I remember boarding the plane from Tahiti to Bora Bora in a hurry to sit on the left side as it has the best view, even though the weather that morning was terrible. The whole flight we could not see anything but grey clouds. I couldn't help but feel disappointed. I dreamt so much of seeing Bora Bora and now when I finally get there I cannot even see the wonderful view from above. But as we started to approach the island...the clouds suddenly cleared, the sun came out and I was left in awe by the most incredible view!
I imagined the moment for years and years of how I landed on the island and I’m being greeted by a lovely Polynesian with flowers in her hair handing me a colorful flower lei and it finally happened....I was there and dreams do come true!
HOW TO GET THERE
No matter where you are from, French Polynesia is far away. And if you are not from New Zealand or the West Coast of the USA, then it’s even more far away.
Making the trip from Romania in one journey seemed to be much too tiresome so we decided to divide the journey a bit. The cheapest routes to Tahiti are from New Zealand, Los Angeles and San Francisco. From Romania it's considerably cheaper to go through USA, however this option requires a visa for Romanian tourists and not only.
We flew from Budapest to San Francisco, where we had a one night stopover and the next day we boarded the plane to Papeete, the airport in Tahiti, flight that took a bit over 8 hours. There are a few airlines that fly to French Polynesia, Air Tahiti Nui being the major one. However you can find cheaper flights, even at half the price, with FrenchBee, a low cost carrier. The services were very good for a low cost company and we were very happy with our choice. Everything was included in the ticket price, except for soft drinks and alcohol, almost like a regular company, so it did not really feel like low cost.
From Tahiti to Bora Bora we took another 1 hour flight with Air Tahiti on a small plane. As mentioned above, stay on the left side you can see the island as you approach it.
WHEN TO VISIT
Best time to visit Bora Bora is from May to October when the rain is isolated and the weather is close to perfect. However this also coincides with the high tourist season therefore expect increased prices. This also requires planning and booking in advance, as there are not that many accommodation options on the island.
WHERE TO STAY
Bora Bora has limited options when it comes to accommodation. It’s a pretty known fact that French Polynesia is very expensive and this can be easily noticed in the hotel prices. Cheap accommodations are hard to find, but not impossible. However we wanted to enjoy the island at its best, especially since we were celebrating our honeymoon, so we opted for an overwater villa at a resort.
Our choice of stay was at Le Meridien Bora Bora. We chose this place for mainly two reasons: it has the best view on the island of the main attraction, Mount Otemanu, and it was the only resort in Bora Bora offering a half board option. All the others only had breakfast included and you will find it there that food is very expensive also, so the half board option really took that worry away.
OUR STAY AT LE MERIDIEN
THE ROOM
We chose to stay in an overwater villa as we wanted the full experience. Our room had the most amazing view of Mount Otemanu and it was a delight to wake up to this view every morning.
Another great part of this room was the see through floor, allowing us to admire the colorful fish right from our bed. This area was lighted at night creating a romantic atmosphere.
THE FOOD
As mentioned above Le Meridien was the only resort offering half board, as all the others only provided breakfast.
Here we had a buffet breakfast every morning, with a large variety of fruits, bread, pancakes, English or continental specialties.
Dinner was a la carte. They have 2 main restaurants and you can choose any entree, one main dish and one dessert from their menu.
Twice a week they have a buffet dinner which was absolutely amazing! Everything we ate was incredibly delicious and they had a lot of options for a buffet. The desserts were to die for!
The only downside is that drinks were not included at dinner, only tap water, which we found weird for a half board.
Breakfast view
Buffet dinner
THINGS TO DO
There are a lot of things to do at the resort so you never get bored, if anyone worries about the possibility of getting bored in paradise.
Paddle boards, kayaks and snorkel gears are complementary from the resort, which is something we appreciated.
Snorkeling is pretty good here, we got to see a lot of colorful fish, turtles and sometimes even sting rays. They have a blue lagoon which is perfect for swimming as the water is crystal clear, warm and full of playful fish looking for food.
Snorkeling is pretty good here, we got to see a lot of colorful fish, turtles and sometimes even sting rays. They have a blue lagoon which is perfect for swimming as the water is crystal clear, warm and full of playful fish looking for food.
We arrived in Bora Bora after visiting Mo'orea, a neighbouring island, where we did some activities, therefore our plan was to mostly relax here in paradise, but the resort does offer a lot of activities from which you can choose from: like renting a boat, a helicopter ride, renting a car to drive around the island. However for most of these you need to get a lot of money from your pocket, for example the helicopter ride for example was around 200$/person/10 minutes flight.
The resort also takes care of the injured turtles and they have a sanctuary for them, where they help them get better and then they release them back in the ocean. You can visit it during the day and help by feeding the turtles.
