Bora Bora – Vacation in a Turquoise Paradise
Introduction
Even those who are not familiar with exotic islands and do not know where French Polynesia is have heard the name "Bora Bora" and immediately associate it with an exotic vacation on a magical island.
Indeed, Bora Bora is the most famous and popular island in French Polynesia. The island is famous for its amazing hotels, which have bungalows over the water. As seen on the map, it is an island only a few kilometers long, surrounded by a coral reef along which there are smaller islets where most of the hotels and also the airport were established.
The water between the reef and the main island are lagoon waters that are calm all year round (like a giant swimming pool) in stunning turquoise colors, while all this beauty is surrounded by a backdrop of green mountains with rich tropical vegetation.
The highest mountain on the island, "Mount Otemanu," has a unique appearance with two protruding green peaks and is visible from afar throughout the island.
The lagoon waters are clear and warm all year round and teem with colorful fish and spectacular corals.
You can go snorkeling right from the entrance of the bungalow over the water.
It is no wonder that the magical island is nicknamed "The Pearl of the Pacific." The island has been selected several times by reputable travel magazines as the most successful resort island in the world and the best tropical island in the world.
It is important to emphasize that Bora Bora is expensive: accommodation, food, and of course the arrival at the island are expensive compared to many destinations in the world—but there is no doubt that the value you receive justifies the investment.
In all hotels (including the most luxurious), the bungalow roofs are made of dried leaves resembling straw from the Pandanus plant. This is a very common plant in French Polynesia and it is very useful. In the past, it was also used in building canoes.
All tourism service providers (in fact, most of the island's residents) speak excellent English, so it is easy and friendly to manage in Bora Bora without knowing a word of French, which is the official language in these islands. It is only advisable to know the two most important words in Tahitian:
"Mauruuru" – Thank you
"Ia ora na" – Hi, Good day
Book recommended tours in Bora Bora from Viator:
♦ Recommended Hotels in Bora Bora
The most popular hotels in Bora Bora are the hotels that have overwater bungalows. Every self-respecting hotel has overwater bungalows in addition to bungalows and rooms on the beach. All the major chains are represented here: Hilton, Meridian, Sofitel, Intercontinental, Conrad, and more. The variety is wide; there are simple one-room bungalows and there are more luxurious and well-equipped one-room bungalows. There are also overwater bungalows with several rooms and even with a private swimming pool for those who do not want to jump into the water next to the bungalow! Prices vary according to size and equipment.
Conrad Bora Bora Nui
An amazing and extensive 5-star resort located on a private island called Motu To'opua. The island is a short boat ride (less than ten minutes) from the most central town in Bora Bora: Vaitape, and about a 20-minute boat ride from Bora Bora Airport. The resort provides a free shuttle service for its guests to both the town center and the airport.
The resort has many types of villas and bungalows. The most expensive and popular of all are pampered overwater villas, some overlooking the mountains and some with sunset views. The villas have a hammock-like net on the private balcony and some also have a private pool:
But there are wonderful villas (some with a pool) located up the mountain overlooking a breathtaking view:
The cheapest rooms are located near the beach and also have a view of the lagoon. All rooms/villas/bungalows are wonderfully equipped and very pampered.
The hotel has an "infinity" swimming pool located on a wonderful sandy beach, a spa located on the hilltop with a spectacular view, hiking trails between volcanic rocks and viewing balconies, and free bicycles for guest use. The resort has 4 diverse and high-quality restaurants (French, Chinese, Japanese, and Mediterranean), most of which overlook the view, three bars, a kids' club, and a gym. The resort has many sports facilities including a tennis court and mini golf. Cultural events and various shows are held there, as well as plenty of water sports and recreation activities. Free internet throughout the resort. The resort underwent a comprehensive renovation a few years ago and gives the highest value for money among Bora Bora hotels.
