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  Ninamu was the highlight of our honeymoon to French Polynesia. We found it originally in the Lonely Planet, then after looking on Tripadvisor knew it was for us. No Pool,... read more no aircon, limited internet, bungalows that are created out of drift wood and coral and...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 husband and I visited French Polynesia for 2 weeks, and wanted an unique, off-the-beaten path experience during our trip and our travel agent, John from Venture Tahiti /Venture Destinations... read more recommenced Ninamu and it definitely fit the bill! Our stay at Ninamu provided us such memorable experiences, and was a nice departure from the typical resorts! We stayed at Ninamu for 3 nights in the Oahu bungalow. The bungalow has such a cool, tree house design to it! It’s two stories, with a large king bed on the 2nd floor and two double beds on the main floor. There is also a seating area in the main room which connects to a large outdoor deck — you can step out your bungalow and within a few steps be at the ocean! Be prepared to have geckos in your room at night, and there is no AC. There are large fans to help with air circulation. Chris gave us a great tip to put the fan inside the mosquito net! Lighting is also very limited in the bungalow in the evening. I also experienced a theft of one of my earrings, which we believe was at the hands of a burglarizing gecko! Quite the story to tell friends back home (a word of wisdom - keep your jewelry in a bag, not set out of the dresser!) Chris really wants his guests to have an amazing experience - he took us... My husband and I visited French Polynesia for 2 weeks, and wanted an unique, off-the-beaten path experience during our trip and our travel agent, John from Venture Tahiti /Venture Destinations recommenced Ninamu and it definitely fit the bill! Our stay at Ninamu provided us such memorable experiences, and was a nice departure from the typical resorts!

We stayed at Ninamu for 3 nights in the Oahu bungalow. The bungalow has such a cool, tree house design to it! It’s two stories, with a large king bed on the 2nd floor and two double beds on the main floor. There is also a seating area in the main room which connects to a large outdoor deck — you can step out your bungalow and within a few steps be at the ocean! Be prepared to have geckos in your room at night, and there is no AC. There are large fans to help with air circulation. Chris gave us a great tip to put the fan inside the mosquito net! Lighting is also very limited in the bungalow in the evening. I also experienced a theft of one of my earrings, which we believe was at the hands of a burglarizing gecko! Quite the story to tell friends back home (a word of wisdom - keep your jewelry in a bag, not set out of the dresser!)

Chris really wants his guests to have an amazing experience - he took us out snorkeling and provided recommendations on how best to explore the little island. My husband really wanted to deep sea fish, so Chris made it a point to go fishing during our stay. We catcher snapper, wahoo, and tuna — it was unbelievable to see these fish! There is also kayaking equipment, which is a fun way to get some exercise each morning.

The Chef (Cheffie!) is a great guy and makes delicious food. The breakfast spread was delicious, and I highly recommend the made to order omelette! Lunch each day consisted of a small side salad, rice and some sort of fresh fish! Plus ice cream for dessert! For dinner, we all pushed our tables together and had a big communal table to meet our fellow travelers and gave great conversation. Dinners consisted of an appetizer, main course (usually a beautifully plated fish and potatos) and dessert. My favorite meal was the fish stew appetizer, a unique baked entree of layered fish, potatoes and tomatoes, and a chocolate molten cake!

Upon arrival at the Tikehau airport, you are transported via van to the boat launch. Via boat, it’s a short 10 minute ride to Ninamu. We were greeted with fresh coconuts. The check-in process was a little confusing since we arrived as a storm rolled in! Most of the guests were in the lobby waiting out the storm and us new arrivals were awaiting instruction or details on how long until our rooms would be ready. We arrived quite early in the day, so didn’t expect our rooms to be promptly ready — but some extra communication on what to expect and what to do while we waited would have been helpful! Again, a small hiccup in an otherwise great stay!