Bora Bora was a dream come true and was everything I always imagined! From a longing dream it has now become one of my happy places, as I immediately start smiling when I think about the time when we jump in the clear blue lagoon only to be surrounded by thousands of fish!
Ia Orana,
O
Ia Orana,
O
Visiting Stockholm was a spur of the moment decision or something we all like to call, a last minute trip. We found some cheap tickets with WizzAir from Budapest to explore the city for the weekend and we thought to ourselves...why not?
Party in the city where the heat is on / All night, on the beach till the break of dawn / “Welcome to Miami” / “Bienvenidos a Miami”.
Italy is one of the most diverse and picturesque countries as it basically has it all, from tall mountains and blooming plains to perfect beaches with turquoise waters. Not to mention that they have one of the best cuisines in the world, I mean: pizza, pasta and gelato!...
Every time we come back from a vacation we think to ourselves that nothing will be able to top it!
We had a good feeling about the Bahamas, but we have already seen incredible beaches and crystal clear turquoise waters...could the Bahamas have all of this and maybe more?
Bahamas made its way on our bucket list the moment we saw the videos of actual pigs swimming in perfect turquoise water. We immediately wanted to jump right in with them and enjoy this incredible experience.
Bahamas is definitely an up and coming destination for Europeans, but an overly popular one for US tourists and yacht owners.
The Bahamas is an archipelago comprised of several major islands and over 700 cays, however as they are very spread out it is difficult to travel between the islands unless you have a sailing boat.
Also the only way to get from one island to the other by plane, is by always flying back to Nassau, the capital.
Private tours from one island to the closest one start at 1500$... Cheap right?
Nassau is the most touristy of the major islands, with big resorts and a lot of restaurants, but if you have been following us for a while you know that we tend to avoid touristy places (where possible), therefore we decided to go to Exuma on our first visit to The Bahamas.
Why we chose Exuma
- Although Nassau is the touristy one, Exuma is the most famous of them all and for good reason, however it is a very laid back island. Unlike Nassau where you have a lot of restaurants and shops, Exuma has a very local and remote feeling.
- The main reason we chose this island was the proximity to the main attractions, Staniel Cay where you get to swim with pigs and Compass Cay where you get to swim with sharks! Yes, sharks! I got your attention now, huh? You little daredevil, you!
- Exuma is also known to have the best beaches in The Bahamas and the best part of it is that most of the times you will have them for yourself.
Things to know before travelling to Exuma
- Expect everything to be expensive! From accommodation, to day tours, and even food. To get an idea, the cheapest bread was 4,50$.- I mentioned above that the island has a local and remote feeling; this implies limited options in terms of food. There are only a few markets around the island where you can buy groceries, but you really don't need hundreds of them.
- Being this remote, food cargos do not come daily, so there will be times when the markets will run out of merchandise, this might even include the basics, like milk and bread.
- To better explore the island it is best to rent a car and you might want to do this with some time in advance as there are limited car rental companies on the island. We rented a car from Berlies Car Rentals where prices start at 60$/day for the cheapest car. Also a deposit of 300$ was required.
- There is only one bank on the island, so my advice would be to have cash with you. US dollars are accepted and they are at the same parity with the Bahamian dollar. Also, many of the shops do not accept credit/debit cards.
- The tide and the wind have a huge influence on how the island looks. Unlike other islands that look desolate like Mars on low tide, Exuma looks ideal when the tide is low and the water is calm. This is when you get to see its true charm. After all the Bahamas name comes from “baja mar” which means shallow waters.
- The island sort of “shuts down” after 6 PM and there is no nightlife here, so if you feel like a party animal this is definitely not the place for you. If you like to relax, unwind and enjoy the freedom, it is without a doubt worth it.
- Restaurants will add an additional 12% tax and even 10% gratuity, besides the actual price on the menu.
- Mosquito repellent would be a good thing to pack, as they have these nasty dusk mosquitos that won’t leave you alone!
When to visit
The best time to visit The Bahamas is during winter, starting December until around March - April. This is when the weather is the most perfect with less rain and no winds, which calms and clears the waters, giving you the feeling of swimming in a giant pool and making your experience the true Bahamian charm.
How to get there
There are daily direct flights from Miami and Ft. Lauderdale to several major islands like Nassau, Great Exuma and Eleuthera.
We flew from Miami to George Town, Great Exuma with American Airlines. The flight was less than 1 hour and the price was a bit over 200$ per person.
Where to stay
George Town is the main city in Great Exuma and here in the centre you will find the market, the bank and the water taxi marina. If you choose to stay at a fancy resort then I guess that the location doesn’t really matter, otherwise the proximity to the city centre is a good advantage.