InterContinental Bora Bora Le Moana Resort
A 4-star resort located on the main island of Bora Bora near the most successful public beach on the island, Matira Beach. The resort has two types of bungalows: overwater and on the beach with a view of the lagoon. All overwater bungalows are the same size, with a glass coffee table that opens in the middle of the room from which you can see colorful fish swimming in the lagoon. The difference between the bungalows is in the view and the location in the bungalow chain.
The hotel has a wonderful sandy beach, free recreation and water sports equipment for guests, including kayaks and snorkeling gear, a swimming pool near the beach, two restaurants, a bar, billiards, and table tennis.
Shows and cultural activities are held at the resort. You can (for a fee) rent bicycles or sail to the second, more luxurious Intercontinental resort located on another island. Free internet throughout the resort.
Attractive price compared to other resorts with "overwater" bungalows. Gives high value for money.
InterContinental Bora Bora Resort & Thalasso Spa
A luxury 5-star resort located on a long narrow islet at the edge of the lagoon, facing the lagoon on one side and the open sea on the other. On this islet are located the most luxurious resorts in Bora Bora, but there is no land access between them. Each resort can only be reached by boat.
The resort has a boat shuttle service that sails to it both from the airport located 8.7 km away and by a fifteen-minute boat trip from the other Intercontinental resort located on the main island: InterContinental Le Moana Bora Bora. The resort spreads over a vast area and all its villas are "overwater." There are villas of various sizes, ranging from couples' villas to giant two-story villas suitable for up to 6 people with two massive bedrooms, a spacious living room, a dining area, a studio on the second floor with a private balcony, and the highlight: a huge balcony overlooking the most beautiful view with a private swimming pool.
All villas, even the smallest ones, are very spacious, luxurious, well-equipped, and very pampered, and they differ from each other mainly in view and location. All villas have a glass-bottom coffee table in the living room for fish watching.
The hotel has a swimming pool adjacent to a sandy beach, a Turkish hammam, and a magical and special garden full of tropical vegetation called "Garden of Lovers," where romantic couples hang padlocks on designated trees while choosing the motto that fits them from Polynesian culture. The hotel also has hiking and cycling paths. Shows and events are held on-site (some for an extra fee). The hotel has an extensive spa considered the best on the island.
The hotel also has a church with a glass floor located in amazing scenery over a small lagoon teeming with fish. The hotel has several restaurants and bars, including a beachfront restaurant. Free internet throughout the resort.
The Sofitel chain has two successful hotels in Bora Bora
Their hotels are located in the south of the island:
One on a private island: Sofitel Bora Bora Private Island, also called "Sofitel Motu"
And the second across from this island on the main island, called Sofitel Marara: Sofitel Bora Bora Marara Beach .
Between these two branches, there is a boat service belonging to the hotel, which is free for guests of the island hotel and departs whenever guests request. The hotel also has a private boat transfer service from the airport to the hotel (free to the private island, for a fee to Marara). Hotel guests are greeted by a hotel representative at the airport with a fragrant flower lei, and upon arrival at the hotel, a receptionist serves guests damp towels and a coconut filled with natural coconut juice. In each of the two Sofitel hotels, there are pampered bungalows, both overwater and on the beach.
The beach bungalows on the private island are partly located on the hilltop with a beautiful view of the lagoon and the overwater bungalows, and partly adjacent to the water line. On the private island, a walking path leads to the top of the hill with a wonderful viewpoint of the lagoon and the surrounding hotels, as well as the sunset and sunrise. At the top of the hill, there are also seating areas and a drink bar serving guests who come to watch the beautiful sunset—a truly romantic place!
On the private island, there are fewer than thirty bungalows, so the stay there is very intimate and special. For hotel guests on the private island, there are snorkeling masks in the rooms, fins can be obtained at the booth on the beach, and anyone interested can paddle a kayak or SUP free of charge. In the rooms, there is a mini bar with free soft drinks and beer renewed daily, as well as a coffee machine with free capsules. Near the island, there is a coral reef rich in fish and corals, among the most beautiful on the island.
