About

  My wife and I spent 5 days/4 nights at Ninamu as part of our honeymoon trip to Tahiti. The first part of our trip was spent at Moorea in an... read more Overwater Bungalow and then we came here. Wow was this paradise. We loved everything about our stay here, especially:
- The beauty
- The seclusion
- The limited # of other guests
- The FOOD

Flying into Tikehau was easy. The domestic terminal at PPT was a breeze and we boarded the propeller plane (still fairly large plane) with mostly locals. Landing on Tikehau is surrounded by beautiful palm trees and you know you're really in paradise. Ninamu welcomed us at the airport with a freshly made lei, and shuttled us over to the marina where the boat met us and took us to the private island (or "motu"). The boat ride was about 5-10 minutes since the Ninamu motu is pretty much next to the main part of the island.

Catching first glimpse of Ninamu is breathtaking. You see the beautiful beach bungalows, the Ninamu sailboat and a pink sand beach. Once off the boat, we were welcomed with free drinks. It happened to be lunch time when we arrived and we immediately sat down in the absolutely beautiful lodge for our first delicious meal.

On the topic of food: Breakfast consists of delicious croissants (as other reviews rave about. The plain was good. I preferred the chocolate which was above average), pancakes, bread, jams, yogurt, fruit, cheese, salami and made-to-order eggs. Lunch has a main meal plus a desert (which is always a scoop of delicious ice-cream with some fruit). Dinner usually had an appetizer, main meal and dessert (also usually with ice-cream, though the dinner deserts varied from cannolis to chocolate cake and in between). Cheffie outdid himself every day. The food was top notch and unique every meal. I will note that every meal is pretty much TUNA (though we had swordfish once or twice). Our last meal with a BBQ lunch with fish and steak.

The bungalows are absolutely gorgeous. As other reviews mention, each one is hand crafted. They will blow your mind how someone was able to build such well constructed buildings out on the middle of an island in no-where. Each one is super impressive. Initially we had rented the garden room 'Varo' but it is quite small and the oceanfront Kaveka room was open for only a bit extra, and we instantly upgraded. The room is amazing. I will point out that each of the bungalows are open-air, meaning they don't have air-conditioning and bugs, lizards and crabs can get in, except for the 2 fancy rooms with air-conditioning. The rooms all have walls and doors, it's just that the roof is open in spots to let the breeze in. The rooms were warm at night but with a fan and the window open, we slept very well. Mosquito nets cover all the beds but we didn't end up needing them. There were surprisingly little bugs during our stay. Each room has a private bathroom and shower, which I'm still amazed at the amenities given the remote nature of Ninamu. WiFi worked well throughout the rooms, lodge and beach.

The beach is beautiful, looking out over pink sand and turquoise blue and green water. There are 6 beach huts built right next to the beach, each with 2 soft laying chairs inside the hut, and 2 plastic chairs outside on the sand. It was nice to alternate between shade and sun. Snorkling was great right off the beach as there's a bunch of corel. Some black-tip reef sharks patrol the area and are friendly. I even found an octopus one day. The water can get a little rough outside of the main beach area, so we stayed fairly close. Similarly with kayaks and SUP's, we stayed close to avoid the stronger current. The kayak's are very heavy (but sturdy), so we didn't want to test more open-water and stayed close by. We only brought flip-flops but I recommend reef shoes that go around your ankle, as the rocks and things are sharp and flip-flops left me in pain a few times.

The entire island is about 0.6 miles (1km) around and we walked the island several times each day just to stretch our legs. Other than one part where you get your feet wet (up to your ankles) you can walk on sand the entire time. Throughout your walk you'll find tons of hermit-crabs all over. It was fun to see what different kinds we could spot. The north end of the island was my favorite spot, as it had 2 palm trees that jutted out at an angle over the water -- a PERFECT spot for a photo of true paradise.

Due to an unnatural windy set of days, we didn't get to go on any excursions. Chris, the owner, was great, however, and did his best to keep us busy. One day he brought us to the main island with bikes and let us bike around for 2 hours. Another day he braved choppy waters to take me to see the manta rays (which was amazing to snorkel with them. Thank you Chris for risking it. I really appreciated it!). The wind died down after we left so I can't comment on the excursions -- that was the one sad part of our trip, we had been looking forward to them. If the weather is bad, there's not much to do and things can get boring. We did wish there were a few more activities on-island for the days when excursions can't happen.

Overall the staff was great. Every person was friendly, gave us attention when we wanted it, but also left us to just relax and enjoy on our own.

Ninamu was wonderful and we'd love to go back, especially with a group of friends where it could be even more fun. But it's also great as a honeymoon or just a relaxing romantic getaway.

