. We had considered other resorts on Bora-Bora, especially the Four Seasons, but the cost differences were substantial, and the Costco package to St. Regis was very compelling. I purchased the transfer flight from San Jose to Los Angeles separately on Southwest Airlines because I still had unused points.
Our trip started with a short hop from San Jose (SJC) to Los Angeles (LAX) aboard Southwest Airlines flight WN4541, departing SJC at 17:00 and arriving in LAX at 18:00. The flight was only half full, and we had our own private seats.
Once we landed in LAX, we walked over to Terminal B (Tom Brady), in the hope of getting into the Virgin Atlantic lounge (since Inna had the special Chase Sapphire credit card). However, when we entered the lounge, we learned that Virgin Atlantic was only accepting passengers on its own flights.
We decided to hunt down a reasonable place to eat dinner and walked over to
Santa Monica Brew Works, but we couldn't find a table (there was one bar seat available). We decided to return to the main dining area, where
Pret-a-Manger, KFC, 800 Degrees, Border Grill, and Umami Burger were located. Inna found a table at the Border Grill, a Mexican restaurant, and we sat down, ordering the following:
- Boris: Chili Relleno Burger (8 oz. Angus beef, chili cheese relleno, chipotle aioli, lettuce, salsa fresca. Served with kettle chips.)
- Inna: Fish Taco
My Chili Relleno Burger was not horrible, and Inna's Fish Taco was edible. Since Border Grill did not sell any hot drinks, I stopped by the Pret-a-Manger and ordered two hot teas (green and Earl Grey).
The NBA Playoffs were going on, and everyone was yelling, cheering, and screaming. The New York Knicks clinched the championship over the San Antonio Spurs with a score of 94-90.
At around 22:00, we walked closer to our departing gate, 202, and waited for our Air France AF0026 flight to Papeete (PPT) to begin boarding. We were in Premium Economy (group 2) and had to wait for the large Business Class (group 1) to board first. Our group 2 had a lot of wheelchair-assistance folks, and we had to wait a very long time to board the plane. The Air France AF0026 departed at 00:20 for the 7.5-hour flight.
The premium economy seats were a significant upgrade over basic economy, with more room and better recline, but they were not lie-flat like business class seats. We had a very pleasant flight to Papeete. I tried to sleep on the plane and managed to nap for a few hours. I didn't watch any movies (none interested me), and the selection was a bit sparse. Furthermore, I read my Kindle for a short time, in between naps.
Sunday, June 14, 2026
The flight proceeded uneventfully, and our jet landed in Papeete (PPT) at 05:30 local time. There is a 3-hour time difference between Papeete and LAX, just like Hawaii.
Papeete, the capital of French Polynesia, is on the island of Tahiti. We could tell immediately that we were in a different world, with the warm weather and French spoken everywhere. The airport was relatively small and very crowded, even in the early morning.
Once we picked up our luggage (it's not transferred automatically), we got in line for the connecting flight to Bora-Bora (BOB) aboard Air Moana NM164, departing at 07:45. The check-in line was moving slowly, and we had to endure a long wait.
Since I was traveling with my Sonicake Travel Guitar, I was expecting to take it on every plane with me, but the small ATR72 turboprop (a.k.a. puddle-jumper) from Papeete (PPT) to Bora-Bora (BOB) did not have sufficient luggage space. I had to check in the guitar.
After a short 50-minute flight to Bora-Bora, we landed in a tiny airport there, and I waited for the luggage. Once we had all of our bags, we checked into the St. Regis stand and waited for our boat transfer to the hotel (there are no roads from the airport - only boat ferries).
On arrival at St. Regis, we were assigned a butler—Lydia—who showed us around the property and took us to morning breakfast while our bungalow was getting ready. She also helped to review our dinner reservations and arrange the snorkeling tour.
