REVIEWS


Tetiaroa Atoll, French Polynesia


LOCATION: In paradise, in a nutshell. This iconic eco-retreat sits on the Tetiaroa Atoll, located around 30 miles north of Tahiti and reached by a 20-minute private plane ride from there ­oÀ >n hoÕÀ½Ã yi}hÌ vÀom oÀ>


oÀ>®°


FIRST IMPRESSIONS: Wow – this place is exclusive. When we touch down, a butler is there to meet us and whisk us to our accommodation; a beautiful, contemporary-feel thatched-roof villa ÜiÌh > «ÀiÛ>Ìi inwniÌÞ «ool Ài}hÌ in front of the sea. It’s like I’ve landed on a deserted island in the middle of nowhere, which I effectively have – and I rarely encounter more than a viÜ Ü>n`iÀin} ÃoÕlà ÌhÀoÕ}hoÕÌ mÞ entire stay (there are 35 villas, but it viilà liki viÜiÀ®°


THE FACTS: ƂVÌoÀ >Àlon À>n`o LoÕ}hÌ /iÌi>Ào> in £9ÈÇ] >n` ÃiÛiÀ>l Þi>Àà l>ÌiÀ Li}>n ÜoÀkin} ÜiÌh hoÌil `iÛilo«iÀ ,iVh>À` >iliÞ on > ÛiÃion voÀ Ìhi ºÜoÀl`½Ã wÀÃÌ «oÃÌ-V>ÀLon» resort. A decade after the actor’s `i>Ìh] >iliÞ ÕnÛiili` /hi À>n`o° /hi iVo-VÀi`inÌi>là hol` ÃÌÀon} today; it’s the only resort of its kind in the world to have been awarded *l>ÌinÕm ViÀÌiwV>Ìion q > }Àiin LÕil`in} À>Ìin} ÃÞÃÌim q ÜiÌh moÀi Ìh>n h>lv ov iÌà iniÀ}Þ nii`à miÌ by solar power (nearly 5,000 solar


«>nilà lini Ìhi >iÀ ÃÌÀi«®° Ì >lÃo Lo>ÃÌà > Ü>ÃÌiÜ>ÌiÀ m>n>}iminÌ «l>nÌ] >n im«ÀiÃÃiÛi ÀiVÞVlin} ÃÞÃÌim ­ÜiÌh no viÜiÀ Ìh>n Ón ÃoÀÌin} LinÃÆ ÌhiÀi½Ã iÛin oni voÀ yi«-yo«Ã® >n` Ìhi ÜoÀl`½Ã wÀÃÌ >iÀ-Von`iÌionin} ÃÞÃÌim «oÜiÀi` LÞ `ii« Ãi>Ü>ÌiÀ] ÜhiVh Ü>à À>n`o½Ã idea. There’s also an eco-station where ÛiÃiÌin} ÀiÃi>ÀVhiÀà Vomi Ìo ÃÌÕ`Þ Ìhi ÃÕÀÀoÕn`in}Ã] ÜhiVh >Ài ÃomiÌhin} ov > ÀivÕ}i voÀ Üil`livi] «ÀoÌiVÌi` under various conservation projects run by the Tetiaroa Society (founded LÞ >iliÞ®° iÞon` Ìhi iVo-v>ViliÌiiÃ] there’s plenty more to lure – not least the food. The resort is home to its own oÀ}>niV }>À`in] «ÀoÛi`in} in}Ài`iinÌà voÀ ÌhÀii ÀiÃÌ>ÕÀ>nÌÃ\ i>VhVomLiÀ >vi] > l>i`-L>Vk oÕÌ`ooÀ ëoÌ Ài}hÌ


in vÀonÌ ov Ìhi Ü>ÌiÀÆ wni-`inin} restaurant Les Mutinés; and a Japanese Ìi««>nÞ>ki L>À ÃiÀÛin} Ìhi likià ov m>hi mahi, beef teriyaki and matcha tea ice cream. There’s also a casual beach bar and a more swanky cocktail spot, where tables are tucked up in the tree tops.


IDEAL FOR: Eco-enthusiasts, paradise-seekers and ultra-VIPs lookin} voÀ «i>Vi >n` ÃiVlÕÃion°


EXPLORE: 7hili yo««in} on oni of its two, often deserted beaches is as worthy an activity as any, there’s a Üholi liÃÌ ov iÝ«iÀiinVià `iÃi}ni`


Ìo }iÌ }ÕiÃÌà iÝ«loÀin} Ìhi Üi`iÀ >Ìoll° /hiÞ inVlÕ`i LiÀ`Ü>ÌVhin} ÌoÕÀÃ] Üh>li-Ü>ÌVhin} iÝVÕÀÃionÃ] n>ÌÕÀ>liÃÌ-li` Lo>Ì ÌÀi«Ã >n` }Àiin ÌoÕÀà iÝ«loÀin} Ìhi ÀiÃoÀ̽à iVo-v>ViliÌiià q «lÕà yÞ-Ãi> wÃhin} ÌÀi«Ã li` LÞ no oÌhiÀ Ìh>n À>n`o½Ã Ãon] /iihoÌÕ° "ÌhiÀ >VÌiÛiÌiià inVlÕ`i ÃnoÀkillin}] `iÛin}] V>noiin} >n` «>``liLo>À`in}] and there’s a host of Polynesian cultural experiences too, from tie-dye lessons to ukulele demonstrations and weekly dance shows.


110 ASPIRE SEPTEMBER 2022


aspiretravelclub.co.uk


CREDIT: TIM MCKENNA


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