Pippa Middleton jets off to £3K-per-night luxury island honeymoon destination

As Pippa and James touch down on the luxury private island, get the lowdown on the no expense spared honeymoon spot that was once owned by Marlon Brando
Pippa and James have reportedly headed to Tetiaroa in the South Pacific
The Brando
Liz Connor23 May 2017

You’ve worn the Giles Deacon dress, you’ve had the future king as your pageboy and your wedding has been front page news for days.

So where do you go on your honeymoon when you’re related to royalty and your husband is a billionaire hedge fund tycoon?

Apparently, the answer is the luxury private island that’s so beautiful it was snapped up by Marlon Brando in the Sixties and, more recently, inspired Barack Obama to write his memoirs.

Isolated in the Pacific Ocean, the remote atoll of Tetiaroa was relatively off the radar for most travellers, but the tiny private island has been firmly placed on the map this week as newlywed Pippa Middleton and James Matthews headed to its idyllic shores to unwind after the society wedding of the year.

Here’s everything you need to know about the honeymoon hotspot of the super rich.

Where is Tetiaroa?

Tetiaroa is a breathtakingly beautiful atoll composed of a dozen small islands surrounding a sparkling lagoon 30 miles northeast of Tahiti.

It’s part of the Windward group of the Society Islands of French Polynesia, an overseas territorial collectivity of France in the Pacific Ocean.

Once the summer residence for the former chiefs and kings of Tahiti, the beauty spot is best known as Marlon Brando’s private island.

The actor is said to have fallen in love with French Polynesia when scouting the islands for his 1962 movie, Mutiny on the Bounty - so much so, that he bought the island four years later with his French Polynesian wife, Tarita.

Idyllic: Tetiaroa
tahiti.com

Following his death in 2004, the exclusive island was opened up to well-heeled tourists with The Brando, a luxury eco resort as the main draw for its wealthy patrons.

With access to the island by private plane only, the secluded island features a handful of private villas on white-sand beaches frequented by sea turtles, mantra rays and exotic birds.

The sleepy island coast is fringed with swaying palm trees
tahiti.com

As well as its stunning beauty, the luxurious resort is particularly unique in its sustainability.

It’s powered by solar energy and coconut oil, cooled by a seawater air conditioning system and home to an innovative mosquito eradication project involving researchers from Oxford University.

Bride Pippa Middleton and groom James Matthews arrive for wedding

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What is the weather like?

Hot, sunny and dry. Temperatures in Tetiaroa this week are well above thirty degrees, so the couple will likely be spending a good proportion of their time sunbathing.

James Matthews and Pippa Middleton jetted off on their honeymoon this week
Beretta/Sims/REX

What will Pippa and James do there?

With miles of white sand, turquoise water and barely another soul in sight the remote islands will give the couple plenty of time to unwind after their big day.

As well as romantic beauty spots around every corner, the island offers lots of different activities to sporty honeymooning couples like Pippa and James.

Couples can don a snorkeling mask and witness underwater life at a coral garden firsthand, while swimming with rays, reef sharks and tropical fish.

The newlyweds will likely spend their time paddleboarding through the stunning lagoon
tahiti.com

The spectacular lagoon, which is characterised by its turquoise waters, can also be explored by canoe, kayak or the ever-trendy paddleboard.

On dry land, Mermaid Bay provides the perfect spot for a day of blissful sunbathing - a gloriously white stretch of stand fringed by palm trees with crystal clear waters to paddle in.

But Pippa needn’t worry about missing her gym sessions while taking a week away from London, as there are tennis courts, biking and private fitness classes to keep the couple active during their one week stay.

Alternative honeymoon destinations - in pictures

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Where will they stay?

Much like the wedding, no expense has been spared on Pippa’s honeymoon.

The luxurious island, favoured by celebrities and royals, costs £3,000 per night to bed down in.

The couple will be staying in one of the 35 private thatched villas strung along the coastal path on the island, that each come with their own outdoor bath and infinity pool.

The resort offers couples their own private pool
The Brando

The resort also has its own palatial spa area, which is hidden away in the coconut palms and offers sensual Polynesian treatments to stressed-out visitors.

The dining options include two-Michelin-star restaurant Le Grand Vefour, which you can also order directly to your door via a 24-hour room service.

One of the biggest draws to the resort, however, is its remoteness.

The sun-kissed sleepy isle will also offer the couple an extension of the privacy they asked for on their wedding day - where guests were asked not to take photos or videos on their smartphones.

The couple put a social media ban on their wedding
REUTERS

According to sources, even the wedding party had absolutely no idea where the couple were planning to spend their honeymoon.

One friend told The Mirror: “Nobody knew about the honeymoon plans. It was a very closely kept secret. And those who did know didn’t mention a thing.

“And just like the request to post no pictures on Facebook and Instagram none of their friends and family have let them down.”

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