The breakfast at Te Pahu was excellent but slightly different from what we had eaten 10 years ago. I still had fond memories of delicious French pastries that were impossible to resist. We ordered the following items from the breakfast menu:
- Drinks: French Press Coffee with cream
- Appetizer: Pudding with Chia Seeds
- Boris: Omelet with Onions, Mushrooms, Cheese, and Turkey
- Inna: Omelet with Onions, Mushrooms, Cheese, and Turkey
- Pastries: Various
After breakfast, we walked back to the lobby and waited for our bungalow to get ready. We waited about 45 minutes, and Lydia came back to take us to #325.
She showed us how to use the shower, to make coffee or tea, and to adjust the multiple thermostats in our bungalow.
The staff had made a custom “Happy 25th Anniversary” chocolate dessert, and it was such a wonderful touch to be treated so warmly. Most of the staff learned our names and greeted us by name.
Lydia warned us about the strong current near our bungalow, indicated by red flags, to warn guests about swimming. However, we decided to take the plunge anyway, as we saw a few other people swimming too. There was a strong current, but we managed to swim safely back to our bungalow,
I used my DJI Action 5 action camera to record some of our initial swimming, but its USB-C door came open suddenly, and the camera's internals got wet. It would not power on anymore, although I attempted to revive it by drying it with a hair dryer. Eventually, I threw it away. It was an unexpected disappointment, as I was planning to use this camera for recording our upcoming underwater snorkeling adventures.
We rested for the rest of the day, as we were tired from our long overnight flight. I spent some time reading Love Over Scotland (44 Scotland Street #3) by Alexander McCall Smith. I also spent some time practicing my Sonicake guitar.
When touring the nearby beach, I was sad to learn that the Hobiecat catamaran that I was eagerly awaiting to sail had broken down and was not replaced. There were no other small sailboats either. It would have been so enjoyable to have windsurfers or small sailboats to putter around the lagoon, as there was more than enough wind.
At around 19:20, we headed to Bamboo, St. Regis' Asian restaurant, for dinner, where Inna had made prior dinner reservations for 19:30. Although it was breezy, we decided to sit outdoors, where we could enjoy the scenery and listen to the nearby live musician playing a medley of songs, including:
- “Hotel California” by The Eagles
- “Sultans of Swing” by Dire Straits
- “Time” by Pink Floyd
- “Another Brick in the Wall” by Pink Floyd
- “Iris” by the Goo Goo Dolls
After looking at Bamboo's menu, we ordered the following items for dinner:
- Drinks: Water, Hot Green Tea (in tea bags)
- Appetizer: Tuna Tartare, Miso Soup, Dynamite Roll
- Main Entree: Polynesian Shrimp, Freshly caught Mahi-Mahi Fish
- Dessert: Crème Brûlée
I didn't like the taste of the plain tap water — I should have ordered bottled San Pellegrino, but the hot tea was acceptable (though I don't like tea bags).
I really liked our Miso Soup, the Dynamite Roll, and the Tuna Tartare. For the main entrée, the Polynesian Shrimp and the Mahi Mahi were excellent.
Monday, June 15, 2026
After waking up at 07:00, I showered, shaved, and dressed. We were expecting to have freshly brewed French press coffee at 08:00, and our butler, Lydia, came in right on time. It was so wonderful to drink freshly brewed coffee in the morning, while overlooking the emerald lagoon.
Inna took a morning swim while I read my Kindle, and then we decided to head to breakfast at Te Pahu. We bicycled the short distance to Te Pahu, leaving our bicycles parked on the lawn of the Aparima Bar.
We checked in at Te Pahu and were taken to a nice table overlooking the beach. We ordered the following items from the breakfast menu:
- Drinks: French Press Coffee with cream
- Appetizer: Pudding with Chia Seeds
- Boris: Omelet with Onions, Mushrooms, Cheese, and Turkey
- Inna: Omelet with Onions, Mushrooms, Cheese, and Turkey
- Pastries: Various
The breakfast was splendid, and we enjoyed everything — the spectacular view of the beach, the heavenly French press coffee, the scrumptious omelets, and the delicious pastries.
