By air
Bora Bora Airport (BOB), on Motu Mute, then by boat to Vaitape
Australia & New Zealand · French Polynesia
Bora Bora, French Polynesia
A lagoon of many blues around a jagged peak
Getting there
Best time to visit
May to October — dry and less humid
Don't miss
Matira Beach
Mount Otemanu
Vaitape
The Coral Garden
Things to do
Lagoon snorkelling
Swimming with rays and reef sharks
Outrigger canoe trips
Hikes on the main island
Where to eat
What to pack
Swimwear, reef-safe sunscreen, snorkel gear
A quieter corner
Snorkelling the Coral Garden off the southern motu
Questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Bora Bora?
May to October — dry and less humid. What to pack: Swimwear, reef-safe sunscreen, snorkel gear.
How do I get to Bora Bora?
Fly into Bora Bora Airport (BOB), on Motu Mute, then by boat to Vaitape.
What is there to do in Bora Bora?
Lagoon snorkelling, swimming with rays and reef sharks, outrigger canoe trips, hikes on the main island. A quieter find: Snorkelling the Coral Garden off the southern motu.
What should I eat in Bora Bora?
Poisson cru, grilled mahi-mahi and Polynesian feasts cooked in an earth oven.
About Bora Bora
- Island
Where it is
Bora Bora is an island in the Leeward Islands of French Polynesia, a high volcanic island surrounded by a lagoon and a ring of low coral islets.
History
The island was settled by Polynesians long before Europeans arrived and was once ruled by its own chiefs. During the Second World War the United States set up a supply base here and built the airstrip on Motu Mute, which later opened the island to tourism.
People
Islanders speak Tahitian and French, and most live in the villages around the main island, working in tourism, fishing and pearl farming.
Known for
- A turquoise lagoon
- Overwater bungalows
- The twin peaks of Otemanu and Pahia
- Swimming with rays and reef sharks
Did you know?
The main island is the worn-down remnant of an extinct volcano, and the lagoon and barrier reef formed around it as it slowly sank.
We haven't written a guide for this place yet — you can still plan a trip here.