Bora Bora is a volcanic island in the Society Islands archipelago of French Polynesia. The Polynesian island in the South Pacific is ranked at the top of the list when it comes to most remarkably beautiful in the world. The best time to visit is May.
Photos: Wikimedia Commons contributors.
It is perfectly possible to spoil yourself in one of the incredibly luxurious high-class resorts and spend the savings of a lifetime in a few days. Nonetheless, a bit of planning ahead can allow enjoyment of the majestic scenery with a tighter budget. Bora Bora is a very pricey destination. Everything (catering and activities) ranges from "expensive" to "indescribably expensive". Bora Bora is an island in the Leeward group of the Society Islands of French Polynesia. The island, which is about 230 km (140 mi) northwest of Papeete, is surrounded by a lagoon and a barrier reef.
Vaitape is the arrival point of the ferry from the airport, and is the only town of any size of the island. At the southern tip of the main island, Matira has the largest beach, and several hotels and restaurants. The central part of the island is extremely mountainous, tough to access and not inhabited (and furthermore devoid of roads). The way you get around depends greatly on your accommodation and its location. Several resorts are on motus and not on the main island, hence the need of boat transportation to get anywhere. Boat transfers from those motus resorts to the main island or between the resorts and the airport are usually provided.
The island of Bora Bora is a volcanic caldera. This geography has produced a lagoon, well protected from waters by the surrounding motus (islets). The lagoon, and the tropical underwater life, including sharks and rays, provide fantastic opportunities for many forms of water-based recreation, ranging from swimming, through snorkelling and to scuba and other options if you want to immerse yourself in this unique environment. In addition to the sights under the surface of the lagoon, the dominating and unusually shaped peak of Mount Otemanu which reaches 728 m above sea level, and its smaller neighbour Mount Pahia are also worthy attractions.
There are comparatively more activities in Bora Bora to keep you occupied than in other islands of French Polynesia. Being practical while lazing under the sun in a white sand beach, a good book will be in every case a very useful item to bring. It sometimes rains in Bora Bora (and sometimes even a lot). The vast majority of the activities take place outdoors, and there are no cinemas, libraries or museums to visit, so even if large resorts do lend books and games, bring some good reading with you. There are many activities that are cost-free, like swimming in the lagoons and enjoying the famous sunset.
The island of Bora Bora is heavily influenced by the French culture hence the rich local and French cuisines. They also have a wide selection of international restaurants. The roulottes (food trucks) in the carpark in the center of town from 17:00 onward offer a variety of meals in generous servings, e.g. 700 F for a hamburger, or 1400 F for grilled Mahi Mahi with fries (Jan 2019). Le panda d'or (just outside of the village center on the road heading north out of town). M-Sa 11:00-13:00 and 18:00-21:00. Chinese restaurant and take-away. (updated Jan 2019) Matira Pizza. 11:00-14:00; 16:00-19:30. A small pizza shack that provides a multitude of different pizzas at reasonable prices.
If you're looking for nightlife and drinking, one of the most popular drinking venues on Bora Bora is Bloody Mary's. Bloody Mary's is essentially an American-barbecue fish and steak restaurant. Besides drinking Bloody Mary's, the chef will chargrill steak and fish to order. The island's sole nightclub is Le Récife Discothèque, about 1 km (1/2 mile) north of Vaitape (☏ +689 67 73 87), which opens only on Fridays and Saturdays at 23:00 and closes at 03:00.
Guide content from Wikivoyage contributors (CC BY-SA) — abridged; the full article has much more.
Top-rated tours and tickets from €115 — book ahead for the popular ones.
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In Aug, Bora Bora typically sees ~24°C daytime highs and 17 rainy days.
Flight prices are real fares travellers found in the last 48 hours, refreshed daily — the booking site confirms the final price. Train, bus and ferry fares are shown on the operators' booking sites. Weather data by Open-Meteo; exchange rates: ECB reference. Data updated 2026-08-19. Some links earn Stayonomy a commission at no cost to you.
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