After breakfast, I decided to try out paddleboarding, while Inna wanted to check out the Lagoonarium, where a local biologist was going to give a talk about the various fish that live in the lagoon.
Paddleboarding was fun, despite the strong, gusty winds and strong currents in the bay. After I returned to the room, I decided to bring back the two inflatable chairs that needed to be inflated and also try to remove the pin from my GoPro Hero 11 Black mini. Inflating chairs went well, but I was unable to remove the pin from the GoPro.
I spent some time reading on my Kindle and waited for Inna to return from her talk. She thoroughly enjoyed her talk and suggested that I join the talk on Wednesday.
Inna tried out the floating chairs and liked using them in the ocean. After some time, we decided to head for lunch at Aparima Bar, near Te Pahu restaurant. After sitting down, we ordered the following items:
- Drinks: San Pellegrino Sparkling
- Boris: Fish & Chips
- Inna; Ahi Poke Bowl
My Fish & Chips were some of the best I've ever had (far superior to the ones I've had in Scotland and Iceland). Inna's Ahi Poke Bowl was also excellent and much better than the one we had ordered at Duke's on Kauai (Note: lunch was quite expensive, $40 USD / entree).
After lunch, we wanted to return to our bungalow #325, but it was being cleaned, so we took a few photos and visited the nearby Oasis Adult Pool (which was a bit busy).
At 15:00, we were picked up and taken to the St. Regis Spa, which overlooks the gorgeous Mount Otemanu. Inna had booked a couple's balneotherapy (aqua massage). I was basically submerged in a bathtub with lots of water jets. It wasn't bad, but not a replacement for a full-body massage.
After balneotherapy, I spent 10 minutes in a very hot sauna and a few minutes in a jacuzzi. We also spent 15-25 minutes relaxing. The view of Mount Otemanu, with the lagoonarium, is spectacular, and we saw many couples posing for photos.
We briefly returned to our bungalow, and then Inna decided to try out her snorkeling gear, while I practiced my Sonicake guitar and read my Kindle. I saw a sea turtle near our bungalow, but I was too slow to take a photo before it submerged.
For dinner at 19:30, Inna had made reservations at the famous and expensive Lagoon Restaurant. Both Inna and I dressed nicely for this exceptional restaurant and were taken to a table overlooking the lagoon.
We immediately ordered San Pellegrino sparkling water and waited for the menu. We selected the following items:
- Drinks: San Pellegrino
- Appetizers:
- Garden Illusion (creamy burrata, tomato jam, rose sorbet, vinaigrette)
- Tahitian Ahi Tuna
- Tahitian shrimp in 3 steps
- Chilled champagne cream
- Crispy, herbal emulsion
- Marinated mango ravioli
- Main Entrees:
- Mahi Mahi (Chef's signature)
- Lamb in Two Ways
- Dessert:
The overall dinner was marvelous, and close to one of the best (in the top 5) of all time. All the appetizers were exceptional. Of the entrées, the Lamb was remarkable too.
Tuesday, June 16, 2026
After waking up at 07:00, I showered and dressed. We were expecting freshly brewed French press coffee at 08:00, and our butler, Lydia, came in right on time. It was so wonderful to drink freshly brewed coffee in the morning.
Inna took a morning swim while I read my Kindle, and then we decided to head to breakfast at Te Pahu. We bicycled the short distance to Te Pahu, leaving our bicycles parked on the lawn of the Aparima Bar.
We checked in at Te Pahu and were taken to a nice table overlooking the beach. Furthermore, we ordered the following items from the breakfast menu:
- Drinks: French Press Coffee with cream
- Appetizer: Pudding with Chia Seeds
- Boris: Scrambled Eggs
- Inna: Omelet with Onions, Mushrooms, Cheese, and Turkey
- Pastries: Various
The breakfast was splendid, and we enjoyed everything: the spectacular beach, the heavenly French press coffee, the scrumptious scrambled eggs, and the delicious pastries.
