Motu Nao Nao
Seventy-five acres in the Raiatea lagoon, three villas, and never more than one party.
Nao Nao is a motu in the lagoon shared by Raiatea and Taha'a, about forty minutes from Raiatea airport by boat, with two beaches and roughly twenty-five hectares of ground. It is a genuine motu rather than a strip — there is forest to walk and a lagoon side and an ocean side. The island is let to one party and holds nobody else.
Three villas by the local designer Alain Fleurot stand on it, thatched and handmade rather than architectural, each with a king bed, an outdoor bath and a deck. The stay is all-inclusive, with a resident chef, and the kitchen leans on fish and produce grown on the motu itself. Activities run from the island: lagoon tours, kitesurfing, diving, yoga and Pilates.
Polynesian rather than international. Nao Nao is built and cooked by people from these islands, and the difference from an overwater resort in the same lagoon is immediate.
Small enough to be genuinely private. At six to eight guests the island never feels administered; there is no reception, no schedule and no second party to work around.
Who it is not for
Three villas mean this is the wrong island for a group of any size, and families with several children will not fit. It is wrong for travellers who want the classic Polynesian overwater bungalow, which does not exist here. And it is wrong for anyone who needs a spa, a gym or evening options beyond dinner and the sky. Larger Polynesian parties should look at Nukutepipi; those wanting a resort should look to The Brando.
Sources
- motunaonao.com — 75 acres, three villas, all-inclusive
- CONFLICT — the property and Expedia list a maximum of six guests (three villas sleeping two); tahiti.com and Virtuoso state up to eight. Do not publish a maximum until confirmed.
Booking
Private Island Resorts arranges each stay on request, quoting the rates available for the island and dates. No benefit should be assumed unless it is confirmed in writing for the individual reservation.
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