Hotmail
I made friends with Crush!
Kids are more than welcome in exotic French Polynesia, they’re wanted
 | The appeal of French Polynesia is quite obvious, as this view from the Otemanu Beachfront Villa Private Pool at the Four Seasons Bora Bora Resort attests. |
Barbara Kraft |
We're diving in an area called Muri Muri, just north of Bora Bora, and nearly as soon as we get in the water, our dive master, Benoit Gratas, introduces us to a Hawksbill Sea Turtle — like Crush, a character in Pixar's "Finding Nemo" — and shows us how to feed him a piece of sea sponge by hand — 70 feet under water. He's so big — more than two feet in diameter — and all around us are yellow and silver, black and gold, striped and dotted puffer fish, barracuda, triggerfish, black tip reef sharks and even a lemon shark. I expect Nemo to come swimming by any minute.
On the Bathy's Divers boat we meet honeymooners from Atlanta and Greece, as well as Stephanie Caron, 21, and Clayton Caron, 15, whose dad had brought them back to a place he'd loved 30 years ago. The Carons are as excited about the underwater world as we are. Brazilian Carlos Stevenson is celebrating his 10th anniversary with his wife and 5-year-old son. Stevenson said they decided to bring young William because they love seeing his excitement. "Every day is a party for him."
Who says kids and romance don't go together? Even in a place as famous for honeymoons as Bora Bora, families rule, especially as Air Tahiti Nui continues to offer kids free deals on flights. There are also great hotel deals. The St. Regis Resort Bora Bora, for example, has an expansive kids' club. And we had an awesome family trip sailing on a catamaran for a week with Tahiti Yacht Charters.
The Four Seasons Bora Bora, which opened a little more than a year ago, deserves high marks for seamlessly meshing the needs of 21st-century families and those seeking romantic getaways. In some cases, the honeymooning couples are parents too. Don McClure, a Canadian, and Nihan Preslier, who is Turkish, got married here on the beach with 5-year-old Antoine Preslier taking part in the festivities. "It's been great," said the bride. "It really works."
 |
Barbara Kraft The Four Seasons' over-the-water thatched bungalows — suites with foldout couches, swimming decks and outdoor showers — allow kids (and parents) to watch fish swim beneath the floor's glass panels. |
Let's not forget the free kids club (no $75 fees here) where kids can do everything from learn Tahitian dances to play on the water playground outside where fountains spray the kids as they jump around.
Sure, you say, the Four Seasons can do all this because they're so expensive (look for packages that offer free nights or extra amenities). I've been to a lot of fancy resorts that say they roll out the red carpet for families, but they don't really, and I've been to a lot of budget spots that do a terrific job. This place does it right and it has nothing to do with the thread count on the sheets. Those that are competing for family vacation dollars might take a page from the Four Seasons playbook.
There's even a spanking new Teen Beach area — a first for Four Seasons, says marketing manager Don Schreifels — with lounges overlooking the lagoon, a pool table inside and an air-conditioned recreation room offering foosball, computer games, Wii and more. The only thing missing is a fridge with some soft drinks and snacks. The resort has just initiated a teen spa, too. (Vanilla massage or teen facial perhaps?)
 |
Andrew Yemma Oliver Martin, a marine biologist at the Four Seasons in Bora Bora, has grafted underwater coral in the resort's inner lagoon. "We want children to see how we impact the environment," he says Martin, working with a ray. |
"We want children to see how we impact the environment. The whole idea is to develop this as a bio center where children and parents can snorkel, learn about sea life and the environment," says Martin.
By the end of the year, Martin hopes, there will be a touch pool for younger children. Martin also plans to graft coral underneath the bungalows so that guests can see more sea life when snorkeling right from their rooms.
Coral, he explains, grows as much as 10 inches a year. "We want the children to understand what they see."
Stick around, Martin adds, and you will see things you never realized were there — octopus mating, angelfish, clown fish (Nemo, finally!), parrotfish and hermit crab.
"Every day is different," he promises.
Just like a perfect vacation.
Read Eileen's Tahiti trip diary at www.takingthekids.com. For more Taking the Kids, visit takingthekids.com and also follow "taking the kids" on twitter.com, where Eileen Ogintz welcomes your questions and comments.
- Discuss Story On Newsvine
-
Rate Story:
View popularLowHigh - Instant Message
MORE FROM FAMILY |
 Family Section Front |
| Add Family headlines to your news reader: |
Resource guide