After breakfast, we decided to snorkel in the Lagoonarium. We borrowed two pairs of fins from the St. Regis activity desk and used our mask and snorkel. I brought my GoPro Hero 11 Black mini to record some of our explorations.
During the snorkeling, we saw many fish, including the following sea creatures:
- Napoleon wrasse (humphead wrasse)
- Moray Eel
- Puffer Fish
- Angel Fish
After one round of snorkeling, I was done and returned to our bungalow while Inna continued to snorkel.
When Inna returned, she swam in the lagoon overlooking our bungalow, and then we headed for lunch at Aparima Bar. After sitting down, we ordered the following items:
- Drinks: San Pellegrino Sparkling
- Boris: Indian Butter Chicken with rice
- Inna; Ahi Poke Bowl
After lunch, we spent our time on the beach, swimming, and paddleboarding. It was another perfect day in Bora-Bora.
For dinner at 18:30, Inna had booked the Italian Farniente Ristorante. After sitting down and looking at the menu, we ordered the following items:
- Drinks: San Pellegrino Sparkling
- Appetizers: Piatto Antipasto, Fritto Misto
- Main Entrée: Pappardelle Al Funghi, Risotto Al Pescato Del Giorno (Mahi-Mahi)
- Dessert: Tiramisu
The Piatto Antipasto was excellent, but the main entrees (Risotto al Pescato and Papardelle Al Funghi) were a bit of a letdown. The pappardelle was a bit too stiff for my tastes. We should have ordered the pizza instead, as it looked much better.
While dining at Farniente, we were seated near a live musician who played and sang the following songs on his guitar. We thoroughly enjoyed listening to his rendition of these classic songs.
- Hotel California by The Eagles
- Wish You Were Here by Pink Floyd
- Tears in Heaven by Eric Clapton
- Nothing Else Matters by Metallica
- Typical Situation by The Dave Matthews Band
After dinner, we stopped by the concierge to play a game of pool. Inna won!
Wednesday, June 17, 2026
After waking up at 07:00, I showered and dressed. We were expecting freshly brewed French press coffee at 08:00, and our butler, Lydia, came in right on time. It was so wonderful to drink freshly brewed coffee in the morning.
Inna took a morning swim while I read my Kindle, and then we decided to head to breakfast at Te Pahu. We decided to walk over and bring all our swimwear (swim shirts, Kindles, etc.)
We checked in at Te Pahu and were taken to a nice table overlooking the beach. Furthermore, we ordered the following items from the breakfast menu:
- Drinks: French Press Coffee with cream
- Appetizer: Pudding with Chia Seeds
- Boris: Scrambled Eggs
- Inna: Scrambled Eggs
- Pastries: Various
The breakfast was splendid as usual, and we enjoyed everything: the spectacular beach, the heavenly French press coffee, the scrumptious scrambled eggs, and the delicious pastries.
After breakfast, we spent our time at the beach. At first, I went out paddleboarding. After I returned, Inna decided to try the Electric Paddleboard, and she really loved it. We also tried out kayaking, but the strong, gusty wind made it a bit less pleasant.
I finished reading my Love Over Scotland (44 Scotland St. #3) by Alexander McCall Smith and started the next book in the sequence, The World According to Bertie.
For lunch, we stopped by Aparima Bar and ordered the following items:
- Drinks: Pellegrino Sparkling
- Boris: Ahi Poke Bowl
- Inna: Ahi Poke Bowl (with more vegetables & less rice)
After lunch, we spent our time on the beach, swimming, and paddleboarding. It was another perfect day in Bora-Bora.
For dinner, Inna had made reservations for the Polynesian Show (which included a full dinner buffet from 18:30 to 19:30, followed by Polynesian Dancing and Fireworks at 20:46).
