Your trip to French Polynesia will be full of surprises. 50 kilometers from Tahiti, the atoll of Tetiaora will bewitch you. It is here that the royal families came to rest. In 1789, three deserters from the Bounty came here to seek refuge. Marlon Brando discovered the island during a walk with a fisherman during the filming of the movie “Shipwrecked of the Bounty”, in 1969. In front of the beauty of the landscapes and the splendor of the 13 islets, called motus, the actor remains speechless. The atoll fascinated him so much that he decided to buy it.
An idea that seems crazy but that he realizes with a little more than 200 000 dollars and some connections. He became the owner of Tetiaora for a 99-year lease. The actor has a double love affair: at the same time as he falls in love with the landscape, he is conquered by the charm of his on-screen partner who will become his wife. Decidedly, there is a wind of romance on these lands. Marlon Brando has at heart to preserve the fauna and flora and to keep the island intact. He developed a first small ecological hotel with a few rooms. In 2004, a part of his ashes is scattered in the atoll. His grandchildren inherited this little piece of paradise and decided to turn it into a 5-star hotel: The Brando, open since 2014. Here, no large constructions that would distort the harmony, the Brando spirit is preserved and the hotel displays an approach entirely turned to ecology. The establishment is entirely self-sufficient in energy and has a carbon footprint close to zero, an exception in the luxury world.
The Brando’s private villas have their own pool and access to the lagoon. Your taste buds will go wild over the gourmet food. The beach bar offers some of the best cocktails in the world to sip. A treehouse treatment room allows guests to enjoy a massage overlooking the lagoon. The air-conditioning is powered by water drawn from the lagoon. Rainwater is collected to feed the vegetable gardens. Travelling is done by bicycle or electric car and the energy comes from solar panels. A beautiful way to use the nature at disposal without altering it.
Of course, this private paradise requires a certain budget. But rest assured, there are other ways to experience this exceptional natural haven in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. When the weather is good, skilful boats are available to take you around the coastline of Tetiaroa. You can enjoy the lagoon, and also discover terns, boobies and frigate birds in the bird sanctuary on the motu Tahuna iti, which is why Tetiaroa is nicknamed “the island of birds“. Treading the sand for a few hours will give you the feeling of a Robinson fulfilled by such a generous nature.
