Vaitape
Main villageShops, roulottes and the airport boat dock.
French Polynesia city guide
Bora Bora Travel Guide
Bora Bora's lagoon is every bit as blue as the photos, and it's possible to see it without an overwater bungalow. Stay in a pension on the main island, take a lagoon tour, swim at Matira beach and eat at roulottes.
About 50 min
Flight from Papeete
32 km
Coast road on the main island
Free
Matira beach
Bora Bora at a glance
Bora Bora is a small volcanic island in the Leeward group of the Society Islands, about 260 km north-west of Tahiti. Its twin peaks, Mount Otemanu and Mount Pahia, rise from the middle of a huge lagoon ringed by motu (islets) and a barrier reef.
It's the most famous island in French Polynesia, and the most expensive, thanks to the luxury resorts with overwater bungalows on the motu.
But the main island is a normal place, with villages, a 32 km coast road, a few supermarkets and family pensions. Vaitape is the main village, where boats from the airport arrive.
Stay on the main island and you can enjoy the same lagoon for a fraction of the price: lagoon tours, snorkelling, the public beach at Matira and the views.
Two to four days is enough.
Where to stay on Bora Bora
Budget travellers stay in pensions on the main island, around Vaitape or near Matira. The motu are resort territory.
Matira
BeachPublic beach at the southern tip.
Anau
Quiet east sideVillage on the east coast.
Faanui
North-westBay on the north-west coast.
Map data from OpenStreetMap contributors.
Things to do
The lagoon, Matira and Mount Otemanu
Take a lagoon tour. Boats circle the lagoon, stopping to snorkel with stingrays and blacktip sharks, visit coral gardens and picnic on a motu, with views of Mount Otemanu from the water.
Swim at Matira beach, a long public beach of white sand and shallow water at the southern tip of the main island, and one of the best in French Polynesia.
Cycle or drive the 32 km coast road, past villages, bays and viewpoints.
Hike to a viewpoint with a guide. The summit of Otemanu is off limits, but trails on the lower slopes give views over the lagoon.
Paddleboard or kayak in the lagoon from Matira.
See the US World War II cannons on the hillsides, left from when the island was a supply base.
Free things
Bora Bora for free (or nearly)
Matira beach is public and free.
Snorkelling from the shore at Matira is free.
Cycling or walking the coast road is free, apart from bike hire.
The views of Mount Otemanu from the main island are free.
Food and drink
Roulottes and supermarkets
Eating cheaply on Bora Bora means roulottes, food trucks in Vaitape and around the island, with plates for XPF1,200 to XPF2,000, and supermarkets for self-catering.
Poisson cru is everywhere.
Restaurant meals are expensive, and resort restaurants even more so.
Nightlife
Sunsets and resort bars
Bora Bora is quiet at night. Evenings are sunset at Matira, dinner at a roulotte and maybe a drink at a hotel bar.
Getting around
Getting to and around Bora Bora
Air Tahiti flies from Papeete to Bora Bora several times a day, taking about 50 minutes, and from the other Leeward islands. The airport is on a motu, so free boats take passengers to Vaitape.
Multi-island air passes from Air Tahiti are cheaper than buying legs separately.
On the main island, hire a bike, scooter or car, or use pension transfers. The coast road is 32 km, so cycling round the island is easy.
Costs
What Bora Bora costs
Bora Bora is the most expensive island in French Polynesia. Hostelworld has no listings right now, so budget travellers stay in pensions on the main island.
Roulottes and supermarkets keep food costs down.
Lagoon tours and flights are the main extra costs.
Allow around XPF12,000 to XPF20,000 a day.
Safety
Staying safe on Bora Bora
Bora Bora is safe, with low crime.
The hazards are in the water: currents near the reef pass, coral cuts and stonefish. Wear reef shoes.
The lagoon sharks are blacktips and lemon sharks that generally ignore people.
Medical care is limited on the island, with serious cases flown to Tahiti.
In an emergency, call 15 for medical help and 17 for the police.
Day trips on Bora Bora
Bora Bora's day trips are on the lagoon, or around the main island.
Lagoon tour
Snorkelling stops and a motu picnic.
Round the island
The 32 km coast road.
Viewpoint hike
Views over the lagoon.
What's on
What's on on Bora Bora
Bora Bora celebrates Heiva in July, and the Hawaiki Nui Va'a canoe race finishes here.
July
Heiva
Vaitape
Dance, singing and sport.
October or November
Hawaiki Nui Va'a
Huahine to Bora Bora
Three-day outrigger canoe race, finishing at Matira.
May to October
Dry season
Bora Bora
The best weather and visibility.
When to go to Bora Bora
Bora Bora is warm all year, with highs from 28°C to 31°C. May to October is the dry season and the best time. November to April is wetter, with cyclone risk, but cheaper.
Jan
Hot and wet; cyclone risk
Feb
Wet
Mar
Wet and quiet
Apr
Improving
May
Dry season begins
Jun
Dry and clear
Jul
Peak season; Heiva
Aug
Dry
Sep
Dry
Oct
Still dry
Nov
Hawaiki Nui Va'a; wet season
Dec
Hot and wet
Bar height is temperature. Colour is how busy it gets:
quiet
busy
peak
Average daily highs from weather2travel's Vaitape, Bora Bora climate data. Crowd levels are our rough guide.
How much does Bora Bora cost per day?
Pick a style and a number of nights for a rough total. Per day, for one person, in CFP francs.
Estimates, based on pensions on the main island. Flights and lagoon tours sit outside these figures.
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- Getting around—
- Doing things—
Bora Bora FAQs
Prices and timetables change. Check before you travel.
Can you visit Bora Bora on a budget?
Yes, by staying in a pension on the main island, taking a lagoon tour and eating at roulottes and supermarkets.
How do I get to Bora Bora?
By Air Tahiti from Papeete, about 50 minutes, then a free boat from the airport to Vaitape.
Is Matira beach free?
Yes, it's a public beach.
Are there hostels on Bora Bora?
Not on Hostelworld right now. Pensions on the main island are the budget option.
How long should I spend on Bora Bora?
Two to four days.
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