When we arrived at 18:00, many couples had already taken the best seats, but we still managed to snag a table with an excellent view of the Polynesian Show. At 18:20, we ordered a bottle of Pellegrino and a cocktail (which Inna did not like and ended up exchanging for a tried and true Cosmopolitan cocktail.
Buffet:
- Plate 1: Various salads, Ahi tuna, tuna sashimi, and a coconut bread roll.
- Plate 2: Beef, freshly baked fish
- Plate 3: Lamb, spinach, and chicken
- Plate 4: Desserts
- Plate 5: Cake
With so many delicious choices, it was difficult to stop sampling different dishes, and we ended up eating too much.
Here is a short
video sample of the Polynesian dance:
After we finished dinner, the show started with multiple Polynesian dancers dancing to the beat of the heavy drums.
When the show ended, we were invited to take photos with the dancers (we did). We waited for the fireworks, which started at 20:45. The fireworks were short but wonderful.
Here is a short video of the fireworks:
Overall, it was such a perfect day of fun, relaxation, and entertainment.
Thursday, June 18, 2026
After waking up at 07:00, I showered and dressed. We decided to skip the freshly brewed coffee today, as we had a planned snorkeling activity at 09:00 and needed to have breakfast earlier.
We checked in at Te Pahu and were taken to a nice table overlooking the beach. Likewise, we ordered the following items from the breakfast menu:
- Drinks: French Press Coffee with cream
- Appetizer: Pudding with Chia Seeds
- Boris: Scrambled Eggs
- Inna: Omelet with Mushrooms, Turkey, and Cheese
- Pastries: Various
After our delicious daily breakfast, we packed our snorkeling gear (mask, fins, snorkel), my GoPro Hero 11 Black Mini, and rushed to the dock. Our boat—
Crazy Sea Horse—was not there yet, but it arrived at 09:00.
We boarded, seated ourselves at the head with two other French tourists, and were quickly on our way to the next snorkeling spot, where manta rays are known to visit. Polynesian Captain Te and his wife, Mate, made sure everyone was comfortable on this very fast jet ski boat.
At our first stop, we joined a group of other boats that had spotted manta rays. Once in the water, we spotted one large manta ray and, later on, a few more rays. We snorkeled above them, while a few divers deep below followed them.
At our second stop, we snorkeled through a shallow coral garden. I tried to keep pace with Mate, who was towing one of the tourists, and she took many turns to avoid the really shallow areas. It was a beautiful underwater area, made even more magnificent in the clear Bora-Bora water, where all the colorful fish could be easily seen.
At our third stop, we snorkeled in deep water, looking for sea rays. We found some very deep underwater, not moving very much at all.
At our fourth and final stop, we walked around a shallow area inhabited by black-tipped sharks and stingrays. It was a bit strange to have so many sharks and stingrays circling about.
For lunch, we stopped by Aparima Bar and ordered the following items:
- Drinks: San Pellegrino Sparkling
- Boris: Fish & Chips
- Inna: Fish & Chips (with salad instead of French fries)
The Fish & Chips were excellent, as usual, and we enjoyed another delicious lunch with a beautiful view of the Bora-Bora lagoon.
After lunch, we relaxed on the beach. I took a paddleboard out for a quick spin around the bay and then read The World According to Bertie on my Kindle.
For dinner, Inna had made reservations for 19:00 at the Italian Farniente Ristorante. After sitting down and looking at the menu, we ordered the following items:
- Drinks: San Pellegrino Sparkling
- Appetizers: Piatto Antipasto, Burrata Caponata
- Main Entrée : Lasagne, Prosciutto Crudo Pizza
- Dessert: Tartuffe
The Prosciutto Crudo Pizza was much better than the Lasagna (or the Risotto we had last time). The Tartuffe was delicious, though a bit too decadent.
After dinner, we stopped by the concierge to play a game of pool. It was close, but I finally won!
