Bora Bora's cocktail of stars

FOR the rich and famous holidaying on Bora Bora, it's almost mandatory to slip into Bloody Mary's Bar, sit on a polished coconut palm stool and sip a tall cocktail.

Bloody heaven ... Bloody Mary's bar Picture: Mike Smith.

MUSICIAN Quincy Jones paid a visit; so, too, have Meg Ryan, Charlie Sheen, Rod Stewart, Barry Gibb and Ringo Starr, to name a few celebrities who have holidayed on Bora Bora.

When he could break away from the serenity of his own Tahitian island, Marlon Brando would stroll across to the thatched-roof bar for a tropical cocktail or two.

Even Mr Bean (Rowan Atkinson) swapped his signature London suit for a pair of swimmers, a slap of sunscreen and the chance to try one of the bartender's colourful concoctions.

And, notwithstanding spelling errors on the pub's board of famous guests, you'll also find that singer Diana Ross and actor Patrick Swayze once called in, along with Hollywood husband and wife team Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn.

Since it opened in the late 1970s, Bloody Mary's Bar and Restaurant has become an institution in the South Pacific.

For the rich and famous holidaying on Bora Bora, it's almost mandatory to slip inside the bar, sit on one of the polished coconut palm tree stools and sip a tall Bloody Mary (vodka, tomato juice, a sprinkle of Worcestershire sauce and Tabasco, and a slice of celery).

For others, well, it's nice to rub shoulders with the famous while enjoying a meal of freshly caught fish or succulent steak.

While a visit to Bloody Mary's is a must, it's only one of a number of holiday experiences to be had on Bora Bora, possibly the most attractive and romantic of French Polynesia's islands.

Even when there's a cover of cloud over the island's craggy volcanic peaks, the protected waters of the lagoon display dashing colours that can't be reproduced even with a camera.

Little wonder the island's beauty is as heavenly as its "pearl of the Pacific" tag.

Swim, snorkel and kayak by day, dine on seafood and champagne by night.

And if you want to capture a different aspect of the island, take a four-wheel-drive safari trip around the island for a bird's-eye view of the lagoon and the peaks of Otemanu and Pahia.

Fortunately, the resorts of Bora Bora are not reserved for the rich and famous. With so many over-the-water bungalows hugging the shoreline, along with countless more rooms with garden and peak views, there's somewhere to stay for all tastes and budgets.

At the affordable end of the spectrum, in a small corner of the island that has four kinds of accommodation, is famous Club Med, popular for families and groups of friends.

Here, you can rev up the body by sailing or diving by day, and join the typically French-style party games by night.

Also affordable but more tranquil is the nearby three-star Novotel Beach Resort, in Matira Bay, fronted by a sandy beach with 80 air-conditioned rooms in 10 Polynesian-style thatched two-storey buildings.

The guest rooms are away from the beach, across the main single-lane road from the reception, restaurant and bar, and set amid tropical gardens.

The only worry is the neighbour's rooster which likes to crow at an ungodly hour.

Next door to the Novotel is the newly refurbished and redesigned Sofitel Bora Bora Beach Resort, formerly the Marara, which has modern, over-the-water bungalows, each with a glassed section of floor for guests to view the tropical sea life.

Timber shutters and red curtains provide privacy in the rooms – perfect when you want to pop the champagne cork and kick back.

Or rouse yourself to sail across the lagoon's turquoise waters at sunset or dine on seafood at the resort's tepanyaki-style Sakura Japanese restaurant.

On the water's edge is the resort's alternative dining experience, the Latitude 16 restaurant, which has a Tahitian oven providing tasty fare.

A short boat trip across from the Novotel and the adjacent Sofitel Bora Bora Beach is a private isle with another upmarket retreat, Sofitel Motu, with 31 luxurious bungalows, some over the water, others on the side of a tree-covered hill.

Popular for lunch and dinner is the resort's centrally located restaurant with its 180-degree panorama and tantalisingly main course of flambe lobster.

If you have any special requests, hotel manager Philippe Godard is sure to respond swiftly – whether you're famous or not.

The writer was a guest of Accor and Tahiti Tourisme, flying Air Tahiti Nui and Air Tahiti.

The Sunday Telegraph