  What a gem! Just back from Ninamu with a group of 13 friends and it was quite a magical experience. Chris and Greta are lovely hosts, eager to help make... read more the most of your time at their home, arranging activities as frequent or infrequently as...More

  We have just returned from a two-week trip to French Polynesia (Tahiti, Moorea, Bora Bora, Tikehau) and the four nights in Ninamu were undoubtedly the highlight. With three kids age... read more 10, 8 and 5 the motu was perfect as they had the freedom to run around and make the place their home. The bungalows and wooden boardwalks through the little jungle are so well-built and fun, great for little imaginations to run wild. The staff were so kind to the children, taking time to show them how to open coconuts, chatting with them during trips and organising an impromptu fishing session which they loved. As adults we loved the laid-back atmosphere, reminding us of our young traveller days! and the chance to talk to and eat with the other guests. We’ve made friends for life during these four days. The food was simply beautiful and the trips - snorkelling, Eden Island, Bird Island, fishing more than met our expectations. I hope we will have the chance to return one day. As mentioned in other reviews, bring mozzie spray and reef shoes. More

  My wife and I just returned from the most spectacular vacation to Ninamu resort in Tikehau, French Polynesia. The location is sublime, being a private island surrounded by crystalline clear... read more turquoise water and abundant coral, it is a true snorkelers paradise. Although a bit off the beaten trail, it is well worth the trouble getting there. Personal attention and daily excursions were provided by the resorts Aussie owner Chris which included fishing, sailing, snorkeling, and my personal favorite, spearfishing. A truly incredible and memorable experience! Thank you so much Chris, Greta, Melanie, Cheffy, Ari, Ramana and the rest of the wonderful staff. Hope to see you again soon!

  This is a difficult review to write. I have never written a critical review before. We stayed for 5 nights in October. I would have awarded 3.5 stars if possible.... read more />
The good.
The island is stunning with incredible snorkelling off the main beach. We loved the bungalows and the style of the resort. The food was sublime. Bravo Cheffy!

The could be improved.
Sadly Chris was not on the island when we visited. The fun element that previous reviews mention was definitely not there. In fact, Greta and Gregory, the waiter/bartender, were actually unfriendly. We chatted to 2 other groups on the island and they volunteered they felt the same way. I also overheard an Italian lady complaining to her companions that, on arrival at the bar the first night, Gregory had not welcomed her and there was absolutely no eye contact or friendly interaction. This was completely our experience too. We tried to get a smile but it was hard work. Every night the appetisers were placed on the table with no explanation of what it was. We were never asked if we wanted a drink at lunch or dinner. I would expect a waiter to ask this question. Gregory and Greta are the only front of house staff so they set the atmosphere and it was sadly lacking.

One guest said she felt Chris must be the glue which makes it work when he is present.

I am writing this as this resort is expensive and the staff can make or break an experience like this. Future guests should understand the implications of not having Chris around.

Chris, you have a beautiful island and a great chef. I think you should think about having a relief manager with some great hospitality skills when you are absent. (Cheffy was very personable and friendly but obviously busy in the kitchen most of the time).

  My wife and I really enjoyed our stay at Ninamu. As our experiences in FP go, this one really stood out as very special! Though it is explained as an... read more all inclusive island resort, it is actually far more (and in our opinion better) than that! It is definitely not your run of the mill overwater bungalow private island like in Bora Bora or Maldives. The whole experience is more like a window into a tranquil and natural island world, where you can disconnect from whatever reality you are coming from can connect to this completely different and beautiful reality that you may now access. It's quite hard to put into words, because just describing the services and all that doesn't really do it justice.

The staff is super super friendly and the owners are always around and try to help out and make your stay comfortable. The food is amazing and the best we had in FP. Never repetitive, always delicious!

The activites on offer are also super interesting and the more outdoor stuff you like to do, the better it is

Amenities are very nice, however you should keep in mind that this is an eco resort and thus for example mosquitoes may be present, there are coconut crabs on the island, there are two dogs etc. If you are squeamish about this sort of thing, you might not like it so much. We love nature and animals so for us it was not a nuisance at all but rather another building block to an amazing experience.

Definitely recommend going!

  If you are looking for an unforgettable FP experience away from the crowds, look no further than Ninamu, a very special resort located in an extraordinary setting. Daily snorkeling... read more trips, gourmet food, absolute privacy, pink sand, sand bars that allow you to walk for miles into the water

  If you visit Polynesia without going to thé Ninamu . You missed some thing .
Perfect way to discover thé real values of Tuamotu . We will be Back .... read more
Thanks Greta, Chris, Mélanie , Raimana and Dee.

