Back to French Polynesia!

I'm leaving today for a conference in FP for Tahiti Tiare agents (the official French Polynesia specialist program for travel agents), and can't wait! This will be my third visit to the Tahitian islands, and I would say the third time's a charm. However, that would indicate that the first 2 times (my honeymoon and 2nd anniversary trip) were not, when nothing could be further from the truth! Each trip brings amazing new experiences and sights, and I look forward to visiting French Polynesia many more times in the future.

This time, I'll be staying on 4 islands over the course of a week--Tahiti, Raiatea, Huahine, and Tahaa. A whirlwind trip, but well worth it! Of those 4 islands, I've only stayed on Tahiti previously (my earlier trips have also included stays on Moorea, Bora Bora, and Tikehau), so I'm very much looking forward to experiencing 3 new islands and a new resort on Tahiti!

I'll be taking about a million pictures and definitely writing a lengthy review of the trip when I return, and will post all of that here in the next couple of weeks!

Gorgeous new overwater bungalow find

Well, new to me at least (it appears to have been in business since at least 2005)! I stumbled across Sipadan-Kapalai Island Resort in Malaysia rather randomly during a Flickr search, and fell in love. It appears that getting there would be an adventure unto itself, and the bungalows are not super-luxe. However, the area is stunning, the snorkeling and diving look unbelievable, and the OWBs are lovely, spacious, and look out over insanely clear water. I especially adore the way they've put a giant window right next to the bathtub, so you can gaze out over the sea while you bathe. While it's not incredibly cheap for Southeast Asia, the resort is an absolute steal compared to what you'd pay for an OWB in French Polynesia or the Maldives! For about $1000US (non-divers) or $1250US (divers), you can have a 3 night stay for 2 people, including accommodation, meals, some drinks, transfers, and tons of dives (the last only if you get the dive package, of course).

The hotel's website is not particularly user-friendly or informative, but here is the tripadvisor link, which has tons of great pictures and information: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g303996-d454985-Reviews-Sipadan_Kapalai_Island_Resort-Pulau_Sipadan_Sabah.html

Also check out S-KIR's sister resort, Lankayan Island Dive Resort. No OWBs, but simply stunning location, with spacious bungalows right on the beach!
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g303997-d637481-Reviews-Lankayan_Island_Dive_Resort-Sandakan_Sabah.html


Looks like Malaysia just moved even higher on my "must-visit SOON" list!