Here is a video I filmed while swimming in the turquoise waters near the overwater bungalows.
Snorkeling tours on the island also reach this reef. The island has a sandy beach in addition to the clear and pleasant swimming waters around the overwater bungalows. At the Marara hotel on the main island, overwater bungalows have large private sun decks with access to the water and a wide window overlooking the lagoon from inside the room. Other bungalows are partly on the coastline with lagoon views or adjacent to the sandy beach, and there are inner ones with garden views. The hotel has a sandy swimming beach and a beautiful "infinity" pool.
In both hotels, breakfast is usually included in the price, and there are also restaurants with fairly expensive prices. Almost every day, Polynesian dance, song, and music performances are held at Sofitel Marara at no extra charge. Guests of the hotel on the private island can freely enjoy the facilities of the Marara hotel, but Marara guests can only visit the islet for an additional fee. The two most luxurious (and of course most expensive) hotels in Bora Bora are located in the east of the island side by side:
Four Seasons Resort Bora Bora
In the hotel spreading over a vast area, there are 105 spacious bungalows, including two-bedroom suites suitable for up to 6 people. Large overwater bungalows also have a private swimming pool. The hotel has an "infinity" swimming pool, a tennis court, and four restaurants.
The St. Regis Bora Bora Resort
This hotel also spreads over a vast area and includes 100 pampered bungalows, some with two bedrooms, and some of its bungalows also have a private pool. The hotel has two pools and four restaurants.
Adjacent to these two hotels, in the east of the island, is also located the hotel
Le Meridien Bora Bora
Which is one of the oldest hotels on the island, and also has a sea turtle rescue center. The hotel has 99 rooms, an infinity swimming pool, and two restaurants. All the large hotels offer diverse water sports and recreation: various types of boating, guided snorkeling, etc. (some services are included in the price and some are for an extra charge). All have spas for a substantial extra fee and tour booking, transfer, and restaurant services. The service is of high quality, personal, and relaxed.
Weather
The weather on the island is perfect most of the year and there is no season that is not suitable for visiting and vacationing there. The weather is tropical, but trade winds moderate the temperatures. The average daytime temperature ranges between 28 degrees Celsius in the "cooler" months to 31 degrees Celsius in the warm months, while at night the temp ranges between 22-24 degrees Celsius. The seawater temperature is 27-29 degrees Celsius. November to April are the warmer and more humid months and also the rainier ones, especially January-February, while from May to October, there is very little rain and the weather is less humid but the winds are stronger. This is a wonderful destination to celebrate a honeymoon, golden or silver wedding anniversary, or just a romantic vacation at the farthest edge of the world.
How to get there?
Bora Bora is one of the "Society Islands" chain of French Polynesia. Since it is a relatively small island, there is no international airport there but only an airport for local flights between the country's islands. You must fly to Tahiti, the largest and most populated island in French Polynesia, and from there take a connecting flight of about 45 minutes by "Air Tahiti" to Bora Bora. Even the Bora Bora airport is located on a small islet and from there you sail to the various hotels by boat. The large hotels have a private boat service, from the field directly to the hotel's pier. The airport provides a free boat trip in a large boat to the main town of Vaitape, from which you can take a taxi to one of the hotels on the main island.
The harbor and boats at the airport:
The hotels are scattered all over the island. Some are located on the "Main Island" in the center of Bora Bora, some on an islet adjacent to the reef in the east of the island called MOTU PITI A'AU, and others on small islets scattered in the lagoon. All hotels have sandy beaches with golden sand. Bora Bora (unlike Tahiti) is one of the oldest islands in the island chain and therefore abounds with wonderful sandy beaches. Each of the large resorts looks like a picturesque postcard and with the warm welcome including a fragrant flower lei and natural tropical juice, you will feel that you have reached paradise.