Friday, June 19, 2026
After waking up at 07:00, I showered, shaved, and dressed. Our butler stopped by at 07:30 with the freshly brewed French Press Coffee, and we enjoyed sipping it in our on-the-water bungalow, overlooking the emerald lagoon.
At around 08:15, we walked over to Te Pahu for our daily morning breakfast and were taken to a nice table overlooking the beach. We ordered the following items from the breakfast menu:
- Drinks: French Press Coffee with cream
- Appetizer: Pudding with Chia Seeds
- Boris: Scrambled Eggs
- Inna: Omelet with Mushrooms, Turkey, and Cheese
- Pastries: Various (apple, chocolate)
We had brought a few items for the beach along with my GoPro Hero 11 Black mini, for use during the upcoming 90-minute jet ski tour around Bora-Bora.
I mounted the GoPro Hero 11 Black mini on the Yamaha jet ski (I attached an additional strap as a backup for the mount, in case it separated). Fortunately, the GoPro mount held for the duration of the jet ski adventure, and I recorded all the jet skiing.
Our guide showed us how to operate the jet ski — the separate reverse throttle on the left handle and the standard throttle on the right handle. We followed another couple from New Jersey on the long tour around Bora-Bora, stopping at a few places to relax.
Unlike last time, the conditions were less than ideal with blustery winds and high waves. Our ride was quite jarring, and we had to keep our speed below 30 km/h (expected 38 km/h). During one of the stops, our Yamaha jet ski tipped over, and we fell in the water. Fortunately, we recovered quickly and were back on course in a jiffy. At another time, Inna lost her favorite NY hat, but we managed to recover it later.
At our final stop, we relaxed in a shallow region near the shore, saw a nearby stingray, and took numerous photos. Our guide also opened and cut up a fresh coconut, and we drank coconut water and ate a few bites.
When we reached St. Regis, we swapped drivers, and Inna got a chance to drive the Yamaha jet ski. She liked it, but not the high speed.
For lunch, we stopped by Aparima Bar and ordered the following items:
- Drinks: San Pellegrino Sparkling
- Boris: Burger & French Fries
- Inna; Tacos & French Fries
After lunch, we relaxed on the beach. Inna did a few swims, and I paddled out a couple of times on the stand-up paddleboard.
For dinner at 18:30, Inna had made reservations at the famous and expensive Lagoon Restaurant. Both Inna and I dressed nicely for this exceptional restaurant and were taken to a table overlooking the lagoon.
We immediately ordered San Pellegrino sparkling water and waited for the menu. We selected the following items:
- Drinks: San Pellegrino
- Appetizers:
- Garden Illusion (creamy burrata, tomato jam, rose sorbet, vinaigrette)
- Tahitian Ahi Tuna
- Tahitian shrimp in 3 steps
- Chilled champagne cream
- Crispy, herbal emulsion
- Marinated mango ravioli
- Main Entrees:
- Mahi Mahi (Chef's signature)
- Lamb in Two Ways
- Dessert:
The dinner was fantastic as expected. It was our last full day in Bora-Bora and a bit sad. It's been such a magical place, and we did not want to leave.
At 23:00, our water stopped working, and we reported it to the St. Regis staff, who were already aware and working on the problem.
Saturday, June 20, 2026
We woke early (06:45), and Inna went outside to watch the sunrise and enjoy the beautiful scenery. The water pressure was back to normal, and I took a shower. I started packing things away, disconnecting my FireTV and other devices.
Our butler came in at 07:45 with freshly brewed French Press coffee. She told us that our late checkout request was declined due to room unavailability (other guests flying in). We could use a room for showers from 15:00 to 15:30, and our pickup at the dock for the BOB airport transfer was at 16:00.
We spent 20 minutes packing our belongings before heading to our final breakfast at Te Pahu. We also dropped off the two sets of borrowed fins that we had used for snorkeling.
