bit more rain and humidity from November to April. The peak season and most expensive time to travel is July and August, and booking later can make it harder to get the best availability and pricing. Many of the resorts offer discounts when you book 6+ months out. We’ve been sending many of our honeymooners to the Tahitian islands in later April and May and into early November at some great pricing.
The Maldives dry season is from December to March making it the perfect escape to get away from winter. The wet monsoon season is from May to November, where travellers can expect tropical downpours and humid days. However, the Southern and South Eastern Islands tend to be more prone to the monsoon’s rain than the northern atolls, which tend to be more temperate year round. The best pricing will be from May to August. The most expensive time to travel is the end of December to February.
What is there to see and do?
- Both destinations have stunning turquoise waters and pristine powdery white-sand beaches.
- Some of the Tahitian Islands have more mountainous backdrops and views with stunning lagoons.
- The Maldives has a bit more of a deserted island feel, as there is usually nothing but water on the horizon.
- Water sports are top activities in both islands, including great underwater coral reefs for snorkeling and diving
- In Tahiti, there are more options for Land Based activities- ATV tours, 4 wheel drive safaris where in the Maldives, more of the activities will be water based
- Both have fabulous spas
Dining Options
In the more popular islands of Moorea and Bora Bora, you can choose to leave the resort and dine at local restaurants. For Bora Bora, you may need to take a water taxi to the main motu to get to some of these restaurants.
In the Maldives, there isn’t an option to dine off property since the resorts are on their own islands. Most resorts will have multiple restaurant options on site (sometimes as many as five or six) with a vast range of international cuisine. There are even a couple with UNDERWATER restaurants. Most resorts offer an option of meal plans from breakfast included, half board (2 meals), 3 meals and all the way to an all-inclusive package (with alcohol). Since you aren’t going to local restaurants, we would suggest including a meal plan or even better taking an all inclusive package, since even the cost of things as simple as water can get pretty expensive in this destination.
How can you best make a decision on which destination is best for your honeymoon?
Let the experienced honeymoon specialists at My Vacation Lady help you figure out which is best for your honeymoon.
Again, we have bee chosen as a top honeymoon planner from both Wedding Wire and the Knot in 2022!
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