Tours and Sightseeing on Bora Bora Island
Book recommended tours in Bora Bora from Viator:
Jeep Tour
To be impressed by the island and its dramatic scenery and also to get a successful viewpoint of the three neighboring islands: Raiatea, Tahaa (known as the Vanilla Island), and Tupai, it is highly recommended to join a 3-hour jeep tour. The tour visits three main viewpoints on mountain peaks. The paths leading there are impassable for a regular car, with many bumps, sometimes in mud and on steep climbs and descents. These paths are private roads, so tour companies pay for driving on private land. Along the circumference of the island, there is one paved circular road surrounding the entire "main island" of Bora Bora along its beaches. The first viewpoint you ascend is a view of the capital town Vaitape, near which the cruise ships arriving in Bora Bora anchor. You see the beautiful view of the lagoon, the town, coral reefs, and sailing boats.
The tour guide will also tell you about the island and its residents, numbering about ten thousand, most of whom earn a living from tourism. Until now, there was only an elementary school here and now they are also building a high school. There is also no hospital on the island, but there is a medical center. From this viewpoint, you also overlook the only public beach on the island: "Matira Beach," an extensive sandy beach very popular among the locals. At the second higher point, you will stop near two large cannons placed here by the Americans in World War II to protect the place from the Japanese after the attack on Pearl Harbor. De Gaulle agreed at the time for the Americans to enter the island which was a French territory but on condition they leave behind everything they brought after they left. The Americans left the cannons but removed essential parts from them so they could not be used against them in the future.
In total, the Americans placed eight such cannons across the island. Two in each position around the island. The Americans also breached an entry path for ships through the coral reef surrounding the island and thus enabled the establishment of a wave-protected harbor in Bora Bora. Before that, only small boats could reach the island and the large ships were met by these boats near a small island close to the reef. The Americans contributed greatly to the development of the island's infrastructure and encouraged the local residents to also acquire education. Coming down from the mountain, you can stop in the town of Vaitape to buy various supplies at the supermarket, pharmacy, or shop. It is worth buying a sea mattress or other floatation device that is very suitable for swimming in the quiet lagoons near the overwater bungalows across the island. The prices in the town are very reasonable relative to the expensive prices of the hotels and therefore this is a good opportunity to stock up. From there, continue to the third viewpoint; on the way, you will pass by many fruit trees and flowers and receive explanations about them, ascend to the mountains, and reach the home of a painter whose expertise is fabric painting. Residents usually wear a floral cloth called a Pareo wrapped around their bodies. The artist paints beautiful (and expensive) paintings on these fabrics with durable watercolors that can either be framed or worn. The artist's home is located in the heart of a dramatic landscape where he is surrounded on one side by the two highest peaks on the island and on the other side by a magnificent view of the mountain slopes on which there are fruit orchards and beyond them the blue lagoon that circles the island, the coral reef, and the sea. At this point, travelers are also served fruit: pomelo and coconut.
Ecological Boat Trip in the Lagoon:
A highly recommended tour that in my opinion is a "must tour" for anyone coming to Bora Bora is a full-day cruise (about 8 hours) including four wonderful and diverse stops: -Swimming among "Stingrays" and feeding them—you will pet, hug, and even feed these giant fish in quiet, clear lagoon waters where you can even stand.
-Snorkeling in a "coral garden" teeming with fish of all sizes and colors, as well as spectacular corals and special shells in various colors. Usually, the guide will also find a giant eel for you hiding between the rocks or a stonefish.
-Adjacent to the harbor exit, in deep waters outside and near the great reef surrounding the island, you will swim near two types of sharks: black tip sharks, medium-sized sharks swimming near the surface which the guide feeds with sardines, and giant lemon sharks swimming in the depths, but occasionally rising almost to the surface level.
An impressive and quite frightening experience (you don't have to enter the water; you can also watch the sharks from the boat).