After being seated, we ordered the following items from the breakfast menu:
- Drinks: French Press Coffee with cream
- Appetizer: Pudding with Chia Seeds
- Boris: Scrambled Eggs
- Inna: Omelet with Mushrooms, Turkey, and Cheese
- Pastries: Various (apple, chocolate)
After breakfast, we spent our time on the beach. At first, both Inna and I swam back to our room #235. Then, we swam back to the beach. I had to return briefly to our room to make sure that our luggage was ready to be picked up by the staff of St. Regis. I called the butler service (9 on the phone), and they asked me not to wait.
After I returned to the beach, I paddleboarded the 10' Moana SUP, while Inna swam in the lagoon. At around 13:45, we decided to eat our lunch on the beach instead of heading to Aparima Bar (which would have required changing out of our wet clothes).
We ordered the following items on the beach:
- Drinks: Non-alcoholic cocktail for Inna
- Boris: Ahi Poke Bowl
- Inna: Ahi Poke Bowl with extra vegggies and less rice
At 15:00, we headed back to the reception, where we ordered a ride to the St. Regis Spa so that we could take a shower and change out of our swimsuits. We also paid our bill (St. Regis was having issues with processing Chase credit card payments).
At 16:00, we boarded the small boat to Bora Bora (BOB) airport. On arrival there, we waited for Air Moana's gate to open up, and then we boarded Air Moana NM #957 for the short, 45-minute flight to Papeete (PPT), Tahiti. Air Moana operates
ATR-72 two-engine turboprops used for both our Papeete-> Bora Bora and return flights.
Once in Papeete, we waited for our luggage and then boarded a taxi for the short ride to the Hilton Tahiti (8 minutes away). The taxi fare was $19 USD, and the taxi drivers did not accept credit cards—only cash (but USD were acceptable). Fortunately, I had $20 USD, and it was sufficient to pay for the short ride to the Hilton Tahiti.
The Hilton Tahiti was expensive ($500/night), but it was the closest, most convenient hotel nearby for our morning flight to Los Angeles (LAX).
We scheduled a taxi for 05:40, so that we would arrive 2 hours before Air France AF0027 departure.
Once we checked into our Hilton Room #215, we decided to search for a place to eat. Hilton's highly rated Japanese restaurant was fully booked, so we looked for another eatery nearby and decided to try L'annexe across the street. L'annexe has high ratings on Google Maps.
L'annexe was a local place with few tourists. There was a local live band playing some familiar and unfamiliar songs (Sting's How Fragile We Are). The band played very well, and we enjoyed their singing and playing. At L'annexe, we ordered the following items after a brief discussion with the waitress:
- Appetizer: Bruschetta
- Main: 250g Burger
The Burger was enormous, and we split it among us. We thought about also ordering dessert, but I was no longer hungry and also a bit tired.
After returning to Hilton Tahiti, we strolled around the property, admiring the enormous pool and the many bars and restaurants around the property. Many people were enjoying themselves, but no one was using the pool (the pool may have closed).
The beach was rocky, as I expected a sandy beach for a Hilton hotel.
Sunday, June 21, 2026
As we had a very early, 07:40 departing flight from Papeete to Los Angeles, we set our alarm to 05:15. I actually woke up even earlier, at 05:10, and started to pack our bags for the return flight home.
We had pre-ordered a taxi for 05:40, and after checking out of the Hilton Tahiti, we were told that its arrival would be announced, but no one announced it. Thankfully, I inquired and found the taxi waiting for me. Initially, the driver was reluctant to accept Euros (instead of USD), as he would not accept credit cards. He relented, and I paid him 20 euros for the short 8-minute drive to Papeete airport.
Inna had already checked in and had our boarding passes prepared (and I had also checked into Southwest Airlines and had boarding passes in my Apple Wallet). We proceeded quickly through security and passport control.