We stayed at Hideaways resort that was around 20 minutes walk to the centre, but they had a complimentary shuttle bus to take us there at every 2 hours.
If you would like a 15$ discount on your next booking on Booking.com feel free to use our link:
Flip Flops Only Discount.
The article about the things to do in Exuma is in the making so stay tuned to read more about this dreamy place called the Bahamas!
O
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I don't think I ever thought of visiting Israel, until Cris decided to surprise me for my birthday with a weekend getaway to Tel Aviv. I had no idea what to expect but I was more than impressed to discover a very modern and boutique city, with a lot to offer! I guess hubby knows best! :)
When to visit:
The best times to visit are during spring and autumn, as the weather is pleasant and ideal to wander around the city. Summers in Israel are extremely hot and it can be a pain visiting the city in excruciating heat.
Thing to do in Tel Aviv
There are numerous things to do in Tel Aviv, not to mention the multitude of day trips that you can take to other places, like the Dead Sea or Jerusalem.
We were in the city for only 3 days, therefore we did not have the time to do all the possible trips as we wanted to properly explore Tel Aviv, but if you plan on staying longer they are something to take into consideration.
Take a stroll down the promenade
I can honestly say this is not what I imagined Tel Aviv to be, not sure what I imagined but I did not expect the Los Angeles / Barcelona vibes. The promenade is an incredibly sunny place during the day and very lively in the evening. Something you definitely cannot miss!
Get lost on the streets of Old Jaffa
Completely different from the promenade, this side of the city will take you back in time. The old town was definitely my favorite part to visit as it is rich with history and also has a very romantic vibe.
Rothschild Boulevard
This is the most iconic street in Tel Aviv and the oldest one as well, and it is basically a cultural, culinary and leisure centre.
Enjoy some fresh fish in the Old Jaffa Port
This place has been transformed into an up and coming art district with a lot of cool restaurants, coffee shops and art galleries.
Take a day trip/tour to explore the surroundings
As mentioned above as we had limited time in Tel Aviv we had to choose only one day trip, therefore we decided that the most suitable for us and something we really wanted to visit was the Dead Sea. However there are so many other great day trips that you can take, for example to Jerusalem and Bethlehem.
There are several tour company that operate these tours, but we are not big fans of organised ones so we rented a car in order to drive up to the Dead Sea.
Take a trip to the Dead Sea
Whatever tour you choose to do you still have to include the Dead Sea on your list. The place is absolutely incredible and it is definitely something unique.
It really feels amazing walking on salt and the myths are all true, you do float effortlessly in the water. Sometimes the landscape even makes you fell like you are on the moon...
HaCarmel Market
This one I definitely recommend! It is for sure the most famous market in Tel Aviv and it is as unique as it gets. A lot of variety of food, including fresh juices and delicious pastries! The pastries in Tel Aviv have been the best we have ever had anywhere in the world!
Try the local cuisine
The food in Israel is amazing and they have a lot of unique and cool places where you can try all of them. What we liked best from our trip:
The Humus Church - This is a must if you are a humus lover! The place looks like a church (ergo the name) and they only server humus, the best one ever!
Sabich - We watched "Somebody feed Phil" right before our trip to Tel Aviv and he recommended this place! And we are sure glad we went for a bite!
Miznon - for their traditional grilled cauliflower
Hakosem - in case you want to try the authentic falafel.
Weiss Bakery - for the most mouthwatering pastries
The Container - a cool place to sip a drink in Old Jaffa Port
Old Man & The Sea - great place to have lunch in the Old Jaffa Port, but a bit expensive. The appetisers here are delicious.
Well, the main idea is that wherever you choose to eat you must try their hummus, falafel and their pastries.
Tips and tricks:
- In Israel, due to Sabbath, the weekend days are Friday and Saturday; therefore most of the shops are closed from Friday evening until Saturday evening.
The bus, trams and trains also have a weekend schedule, most of them don’t even run on Saturday. So, if you arrive in Tel Aviv on a Saturday take into consideration that the train to the city from the airport is not running and you might need an alternative option, like a taxi or renting a car.
- If you choose to rent a car, you should know that the rental company will require a credit card and they will hold a deposit. We rented from Sixt right at the airport (but we made an online reservation before hand) and we were able to drop it at a hotel in Tel Aviv city center.
- In case you want to take a trip to the Dead Sea by car, keep in mind that highway no. 6 is a toll one. They will send the receipt to the rental car company which will later on charge your credit with that amount plus their handling fees.
Tel Aviv is great as a weekend getaway destination, especially if you want to go somewhere warm. However be prepared to spend some money as the city is pretty expensive when it comes to food and accommodation.
Sending hugs,
O