-A typical local lunch on a small islet. The meal is served on plates made of coconut tree leaves and accompanied by authentic music and various demonstrations: the guide climbs barefoot up a tall coconut tree, cuts a coconut without a knife, demonstrates the preparation of "coconut milk," and also shows how plates are made from coconut leaves.
The guide is particularly talented—he also steers the boat (pickup is from each hotel's pier, no need for taxis or shuttles—a day that is entirely boating), acts as a snorkeling guide, also prepares food and performs demonstrations and stunts, but above all, he is also a musician and singer. During the cruise, during the snorkeling, and even the meal, he plays the Tahitian Ukulele and sings everything from local Polynesian songs to popular American songs and even Italian and French ones.
Several companies organize such a cruise, for example, the successful company: Lagoon Service. All companies also have a shorter half-day cruise, but it's a real shame to miss one of the stops and it's better to take the comprehensive, longer cruise. The company also has sunset cruises and fishing tours. For those who prefer diving, there are special tours for diving with sharks from companies that specialize in this. The leading company in French Polynesia, with branches on all islands, including Bora Bora, is TOPDIVE.
Another successful company that has a similar group cruise in the lagoon is:
Lagoon Cruise with Bora Bora Explorer
The company also has a "Combo" tour combining a cruise with the same stops: sharks, stingrays, coral gardens, and a meal on an islet.
The crew sings and plays during the cruise:
However, the duration of stay on the islet is shorter and upon finishing the meal, the tour continues with a (brief but comprehensive) jeep tour on the island. The tour, which has a total length of about 7 hours, is particularly suitable for those who are satisfied with one day of touring and prefer to spend the rest of the time pampered and vacationing at the resort they stay in or for those who come to the island for one day on cruise ships.
Private Cruise
Those who prefer a personalized private cruise in a pampered boat can contact one of two companies:
♦ Lagoon Limousine – the company has a large, pampered, well-equipped catamaran including a bar with champagne and cocktails, refrigerator, towels, snorkeling equipment, internet, toilets, deck shower, and more. The maximum number of people in a private group is 12. You can go on a full-day cruise (7.5 hours) including stops similar to those described above, but everything is tailored for you, or a 4-hour sunset cruise including swimming and snorkeling. It's worth noting that the sunsets in the lagoon are stunningly beautiful.
♦ Another company is: Bora Eco Sailing – it has a small catamaran particularly suitable for a couple. You can go on a short cruise of an hour and a half, a three-hour cruise, and also a 4-hour cruise including sushi and champagne.
Combo Tour: Jet Ski Cruise and ATV Ride:
A successful and action-filled combo tour of about four hours is a tour combining an hour and a half guided jet ski cruise followed by an hour and a half drive on the island to impressive viewpoints from the mountain peaks over landscapes you cannot stop admiring.
A successful company organizing this tour is: Matira Jet Tours located near the famous Matira Beach adjacent to the InterContinental Le Moana hotel.
Jet Ski Cruise
The jet ski cruise is guided in small groups of about 3-4 jet skis with a guide and it circles the entire island. The jet ski is suitable for a pair of riders. You sail fast in crystal clear turquoise waters in various shades, passing near amazing hotels with an abundance of overwater bungalows, sailing near boats, and seeing fish and stingrays while sailing fast.
During the cruise, you stop several times for explanations, photography, and rest. A successful stop in the middle of the tour is for a swim in clear water while eating wonderful fruits. On the ATV, which is also suitable for a driver and a passenger behind him, you drive both on the circular road surrounding the island and on steep, bumpy climbs to viewpoints. Here too, you receive fascinating explanations about the island, its scenery, and residents. Another popular activity on the island is paragliding—another wonderful way to be impressed from high above by the island's scenery and vivid colors. Between one activity and another, it is advisable to enjoy the wonderful hotels, sit on the balcony over the water, admire the view, the tranquility, and the fresh air, dip in the clear warm water, and feel that you have won! This is the good life!
Several short videos on the attractions on Bora Bora Island:
