Bora Bora, French Polynesia

The ancient Tahitians said it was ‘created by the gods’ and when you set foot in Bora Bora, you’ll find it hard to argue. Not that this is a place to argue; rather, it’s a place to swim, snorkel and stretch out on a beach. You can dive with sharks and manta rays, or hike up an extinct volcano on Bora Bora, but one thing you can’t do is arrive on a large cruise ship.

Home\Oceania\French Polynesia

Bora Bora, French Polynesia

Bora Bora is one of those places where you clip a picture of it out of a travel brochure and pin it to your desk at work, with a sticky note that reads ‘One Day…’

Motu Tapu Ora, they called it, hundreds of years ago in the Tahitian language. ‘Created by the gods’. And doesn’t it just look like it, too?

If you were trying to picture a fantasy tropical island in your mind, you would probably come up with something like Bora Bora: twin mountain peaks blanketed in deep green rainforest, a main island fringed with a lagoon teeming with marine life, protected by coral reefs, and then dozens of tiny islets (motus), some of them home to luxury resorts where bungalows on stilts extend out into the sea. Is it any wonder that Bora Bora is a stand-out moment of many French Polynesia honeymoons?

At just 39km², Bora Bora resembles a precious jewel, small but perfectly formed, like the black pearls for which the island is known. Located in the Leeward Islands, in the west of the Society Islands archipelago, Bora Bora is often visited on an island-hopping cruise, allowing you to spend a night or two enjoying its charms before moving on to see more of French Polynesia.

And while it can be difficult to escape the tourist trail on an island where tourism is the basis for almost the entire economy, our holidays in Bora Bora go deeper than your typical all-inclusive luxury break here. Take a private lagoon tour, for instance, and you’ll learn not only about the types of fish you see, but also about the delicate balance needed to preserve underwater ecosystems like coral gardens. Take a truck tour around the island, and your guide will explain local history, cultural traditions and ways of life, as you stop in small villages where you can stop in cafes and tiny restaurants.

See all our French Polynesia Holidays

Give us a call

Contact Us

Call us for a chat about our holidays. We are happy to discuss your holiday and help in any way we can. No bots, queues or awful hold music.

01273 823 700 01273 823 700

Call us tomorrow after 9am

Calling from outside the UK

rosy@responsibletravel.com

Things to do in Bora Bora

Lagoon life

Holidays in Bora Bora spend much of their time exploring the lagoon, and understandably so. Its clear, calm and warm waters (averaging 27-30°C throughout the year) are perfect for snorkelling and scuba diving. You can kayak here, too, paddleboard, or hop on a boat cruise. Private barbecues on deserted motus can often be arranged.

The lagoon, and the vibrantly coloured coral reefs within it, are rich in marine life. Graceful, bat-like manta rays sweep across the seabed, while on a typical dive you might encounter lemon, nurse, leopard or black tip sharks. Green and hawksbill turtles are often seen, too. We recommend avoiding any activity where you’re encouraged to touch, or feed, the animals.

Exploring inland

There is only one sealed road on the island, and vanishingly little public transport. But our holidays visiting Bora Bora can take you inland, past coconut and orchid plantations, fields of cassava and breadfruit, and through tiny fishing communities.

One option is to take a tour in an open-air truck, with a local guide providing a running commentary. Learn the significance of the ceremonial platforms known as marae that dot the island, and about the old bunkers and gun emplacements built during World War II. American forces used Bora Bora as a refuelling depot for action in the Pacific theatre. The stories behind that make an interesting counterpoint to laidback island life.

You can also hike on Bora Bora. The island is formed from the remnants of an extinct volcano that has two peaks: Mount Pahia and Mount Otemanu. Otemanu’s summit, at 727m, is the highest point on Bora Bora. It’s a full day’s hike, but the views from the top are worth the effort.

Come by small ship

In a move widely welcomed by islanders, Bora Bora forbids any cruise ships with a capacity greater than 1,200 passengers. In fact, ships carrying more than 2,500 people can only visit a select few French Polynesian islands, including Tahiti and Raiatea. But not all are in favour of these limitations. The French Polynesian government has announced plans to triple tourist numbers for the islands to 600,000, which will require new hotels, and a new cruise terminal. It remains to be seen which vision of tourism will win out but for now, Bora Bora is sticking with a responsible approach to cruises.

Practicalities

Getting there & getting around

Bora Bora is a seven-hour ferry journey from Tahiti, but it also has a small airport on its own motu – the flight time from the Tahitian capital, Papeete, is less than an hour. From the airport, boat transfers take you to your resort, or the main island. On Bora Bora itself, while there is one public bus and taxis can be booked, you can also hire a car or bike. On our holidays we’ll take care of all your travel arrangements throughout.

When to visit

The rainy season, bringing sometimes violent storms but also punctuated by plenty of sunny days, too, is from November to April. The dry, humid months between May and October also see the occasional storm, as well as powerful trade winds. A storm breaking overhead is about as loud as things get on Bora Bora.

Bora Bora, French Polynesia