Weddingbee Blog

The first couple days of the honeymoon were pure recovery from the wedding + jet lag. By day three, we were feeling pretty good about ourselves so we booked the honeymooners’ special at the spa.

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That entailed a full body massage (yes, please!) and your choice of a body wrap or scrub. I chose to get a body wrap in gardenia scented mud.

The Hilton spa was small with limited amenities. The treatments we got were great but the spa at our next resort was much more swoon-worthy. Still, worth it if you are staying there.

ATV tours

We went through Albert Tours for the ATV tours. Fear not, chickens, riding around in an ATV is not scary at all. There wasn’t much “off roading” except a couple steep hills and big puddles. If I can do it, you can. Lucky for me, Mr. Lobster drove, so I took pics along the way.

“off roading” - more than enough for me.

Our tour guide Carl explaining how pineapples grow

I know you can’t see it here but we actually swung from these Banyan tree vines

View from the top of one of the mountains

We stopped here for lunch across from the ATV rental place and had lunch with an American couple we met on the tour. By this day, we were desperate for something to eat off resort that wasn’t crazy expensive. The Blue Pineapple at Club Bali Hai hit the spot. Club Bali Hai is a lodge and somewhat of an institution in itself. It was started by 3 guys from California back in the 1960s and they claim to have started the overwater bungalow tradition that has since taken over Tahitian resorts.

Located in Cooks’ Bay, Club Bali Hai has an authentic “we just discovered this paradise” South Pacific feel to it. It’s more homespun than most big name resorts and its employees make it feel like a family run business. The waitress at the Blue Pineapple by the way was hilarious. She had the biggest smile on her face and kept laughing because she couldn’t remember who ordered what dish.

You might be wondering why Mr. Lobster’s shirt is all wet. Well, he decided to wash his hands in the bay (rather than the bathroom) and his sunglasses fell in the water. Sooo just before lunch, he stripped off his shirt and dived in to retrieve them.

I Kan’t Kayak

On our last full day at the resort, it was very windy. Kayaking was probably not the best idea but we thought we’d give it a try. The resort’s water hut had snorkeling gear and kayaks you could sign out. The views continued to be breathtaking…

But in the end, the wind was too strong and made the water too choppy to keep going (I mean, come on. It was supposed to be a leisurely kayak ride). I’m happy I made it back to land for happy hour.

Our last night at the Hilton, we had crepes for dinner at the bar that was in between the overwater bungalows. This was one of the less expensive (but still expensive) options for a meal. Added entertainment bonus? Shark watching (they’re the bigger gray blobs but not the rocks):

And that was the end of our stay in Moorea. The next day we had an evening flight to Bora Bora (via Papeete). Little did I know, it’d be on one of these guys…

My final tips for Moorea (and the Hilton)

• Taxis are very expensive so you won’t end up going off resort too much. If you want to eat off resort, most restaurants offer free pickup.
• You can buy bottled water in the hotel gift shop OR better yet, fill up on free water at the fitness center right off the beach
• The buffet breakfast was pretty good. Go early to beat the traffic and while there’s still shade to sit in outside
• Check out the crepe bar! Those were pretty tasty and filling.
• If you do a tour, do the ATV or lagoon one. Or you can rent a car and do your own tour. The roads are fine and not crowded at all.
• Take advantage of the included water activities to keep your day going.
• Check out the Blue Pineapple at Club Bali Hai. The waitress is pretty hilarious. The eats are cheaper here too if you can get there.

Next time: we finally find out why everyone calls Bora Bora paradise…