  We have just returned from a two-week trip to French Polynesia (Tahiti, Moorea, Bora Bora, Tikehau) and the four nights in Ninamu were undoubtedly the highlight. With three kids age... read more 10, 8 and 5 the motu was perfect as they had the freedom to run...More

  This is going to be a hard review to write, because for me, Ninamu was perfection. We fell head over heels in love with this place and plan to return.... read more But, before you book, you need to know a few things as I know this place is not for everyone. This was our second resort on our 12 day trip to French Polynesia. After doing the traditional Overwater Bungalow at Le Taha’a, we wanted something different, so I was eager to stay at Ninamu. We arrived at the miniature Tikahau airport and were greeted by a woman who didn’t say anything, but smiled kindly, gave us flower lei’s and motioned us to a van. We put our luggage in the back and she drove us less than a mile to the dock. We were met by a young man who was also quiet, but loaded our bags, had us sit in the boat and proceeded to take us to the island. When we got off the boat, we were greeted by a very soft spoken young lady who said very little, but gave us a brief introduction and showed us to our bungalow. It was clear that they were glad we were there, but we had a slight language barrier because we don’t speak French. This place is the definition of relaxed and casual. It’s quiet, peaceful, private and romantic. Our days consisted of getting up, having a leisurely breakfast... This is going to be a hard review to write, because for me, Ninamu was perfection. We fell head over heels in love with this place and plan to return. But, before you book, you need to know a few things as I know this place is not for everyone.

This was our second resort on our 12 day trip to French Polynesia. After doing the traditional Overwater Bungalow at Le Taha’a, we wanted something different, so I was eager to stay at Ninamu.

We arrived at the miniature Tikahau airport and were greeted by a woman who didn’t say anything, but smiled kindly, gave us flower lei’s and motioned us to a van. We put our luggage in the back and she drove us less than a mile to the dock. We were met by a young man who was also quiet, but loaded our bags, had us sit in the boat and proceeded to take us to the island. When we got off the boat, we were greeted by a very soft spoken young lady who said very little, but gave us a brief introduction and showed us to our bungalow. It was clear that they were glad we were there, but we had a slight language barrier because we don’t speak French.

This place is the definition of relaxed and casual. It’s quiet, peaceful, private and romantic. Our days consisted of getting up, having a leisurely breakfast and then going on an excursion to snorkel, or swim with the manta rays, go fishing, and then return for lunch. The afternoons were spent snorkeling, kayaking, lounging, reading and relaxing around the resort. We headed to the main area at about 6pm, sat and had a cocktail and then dinner was at 7pm. We were always in bed by 10pm. By the second day, I wasn’t even wearing my flip flops to meals. It was during the first excursion that I paused and realized that this was a true Polynesian experience beyond my wildest dreams. I had disconnected from technology and modern day life, and was in heaven.

We stayed in the air conditioned bungalow Teahupoo. It was so quirky and cool. The bathroom is outdoors, which my partner and I love! We love outdoor showers, and it also had a hottub, but it’s not heated. However, the water warmed up quite a bit with the sun, and it was super refreshing to sit in it at night and look up at the stars or relax in after an excursion. The bed was super comfortable, the room was extremely spacious and the deck facing the water was where we lounged and read books every day, watching sharks hunt right outside our room! The rooftop deck was fun to go up and look out at the scenery. Yes, there are mosquitos, a few bugs, cute lizards, coconut crabs and hermit crabs all over the island, we wore brought bug spray used it daily. This was not an issue for us.

The meals we had here were simple, but really good. Breakfast consisted of pastries, toast, fruit, pancakes, juice and they offered eggs every morning. Lunch was usually rice, veggies and fish. Dinner was usually a potato item, fish and veggies. All were very tasty, and you literally ate the fresh fish you caught during the day. Portions were reasonable, but your typical American might not think it’s enough food. I would also note that I think it would be ridiculous to expect or want to eat red meat or chicken here, so I would expect to eat fish daily.

In speaking with Greta, the owner, she explained that they see themselves more as a pension, not a resort. It really feels like you are a personal guest on someone’s private island. Personally, I think that Ninamu is not for high maintenance people. Here are a few questions to ask yourself before you book:

Do you need a hair dryer? Do you need to wear make up? Do you have to dress up for dinner? Will you be miserable if you get mosquito bites? Do you require several choices at every meal? Do you need complex meals? Do you need to control and schedule out every activity you do on vacation?

If you said yes to any of these, I would pause before booking.

Ninamu is for people who are not fussy, who are flexible and adventurous. If you get joy from going with the flow and being delighted and surprised, you’ll love it. If you want to get away from it all, and see some of the most beautiful parts of French Polynesia, this place is a dream come true.

Until next time Ninamu. More