Eighty-three overwater villas with the only deep-sea Thalasso spa in French Polynesia — using seawater drawn from 900 metres deep in the Pacific for thalassotherapy treatments.
"83 overwater villas with French Polynesia's only Thalasso spa. Seawater from 900m deep, treated and used for therapy. The wellness Bora Bora answer."
InterContinental Bora Bora Resort & Thalasso Spa opened in May 2006 on Motu Piti Aau, a private islet in eastern Bora Bora, and remains the only resort in French Polynesia with a Thalasso (Greek for 'sea') spa programme drawing on deep-ocean seawater. The seawater is pumped from 900 metres below the lagoon surface — outside the warm, turbid surface layer — where temperature, salinity, and mineral content are stable, then heated and used for therapeutic baths, hydrotherapy, and signature treatments developed at the resort's pioneering on-site Thalasso clinic.
The 83 overwater villas — the entire resort is overwater, with no beachfront category — split between Sapphire (entry-level), Emerald (slightly larger with private deck plunge), Diamond Otemanu (Mount Otemanu view), and the Brando Suite (the resort's flagship, named for Marlon Brando, who lived nearby on Tetiaroa). Every villa has glass floor panels in the lounge, a private deck with stairs to the lagoon, and the orientation toward the resort's signature Mount Otemanu view to the west.
The Thalasso Spa programme is the differentiator. Three- to seven-day Thalasso protocols combine deep-sea baths, marine clay treatments, hydrotherapy circuits, and consultations with the resident sea-medicine doctor. The treatments are not the same as conventional spa massages — they are protocol-driven and have a small but loyal medical-tourism following. Conventional luxury spa treatments are also available; the spa has been recognised among the best resort spas in the South Pacific for over a decade.
Dining is across three restaurants. Sands is the headline overwater French-Polynesian fine-dining. Reef is the all-day buffet on the lagoon edge — better than the category usually suggests. Bubbles Bar is the cocktail and champagne bar with sunset views. The wine and champagne programme is strong. The resort hosts traditional Polynesian dance shows nightly. The combination of overwater-villa-only architecture, Thalasso wellness programme, and the consistency of InterContinental service makes this the wellness-focused Bora Bora resort and the answer for travellers who want both the iconic overwater experience and a real wellness intervention.
The Bora Bora honeymoon for couples who want the wellness component of the stay to be substantial rather than ornamental. Book a Diamond Otemanu Villa for the Mount Otemanu view; book a couples' Thalasso treatment for the third day; ask the resort to arrange a private dinner on the lagoon deck. The honeymoon at the Thalasso is the wellness-luxury Bora Bora honeymoon.
The Bora Bora wellness retreat. Book a three- or seven-day Thalasso protocol — the spa team will design a programme based on your goals (detox, post-illness recovery, deep relaxation). The combination of deep-sea hydrotherapy, the lagoon swim, the sea-air, and the pace of an overwater villa stay produces a measurable reset. The most clinically credible wellness programme in French Polynesia.
For couples who already had the conventional Bora Bora luxury experience and want the wellness one. The Brando Suite or two adjacent Diamond Otemanu villas. The Thalasso programme as the centrepiece, with vow renewal on the lagoon at sunset and private dinners at Sands. The anniversary at the Thalasso is the deeper kind.
Motu Piti Aau
Bora Bora, French Polynesia 98730
15-minute boat shuttle from Bora Bora airport (BOB)
83 overwater villas (no beach category)
Sapphire Overwater Villa from $1,500/night
Emerald Overwater Villa from $1,800
Diamond Otemanu Villa from $2,400
Brando Suite from $5,500
Check-in: 3:00 PM
Check-out: 12:00 PM
Minimum stay: 3 nights (5 for Thalasso protocols)
Only Thalasso spa in French Polynesia
Deep-sea seawater from 900m
Resident sea-medicine doctor
Sands (overwater fine-dining)
Nightly Polynesian dance shows
Open year-round
Best: May–October (dry season)
November–April: warmer, occasional storms
High-speed WiFi throughout
Reliable signal at all overwater villas
In-villa office setups on request
From $1,500/night. Thalasso protocols (5-day minimum) book 4–6 months ahead. Diamond Otemanu villas are the most-requested category.
Book This Hotel →121 overwater suites with Mount Otemanu views. The most polished Bora Bora luxury.
100 overwater villas with butler service. The largest overwater villas in French Polynesia.
112 villas across a private peninsula with the only sunset-view overwater suites in Bora Bora.