I’ve stayed at some of the nicest, most luxurious, and uniquely amazing places around the world, from Jungle Casitas with hanging rope beds and forest treehouses with swinging bridges to glass igloos above the arctic circle and lush beach bungalows on private islands.

Don’t slap me–this isn’t a brag.

But, this is a solid back up to my claim that I can honestly say that nothing has, or will probably ever, compare to staying in the over water bungalows at Tikehau Pearl Beach Resort.

When most people think of their ultimate dream trip, chances are they’re picturing themselves laying on the patio of one of those dreamy overwater bungalows in the Islands of Tahiti.

I mean, how could you not?

At least, that’s what I always dreamed of.

You’re supposed to pose in flowy dresses in front of Tahitian sunsets, right?

Ok, even I’m rolling my eyes at myself now.

But, bear with me.

Tikehau is an atoll in the heart of French Polynesia that seems like a beach paradise suspended between sky and waves. The Atoll is a crown of coral islets that form a 26-km long lagoon, surrounded by water on both sides.

Nestled in a wild coconut grove, on a pink sand beach, the Tikehau Pearl Beach Resort is the thing that vacation dreams are made of.

Getting to the Resort is an adventure on its own, with a quick 50 minute flight from Tahiti, a drive through the main Island to the Port, and finally a boat ride to Tikehau’s Reception Dock.

 

 

Overwater Bungalows

The overwater bungalows were what I came for–they were everything I wanted, and more.

Imagine this: you’ve just washed your face, turned out the lights, and started to walk across the room toward your bed. As you’re walking, a flicker of movement catches your eye, and you look down. There–in the middle of your room–beneath your feet, is a shark. Then another shark. Then a manta ray. And, several of their fish friends.

Only in an overwater bungalow.

Obviously, the glass window floor is one of the biggest draws of staying here, but the idea of basically living on your own little island of luxury, off the coast of a Tahitian Motu, is a dream. The kind of dream that you don’t want to wake up from.

 

 

Swimming With Sharks

I’m a big fan of sharks, and don’t generally have any fear in swimming with them–especially Reef Sharks. I call them the puppies of the Sea.

So, you can imagine my excitement when I spotted a cute little Black Tipped Reef Shark through the glass floor in my bungalow, and ran outside to see a whole bunch swimming around.

Every time I walked down the dock between my room and the mainland, I spotted at least two or three along the way, and got just as excited each time. You can imagine my enthusiasm when I discovered that there were tiny little baby sharks swimming in the shallow sandbar of the main beach.

Luckily, I had the chance to swim along with them several times.

 

 

Kayaking

 

Kayaks are available to guests, and as someone who always craves a little adventure, I had to get out on the water.

We paddled our way from the front dock area, around the beach, and over to the other bungalows. We bobbed around the open water for awhile, looking for fish and underwater critters, and eventually drifted back toward the main beach.

Before heading back in, I glided around with the resident baby sharks, and played a fun game of swim & seek.

 

 

Basket Weaving Class

It was a nice surprise when we were offered a traditional basket weaving class. We watched as one of the staff, from a nearby Island, showed us how to place and fold each frond, and eventually form the plants into baskets, platters, and even a little bag.

I took to it quite well, and was the first to finish my platter, so got to start working on a bag, which I got to keep after.

 

 

Beach Picnic

The beach picnic, or Motu picnic, was probably my favourite experience at the Resort.

We ate a spread of local dishes, including some incredible Poisson Cru, along with some salads, fruits, meats, breads, and other snacks.

Not only was the food delicious, but the surroundings were absolutely stunning, and it was a chance to enjoy a moment to myself on a private island–as the best part was when I got to sit along on an empty corner of the beach. From there, I noticed more sea puppies splashing around in the shallows, and joined them for a swim.

 

Bird Island Trip

We also made our way on a boat over to another Island within the middle of the atoll, called Motu Oeoe, or “Bird Island”. Here you can discover all the Tuamotu’s birds, while exploring a savage island in the middle of the lagoon.

From first sight, it looks abandoned and empty, which it almost is, aside from the thriving bird population and thick Tahitian forest.

We spotted many local birds, including the rare nesting blue footed booby around the perimeter of the Island, and bravely ventured deep into the winding trees of the centre.

I half expected to find a hairy man with a volleyball when we finally emerged back onto the beach.

 

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