Save Bora Bora for momentous occasions.
That is radio DJ Yasminne Cheng's advice to holiday-makers planning to visit
the island atoll in the South Pacific.
She spent her nine-day honeymoon there at the end of January 2009.
The 33-year-old Class 95 radio presenter told The New Paper: "I recently
came back from a trip to Phuket. The beaches and the ocean at Phuket are very
nice, don't get me wrong, but once you've been to Bora Bora, you're spoilt.
"I remember looking at the water at Phuket and thinking, 'That's not crystal
clear.'"
Cheng, who describes Bora Bora as a magical honeymoon destination, says that
the only problem is the back-breaking journey to get there.
"We took a seven-hour flight from Singapore to Sydney and, after a short
layover, it was another seven hours or so to (the island of) Tahiti.
"We had to stay the night in a hotel on Tahiti before taking a 45-minute
boat ride to Bora Bora."
Nevertheless, having already vacationed in the Maldives, Cheng said that the
journey was entirely worth the trouble.
"I love the idea of the privacy of a water villa and I wanted that again for
our honeymoon.
"Like the Maldives, Bora Bora is an absolutely tranquil place and a couple's
dream honeymoon vacation, where you're very unlikely to get screaming kids.
"What's more, the crystal-clear water at Bora Bora makes it seem like a
different ocean from the one in the Maldives.
"The water is so clear, it looks like you've just filled a giant bathtub
outside your (villa) window with spring water, but when you jump right in, it's
salty seawater.
"It's quite jarring that way!"
Cheng also said that the Bora Bora atoll is a haven for marine wildlife by
virtue of the lagoon's sheltered location, which allows many ocean species to
flourish there.
According to Cheng, she and her husband were frequently "visited" by many
colourful fish, eagle rays and sea turtles at their water villa, with even a
barracuda putting in an appearance once.
In fact, one of the reasons the couple chose to stay at the Le Meridien Bora
Bora resort is that it houses the Turtle Sanctuary.
According to Cheng, the sanctuary rescues and incubates sea turtle eggs to
protect them from poachers. It also rehabilitates injured turtles before
releasing them back into the wild.
The self-confessed animal lover also enjoyed snorkelling alongside the sea
turtles in the ocean.
"You can swim beside them peacefully as long as you keep them at arm's
length.
"Being wild turtles, they're generally serene but might bite if provoked. I
didn't want to touch them.
"I like all my digits intact," she joked.
Cheng and her husband also enjoyed a day trip to Tahiti, where they rented a
a dune buggy to go around the island.
She said with a laugh: "There was no power steering at all!
"It was more like an ATV buggy in terms of handling."
Cheng also firmly believes that Bora Bora is the best place for a beach
vacation.
"The place is simply bursting with colour and the Polynesian natives are
very friendly.
"Being a radio DJ is actually quite stressful, what with all the preparation
you have to do for your shows.
"I like being able to just lie like a sack of potatoes while on vacation.
"Where else in the world can you find seven different shades of blue
everywhere you look, from the sky to the sea?"
Cheng doing a jump shot at her water villa in the Le Méridien Bora Bora resort
in the island atoll of Bora Bora, which she says is customary on every trip she
takes.
Cheng next to her rented car or 'dune buggy' on the island of Tahiti.
Cheng gets behind the wheel of her rented car on the island of Tahiti.
A view of the lush marine wildlife in the island atoll of Bora Bora.
Cheng (in the background) snorkelling next to a sea turtle in the island atoll
of Bora Bora.