I would recommend Ninamu for travelers looking for a unique, unforgettable experience— but willing to forgo some comforts like AC, television and lux room commodities like extra evening lighting and bath products. You will meet interesting travelers and enjoy a once in a lifetime experience on a remote private island in the South Pacific! More

  We just returned from a five night visit to Ninamu and had a wonderful experience. We did a buy-out of the property for a birthday celebration and it was truly... read more the perfect choice. Chris and Greta are the consummate hosts...and the service from the staff...More

  Ninamu Resort was the first stop on our honeymoon in French Polynesia and we absolutely loved the experience. We booked our trip through Tahiti Legends- Noy was our travel agent... read more and planned our stay absolutely perfectly. If you're interested in visiting Ninamu, we HIGHLY recommend working with Noy and Tahiti Legends because we didn't have to worry about a thing and they handle all the logistics for you.

Ninamu is a beautiful, rustic, gem of an island where you're able to relax, do water activities (snorkeling, fishing, swimming, boating), and enjoy all the magic the island has to offer, and the resort staff is excellent all-around.

  Ninamu, although expensive like a 5 star hotel in Bora Bora, does not provide the same level of services but it gives you so much more that you will... read more never want to go back to the "water villa metropolis" as most resorts in Polinesia essentially are. The following aspects of the Ninamu merit 6 stars: - The atmosphere of the restaurant and bar, that especially in the evening brings the few guests together drinking a Mohito while knowing each other, commenting the day and planning for tomorrow escusrions - Chris, the owner and soul of the resort, having a strong Australian character - The daily excursions, included in the price of the room, when Chris takes you with passion and knowledge on its boat around Tikehau . - The beach on front of the restaurant for the colors of the water - The beach bungalows that guests can use to repair themselves from the sun while continuing to enjoy the view of the sea under the shadow with a good nook in hand The following other aspects are in line with expectations: - The food is very good, healty and simple. However someone may found the quantities of food not enough or could desire more choices. - The availability, at no extra costs, of paddles and canoas as well of palms and mask There are aspects that could be improved as: - The confort of the bungalows it is not... Ninamu, although expensive like a 5 star hotel in Bora Bora, does not provide the same level of services but it gives you so much more that you will never want to go back to the "water villa metropolis" as most resorts in Polinesia essentially are.
The following aspects of the Ninamu merit 6 stars:
- The atmosphere of the restaurant and bar, that especially in the evening brings the few guests together drinking a Mohito while knowing each other, commenting the day and planning for tomorrow escusrions
- Chris, the owner and soul of the resort, having a strong Australian character
- The daily excursions, included in the price of the room, when Chris takes you with passion and knowledge on its boat around Tikehau .
- The beach on front of the restaurant for the colors of the water
- The beach bungalows that guests can use to repair themselves from the sun while continuing to enjoy the view of the sea under the shadow with a good nook in hand

The following other aspects are in line with expectations:
- The food is very good, healty and simple. However someone may found the quantities of food not enough or could desire more choices.
- The availability, at no extra costs, of paddles and canoas as well of palms and mask

There are aspects that could be improved as:
- The confort of the bungalows it is not at top and varies depending thet bangalows.
- A more frequent treatment against mosquitos would be recommended
- The room services is basic, with room keeping once per day

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...More

  Ninamu is on a lovely little island and we stayed in a cool treehouse style room. It is great if you are trying to get away from the modern world.... read more However, if you need modern conveniences like air con, then Ninamu is not for you....More

  Seriously this place could be renamed Eden!!! Unbelievably beautiful from all perspectives: the sea, the coral, the pink beach, the small houses made with so much taste, but that's not... read more it. It is not a typical western hotel in Polynesia, it is a truly Polynesian experience, extremely authentic. You are in the middle of nowhere with only 20 people around you, you eat all together, become friends with the staff and with the other tourists. The kitchen is divine based on the catch of the day and the creations of an amazing French Chef who could be a star on his own. All of this without mentioning the amazing excursions you can do every day. The warmest hello to the whole Motu by Dalia & Alex, thanks again. More