Papeete airport is quite small (Tahiti has only 230,000 inhabitants), and the small cafe and a couple of small stores were all that was there. I got in line for coffee and ordered two cappuccinos and a pastry. The cappuccinos were expensive and tolerable, but the pastry was atrocious (inedible).
Eventually, the time for boarding Air France AF0027 from Papeete (PPT) to Los Angeles (LAX) had come, and we got in line for Zone 2 (premium economy).
Our Air France flight departed with a slight delay. It was scheduled to depart at 07:45, but it actually departed at about 08:15. Fortunately, the delay was not serious, as I wanted to land in time for my connecting flight to San Jose, aboard Southwest WN2524, departing at 20:55.
The 7.5-hour flight to Los Angeles was fairly smooth. We were initially treated to champagne (for breakfast).
My headphones' earpads had separated, and I asked the flight attendants for help, but they ignored me. I was a bit disappointed with the lack of customer service (but this wasn't the first time). The staff ignored me even when I requested help in person. Thankfully, I did not have any urgent requests. Note, the "help" button was also useless, as no one ever checked it (and it turned off by itself).
I gave up on the headphones and the entertainment center and read my Kindle instead, finishing The Unbearable Lightness of Scones by Alexander McCall Smith and starting the next book, The Importance of Being Seven.
Air France served lunch followed by a light breakfast, but I skipped all the meals, as they did not look appetizing to me.
Once we landed in Los Angeles, at 18:55, we quickly went through passport control and then had a very long walk to Terminal 1 (20-minutes). Our Southwest Airlines WN2524 flight was departing on time, at 20:55, and I was forced to check in one of my bags due to the small plane size (Boeing 737).
We landed in San Jose at 22:00, and Alex picked us up at the airport. It was nice to be back home, though we missed Bora-Bora.
Bora-Bora Trip Review
Highlights
- Enjoying spectacular, unreal scenery in Bora-Bora and the amazing staff of the St. Regis Hotel
- Dining at a Michelin-quality Lagoon restaurant
- Snorkeling around Bora Bora with Crazy Sea Horse
- Jet skiing around Bora Bora with St. Regis staff
- Snorkeling at the hotel's Lagunarium
- Paddleboarding and kayaking in the lagoon
- Riding the Electric Paddleboard around the lagoon
- Relaxing at the St. Regis Spa
- Enjoying freshly brewed French Press coffee in our on-the-water bungalow
Lowlights
- Air France ignored my requests for help with the non-working headphones
- Dealing with nasal congestion (Both Inna and I still had nasal congestion from our cold)
- Gusty winds made swimming and paddleboarding less than ideal on many days. I should have brought my wing foiling gear!
- The St. Regis resort used to have a Hobie catamaran, but it had broken down and was no longer in service. I was really looking forward to sailing it again.
- My DJI Action 5 camera died on the first day (after the USB-C door popped open while recording video in the water near our bungalow). Thankfully, my backup GoPro Hero 11 mini worked well.
- St. Regis WiFi frequently disconnected when trying to sync photos and videos to Apple's iCloud. I was eventually able to upload all of my GoPro videos and iPhone photos, but it took a long time.
- The lemon shark that used to visit Bora-Bora had permanently departed. We fondly recall swimming next to it, 10 years ago. Apparently, during COVID-19 times, when tourists stopped visiting Bora-Bora, shark feeding had stopped, and the shark permanently migrated somewhere else.
- In Papeete, taxis do not accept credit cards and have to use U.S. dollars to pay for the ride.
St. Regis Restaurants
- Lagoon is the best restaurant
- Bamboo (Asian)
- Farniente (Italian)
Recommendations for Next Trip
- Purchase a dedicated underwater, waterproof camera for snorkeling (GoPro is not ideal for still photos)
- Purchase a dedicated iPhone underwater housing
- Bring more U.S. cash for taxi rides in Papeete
- Bring a portable wing foiling board/wing/foil to Bora-Bora (if possible)
Links
