Maldives, Bora Bora, Or Fiji Honeymoon Differences
image: Savasi Island Fiji
Maldives, Bora Bora or Fiji- Where Should We Honeymoon
A difficult decision for most couples, where to honeymoon, and if you’ve narrowed down your choices to Bora Bora, Fiji and Maldives you might find yourself spending hours of research to try and figure out which is your personal best option out of the three.
Renee Meyer, Owner/Founder of Unforgettable Honeymoons offers her expert honeymoon tips below to help couples decide which of the three great honeymoon destinations would be best. All three locations are terrific honeymoon destinations but not all are the perfect choice for all couples.
Maldives, An exotic Indian ocean honeymoon paradise
The Maldives are located in the Indian ocean, 20-hour flight with a stop from most US cities, and can be reached by flights from Dubai, as well as Bangkok and a few Europe cities.
Why go to the Maldives
- Incredible Turquoise Ocean offering excellent snorkeling and diving
- The worlds most luxurious overwater Bungalows-some with sliding open roofs to see the stars, and fun pool slides
- Wide variety of dining options
- Secluded, Private Accommodations
- Lavish spas
- Concierge butlers at most resorts
Head to the Maldives for your honeymoon if your #1 goal is to stay in a top end luxury overwater bungalow at a resort that has a wide variety of dining options, or an all inclusive plan. The Maldives are perfectly suited for couples seeking an intimate experience with plenty of rest and relaxation.
Out of three locations The Maldives is the only destination that offers full All Inclusive plans with drinks and activities included. ( Fiji has mostly meal inclusive options without drinks, and Tahiti /Bora Bora offers mostly Breakfast/Dinner plans which are restrictive ( ie: you cannot include room service with your meal plan)
The resorts in the Maldives are set on their own tiny little private island, and do not offer much land to explore, there are no towns nearby, hiking trails, waterfalls, or mountains- it is all about the beach and ocean. If you love snorkeling, diving, and paddle-boarding you’ll be in heaven. There are some unique experiences in the Maldives such as a Manta Ray adventure on Hurawhali Island
If you have more time, and up for more adventure, you can easily combine a honeymoon in the Maldives with a stopover in Dubai where you can do some fun shopping, skiing indoors, and zip lining over a city. You can also combine the Maldives with Thailand, there are flights between Male and Bangkok, (4 hours nonstop on Bangkok air) making a trip to Thailand possible. ( here is an example of a Maldives and Thailand combo honeymoon package)
The best time of year for driest weather is November to April. Which is their peak season, expect higher rates. We have booked plenty of couples to the Maldives during the months of May through September without any major weather issues. The rates are lower in the late spring and summer months.
Things to do in the Maldives- Rest and Relaxation, Fine dining, Watersports, Spa
Couples mostly relax in their overwater bungalow overlooking incredible Turquoise seas. Couples can go snorkeling, (incredible reefs to explore) or get spa treatments, enjoy romantic dining options, and go for some romantic boat rides at sunset.
Expect to spend anywhere from $7500-12,000 for two for a 5-7 night stay in the Maldives depending on the time of year and hotel choice. There are plenty of good 4 and 5+ star hotel choices and we recommend all-inclusive packages due to the high cost of food and drink once you arrive.
Check out our Maldives Honeymoon Packages here
French Polynesia -Tahiti/Bora Bora/Moorea
A south pacific honeymoon paradise
Easy to get to only a 7.5-hour flight from Los Angeles, some of the most beautiful islands in the world, and a bit more going on than the Maldives in terms of land activities. These are French-occupied islands, with a strong influence of French and Tahitian culture. The Island of Tahiti is a stopping point, most couples head to Bora Bora or Moorea, although other islands such as Tahaa and Huahine have become more popular. Rangiroa is one of the best diving specific islands.
Perfect for couples living on the west coast due to the easy flight. The best time of year would be April through October. Couples can enjoy an island hop honeymoon combining Bora Bora with Moorea, Le Tahaa, Huahine, or Tahiti islands. Bora Bora is one stop you must make, but due to the high cost of accommodations and lack of things to see and do it is best to combine with another island.
Things to do: Like the Maldives, it is all about rest and relaxation, watersports, enjoying the ocean and beach. All of the islands do offer a little more land activities, you can go for a jeep tour on Bora Bora, rent ATV’s in Moorea, and rent a car on Tahiti and see some waterfalls. The land activities are very limited due to the size of the islands, and hiking trails are not available on most islands.
Bora Bora – jaw-dropping beautiful scenery
Bora Bora is actually a small island with an amazing rock formation in the middle of the island that is world-famous called Mt Otemano. The luxury resorts are scattered all around the island – either located on atolls which are narrow strips of sand or the overwater bungalows which are dotted out from the beach with views of the mountain. You need a ferry to get to the main island which has a handful of restaurants and pearl shops. The hotels are run by large chains such as Hilton, Sofitel, Four Seasons.
Moorea Island- location of the movie “The Bounty”
Moorea, one of the most beautiful islands in the South Pacific was the setting for The must see Movie “The Bounty” with Anthony Hopkins. Moorea is next to Tahiti Island, and less expensive in general as compared to Bora Bora. Moorea Island has a little more to see and do on the land versus Bora Bora. the downside is that Moorea does not offer as many luxury hotel options as Bora Bora. Some couples opt to stay on Moorea to save money and diversify their honeymoon experience. The most luxurious resort in Moorea would be the Sofitel Moorea, also located on the best beach in Moorea. We also have packages combining Tahaa island with Bora Bora for the Ultimate Honeymoon combination.
The downsides of French Polynesia:
It has become one of the most high end priced honeymoon destinations in the world, so couples need to be prepared financially and realize that the cost of everything is about double that of back home. You will not get the variety of dining options in Bora Bora that you have in the Maldives. Options are limited. This destination might be perfect if you live on the West coast, and your heart is set on honeymooning in a luxury overwater bungalow, crave brilliant turquoise ocean water and have a flexible budget.
Important note about the coral reefs: if you are a snorkeler or diver, be aware there are very few coral reefs to explore, not ideal for divers unless you are willing to venture to Rangiroa Island. You can feed stingrays and sharks on an amazing expedition or go jet skiing around the lagoon (about $150 per person for these excursions). Expect to spend no less than $10k, and with all expenses $13-17k for two on a trip to French Polynesia including an overwater bungalow in Bora Bora for 7-9 days with airfare from USA.
Check out our French Polynesia Honeymoon Packages here
Fiji Islands – the authentic South Pacific Paradise
An unspoiled South Pacific Paradise only ten hours nonstop from Los Angeles you’ll find 330 islands in the South Pacific. This uniquely beautiful island group is one of our favorite honeymoon locations for couples seeking privacy, romance, and adventure. It is an authentic, non-touristy location with many smaller, secluded hideaways geared for romance, where meals are mostly included.
Fiji is unspoiled by major tourism as compared to French Polynesia and Maldives. There are more land sports in Fiji, most islands have hiking, some have waterfalls, there are authentic village visits, on the main island there is zip-lining, great local music, and shopping for local handicrafts.
The people are amazing in Fiji and love Americans. They make you feel at home, and their warm smiles will light up your spirit.
Fiji is like a “National Geographic” location for your honeymoon where you can have authentic experiences and immerse yourself in a beautiful culture. Accommodations range from rustic bungalows to very high-end luxury bungalows with pools and hot tubs. Fiji is 10 hours from LAX, and a 5 night Fiji Honeymoon can cost anywhere from $5000-15k for two depending on hotel choice and time of year.
Check out our Fiji Honeymoon Packages here