  My expectations of Ninamu were very high, and yet they were still exceeded. My husband and I stayed there in early November for 4 nights and the whole experience... read more was seamless, exhilarating, and relaxing. We loved the feel of the resort and enjoyed getting to know the other guests on the excursions and in the time leading up to meals in the dining room. I highly recommend Ninamu if you are up for a little bit of an adventure and you really want to get away from it all. ARRIVAL: Upon arrival at the tiny airport of Tikehau, we were greeted with flower leis (note: sit on the left side of the plane flying in and you'll see Ninamu as you come in to land), transferred in a vehicle to the marina, and then taken by boat to the island. Black-tip reef sharks followed us to the dock in our wake. THE RESORT: Our bungalow was fantastic! Each one is unique and I don't think you can go wrong. The mosquitoes were quite active while we were there, but staff will put mosquito coils in your room if you ask and that helps a lot (bring bug spray!). For being open air, the bungalow was very clean and the view of the water from the porch was perfection. We found the bed to be very comfortable, and between the breeze and the fans, the temperature was also comfortable at night.... My expectations of Ninamu were very high, and yet they were still exceeded. My husband and I stayed there in early November for 4 nights and the whole experience was seamless, exhilarating, and relaxing. We loved the feel of the resort and enjoyed getting to know the other guests on the excursions and in the time leading up to meals in the dining room. I highly recommend Ninamu if you are up for a little bit of an adventure and you really want to get away from it all.

ARRIVAL: Upon arrival at the tiny airport of Tikehau, we were greeted with flower leis (note: sit on the left side of the plane flying in and you'll see Ninamu as you come in to land), transferred in a vehicle to the marina, and then taken by boat to the island. Black-tip reef sharks followed us to the dock in our wake.

THE RESORT: Our bungalow was fantastic! Each one is unique and I don't think you can go wrong. The mosquitoes were quite active while we were there, but staff will put mosquito coils in your room if you ask and that helps a lot (bring bug spray!). For being open air, the bungalow was very clean and the view of the water from the porch was perfection. We found the bed to be very comfortable, and between the breeze and the fans, the temperature was also comfortable at night. The beach is a beautiful orangey-pink, you can walk out to the break from the island (bring sturdy water shoes!), and you can walk around the whole island in about 30 minutes. The staff were very helpful and cheerful, but not in your face at every turn, which I really appreciated (don't come here if you want to be waited on hand and foot). Cedric cracked us up with his dry humor, Cheffy checked in on us daily, and Marco answered questions for us about the rest of French Polynesia. We also loved having the two dogs around (Coleman and Poi) as it made us feel more at home.

FOOD: Wonderfully delicious! Meal times are set at 7:30am, 12:30pm and 7pm. The breakfast buffet consisted of meats, cheeses, lots of fruit, homemade breads, pancakes, and eggs made to order. Lunch was always a hearty meal that hit the spot after active mornings in the water. Dinner included an appetizer, entree and dessert. Upon booking, you will be asked if you have any dietary restrictions. I don't like the taste of fish (lame, I know!), but it wasn't an issue for the kitchen and my meals of chicken and beef were amazing. We brought a bunch of snacks with us on the trip because we always worry we'll be hungry, but we didn't eat any of them!

EXCURSIONS: The fact that a daily excursion was included in the price is one of the main reasons we chose Ninamu (that and the food reviews). The excursions did not disappoint and the boat captains/snorkeling guides were awesome. They are quiet guys (Mana and Noha), who know their stuff, but they are quick to laugh and just added to the chill vibe of the whole experience. We went out every morning and in our 4 days we were able to snorkel with the manta rays twice (dream come true!) and also saw three other snorkel spots. Noha found an octopus, a moray eel, a Napoleon fish and so many other cool fish for us to see. One of the days we had snorkeled in two places already and Mana stopped for us to snorkel in a third spot. Everyone was a bit tired at that point, so Mana and Noha suggested we fish from the boat instead, which was a great suggestion and we had a lot of fun. My husband got together with some of the other resort guests to go deep sea fishing one afternoon and he said it was awesome. We snorkeled in the lagoon right off the beach of Ninamu every afternoon and found something new each time. We saw black-tip reef sharks, sting rays, eels, flounder and even another octopus!

The only disappointment suffered was that Chris and Greta were traveling elsewhere during our visit. I would have loved to meet the people who dreamed Ninamu into reality. We went into this trip thinking it was a once in a lifetime experience, but now we can't stop talking about wanting to come back some day. More