Return to Bora-Bora, French Polynesia

2026-06-15T11:39:00-07:00french polynesia, restaurantNo comments

Saturday, June 13, 2026

Having visited Bora-Bora ten years ago (see my previous blog post), we finally returned to The St. Regis Bora Bora Resort. We had considered other hotels on Bora-Bora, especially the Four Seasons. Still, the cost differences were substantial, and Costco's package to The St. Regis Bora Bora Resort 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), hoping to get 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 find a reasonable place to eat dinner and walked over to Santa Monica Brew Works, but we couldn't find a table (only one bar seat was 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 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 didn't sell any hot drinks, I stopped by 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-assisted 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 those in business class. 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 on my Kindle for a short time 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 there is in 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 automatically transferred), we got in line for the connecting flight to Bora-Bora (BOB) on Air Moana NM164, departing at 07:45. The check-in line was moving slowly, so we waited a long time.

Since I was traveling with my Sonicake Travel Guitar, I expected to take it on every flight. Still, 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 at a tiny airport, and I waited for the luggage. Once we had all our bags, we checked in at 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 breakfast while our bungalow was being prepared. 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, make coffee or tea, and 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, and advised guests not to swim. However, we decided to take the plunge anyway, since we saw a few other people swimming. There was a strong current, but we managed to swim safely back to our bungalow,

I used my DJI Action 5 to record some of our initial swimming, but its USB-C port opened suddenly, and the camera's internals got wet. It would no longer power on, even after I tried to revive it with a hair dryer. Eventually, I threw it away. It was an unexpected disappointment, as I had planned to use this camera to record 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.

While touring the nearby beach, I was saddened to learn that the Hobiecat catamaran I had been eagerly waiting to sail had broken down and had not been replaced. There were no other small sailboats either. It would have been so enjoyable to have windsurfers or small sailboats out on 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 Entrée: Polynesian Shrimp, Freshly caught Mahi-Mahi
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 freshly brewed French press coffee at 08:00, and our butler, Lydia, arrived 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 beach view, the heavenly French press coffee, the scrumptious omelets, and the delicious pastries.

After breakfast, I decided to try out paddleboarding. At the same time, Inna wanted to check out the Lagoonarium, where a local biologist would 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 inflating and try to remove the pin from my GoPro Hero 11 Black mini. Inflating the 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 to Aparima Bar for lunch, 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).

Aftréeer 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 it was 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 and 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:

Apple

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, Mahi-Mahi 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.

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 a table at the Italian restaurant 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 Pappardelle 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

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 later exchanged for a tried-and-true Cosmopolitan).

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 began with multiple Polynesian dancers performing to the beat of heavy drums.

When the show ended, we were invited to take photos with the dancers (we did). We waited for the fireworks, which began at 20:45. They 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 because we had a snorkeling activity planned at 09:00 and needed to eat 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) and my GoPro Hero 11 Black Mini, then 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.

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 by the clear Bora-Bora waters, where colorful fish were easily visible.

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.

Here is a GoPro Hero 11 Black mini compilation of our snorkeling around Bora-Bora with the Crazy Sea Horse:

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 a reservation for 19:00 at the Italian restaurant 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 : Lasagna, 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 breakfast and were seated at 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 brought a few items for the beach, along with my GoPro Hero 11 Black mini, to 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 in case the mount separated). Fortunately, the GoPro mount held for the duration of the jet ski adventure, and I recorded the entire ride.

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.

Here is a GoPro Hero 11 black mini video of jet skiing highlights:

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 a fresh coconut, and we drank the coconut water and took a few bites of the meat.

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:

Mocha

The dinner was fantastic as expected. It was our last full day in Bora-Bora, and it was 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 of the issue and working on it.

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 and disconnected my Fire TV 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 our luggage was ready for pickup by the St. Regis staff. 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 veggies and less rice

At 15:00, we headed back to the reception, where we ordered a ride to the St. Regis Spa to 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, we waited for Air Moana's gate to open, then boarded Air Moana NM #957 for the short 45-minute flight to Papeete (PPT), Tahiti. Air Moana operates ATR-72 twin-engine turboprops 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 (USD was acceptable). Fortunately, I had $20 USD, which was enough to pay for the short ride to the Hilton Tahiti.

The Hilton Tahiti was expensive ($500/night), but it was the closest and most convenient hotel 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 AAF0027's 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 nearby eatery 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 (including 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 ordering dessert, but I was no longer hungry and a bit tired.

After returning to Hilton Tahiti, we strolled around the property, admiring the enormous pool and the many bars and restaurants. Many people were enjoying themselves, but no one was using the pool (it 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 departure flight from Papeete to Los Angeles, we set our alarm for 05:15. I actually woke up even earlier, at 05:10, and started packing 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 ready (and I had also checked in on 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 only places there were a small cafe and a couple of small stores. 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, boarding time for Air France AF0027 from Papeete (PPT) to Los Angeles (LAX) arrived, and we got in line for Zone 2 (premium economy).

Our Air France flight departed slightly delayed. 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 that the "help" button was also useless, as no one ever checked it (and it turned off on its own).

I gave up on the headphones and the entertainment center. I 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 because 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 flight WN2524 departed on time at 20:55, and I was forced to check one of my bags because the plane was small (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, when tourists stopped visiting Bora-Bora, shark feeding stopped, and the sharks permanently migrated elsewhere.
In Papeete, taxis do not accept credit cards and must be paid in U.S. dollars.