Bora Bora

The "Pearl of the Pacific": blue lagoon and overwater bungalows beneath Mount Otemanu, one of the world's top honeymoon destinations.

Bora Bora lies in the Leeward Islands of the Society Islands in French Polynesia, about 260 km from Tahiti. It is an extinct volcanic island surrounded by a coral barrier reef and lagoon. The main island's skyline is formed by Mount Otemanu (about 727 m) and Mount Pahia, with a roughly 32-km coastal road and the administrative center, Vaitape, on the west coast. A ring of palm-covered islets (motu) encircles the main island, and the airport and most overwater-bungalow resorts are on these islets. The classic experience is to stay in an overwater bungalow and take a lagoon boat tour: swim with blacktip reef sharks and rays, snorkel in coral gardens and enjoy a Polynesian lunch on a motu. You can add a 4WD tour around the island to see WWII guns and marae ruins, a hike up Mount Pahia, and dives with manta rays and lemon sharks. Visitors not staying at a resort can head to the free Matira Beach at the south end of the main island. May–October is the dry season, cool with little rain and the best time to visit; November–April is hot, humid and rainy, with the occasional tropical cyclone, but prices are lower. Getting there: about 50 minutes on Air Tahiti from Faa'a Airport in Tahiti, then a hotel speedboat or the free public ferry to Vaitape. Allow 4–6 days. Notes: prices on the island are extremely high, so consider bringing some snacks from Tahiti. Use reef-safe sunscreen, follow your guide's instructions during shark and ray activities, and do not touch the animals.

Top sights

• Bora Bora Lagoon – A blue-green lagoon ringed by coral reefs and small islands (motu), with overwater bungalows, snorkeling and sharing the water with sharks…
• Mount Otemanu – The twin basalt peaks at the heart of Bora Bora, rising 727 meters. Their steep slopes are mirrored in the lagoon, making this the island's…
• Matira Beach – A free public white-sand beach at the southern tip of the main island. Its shallow, clear water and layered colors let you enjoy the lagoon…
• Shark & Stingray Snorkeling Site – A must-stop shallow spot on lagoon tours, where you stand on white sand in waist-deep water and swim close to blacktip reef sharks and pink…
• Vaitape – The central town on the west coast of the main island, home to the airport ferry terminal, shops, a black pearl store and a church. It is t…
• Coral Garden – Shallow coral reef in the lagoon southeast of the main island, only one to two meters deep, where schools of tropical fish gather around sw…
• WWII American Cannons – The remains of coastal guns installed by American forces during the Second World War, reached by a four-wheel-drive along a dirt track on t…
• Marae Fare Opu – Ancient Polynesian ceremonial stone platforms by the sea in Faanui Bay, with turtle petroglyphs carved into the slabs. The easiest marae on…
• Mount Pahia Hike – The island's second-highest peak, at about 661 meters. A steep jungle trail leads to the summit, with views over Mount Otemanu and the enti…
• Motu Tapu – A small coconut islet on the atoll west of the main island. It was once a royal 'forbidden island', and its white sand and coconut palms ar…
• Bloody Mary's – A legendary thatched-roof restaurant that opened in 1979, with sand floors and a wall of celebrity signatures. It is the island's most famo…
• Bora Bora Turtle Center – A sea turtle rescue centre at a resort on an eastern islet, where injured turtles are cared for and released back into the lagoon. A chance…
• Overwater Bungalow Resorts – Luxury resorts on the outer reef islets, with overwater bungalows facing Mount Otemanu. They are the heart of a Bora Bora honeymoon.

Where to eat

• La Villa Mahana – Bora Bora's most prestigious fine dining restaurant, with only about eight tables, where the chef crafts local ingredie…
• The Saint James Bora Bora – A French seafood restaurant by the lagoon in Vaitape, with some tables right on the water, famous for its four-way tuna…
• Kai Kai – A family-run food truck by Povai Bay, offering outdoor lagoon-view seating and highly rated poke bowls and fresh tuna s…

Itineraries

• Tahiti, Moorea & Bora Bora Classic – A classic island-hopping route for first-timers: transit in Papeete, explore the mountains of Moorea, and enjoy the wat…
• Leeward Islands Ferry Island-Hopping – Use passenger ferries to hop through Huahine, Raiatea, Taha'a, and Bora Bora.
• Raiatea Sailing Charter – Set sail from the charter base for an 8-night cruise exploring Taha'a, Bora Bora, and Huahine.
• Society Islands & Tuamotu Atolls – A perfect blend of high islands and atolls, flying from Huahine and Bora Bora to Rangiroa and Fakarava.