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About Bora Bora
Bora Bora is a dream place
Bora Bora is one of the Leeward Islands, which are in the western part of the Society Islands in French Polynesia, an overseas territory of France in the Pacific Ocean. The island covers about 30.55 km² (12 sq mi) and sits around 230 km (125 nautical miles) northwest of Papeete. It’s surrounded by a beautiful lagoon and a barrier reef. In the middle of the island are the remains of an extinct volcano, with two peaks, Mount Pahia and Mount Otemanu, the tallest reaching 727 m (2,385 ft).
Bora Bora is part of the Commune of Bora-Bora, which also includes the nearby atoll of Tūpai. The main languages are Tahitian and French, but thanks to tourism, many locals also speak English.
The island is a world-famous travel destination, known for its stunning beaches and luxury resorts, some even built over the water. The main town, Vaitape, is on the western side, across from the main channel into the lagoon. Most of the island’s food comes from the sea and coconut trees, which were once an important source of income through copra (dried coconut).
History
Polynesian settlers first arrived in Bora Bora around the 3rd century. The first European to see the island was Jakob Roggeveen in 1722.
On 29 July 1769, James Cook sighted Bora Bora with the help of a Tahitian navigator named Tupaia. The London Missionary Society arrived in 1820 and later built a Protestant church in 1890.
Bora Bora was once an independent kingdom, but in 1888 the French annexed it as a colony, forcing its last queen, Teriimaevarua III, to step down.
World War II
It was constructed with the assistance of nine ships, approximately 18,000 tons of equipment, and nearly 7,000 soldiers.
At least eight 7-inch guns, manned by members of the 13th Coast Artillery Regiment (later renamed the 276th Coast Artillery Battalion), were placed at key spots around the island to guard against possible attacks. These guns are still there today.
Bora Bora never saw combat, and the American forces faced no resistance during the war. The base officially closed on 2 June 1946. The wartime airstrip was never expanded for large aircraft, but it remained French Polynesia’s only international airport until 1960, when Faa’a International Airport opened near Papeete, Tahiti.
During World War II, the United States used Bora Bora as a military supply base in the South Pacific. Known as Operation Bobcat, the base included an oil depot, an airstrip, a seaplane base, and defensive fortifications.
Geography
Bora Bora is part of the Society Islands in French Polynesia, located about 260 km (162 mi) northwest of Papeete, Tahiti. Around the main island are several motus, small, narrow islets with vegetation. One of the most famous is Tapu Motu, known for its beauty, though a hurricane once washed away part of its sandy tips.
Bora Bora is one of the smaller islands in the archipelago. The main island measures only 8 km (5 mi) from north to south and 5 km (3 mi) from east to west, with a total area (including islets) of less than 39 km² (15 sq mi). The central mountainous island covers 29.3 km² (11.3 sq mi) and is the remains of an extinct volcano, surrounded by a lagoon and a protective barrier reef. The tallest peak is Mount Otemanu at 727 m (2,385 ft), followed by Mount Pahia at 661 m (2,169 ft).
The main island has three bays that open into the lagoon, Faanui Bay, Tuuraapuo (or Povai) Bay, and Hitiaa Bay. Tuuraapuo Bay separates the island from two volcanic islets: Toopua (148 m / 486 ft) and Toopua-iti (17 m / 56 ft). A necklace-shaped barrier reef surrounds the island, acting like a natural wall against the open sea. The only entrance for large ships is the Teavanui Passage on the west side, leading into the lagoon. Ships must follow the channel, as much of the lagoon is shallow. The reef is especially wide in the southwest, reaching more than 2 km across, and in the east and north, it supports sandy and coral motus. One of these, Motu Mute to the north, was the site of a U.S. Army air base during World War II- now Bora Bora’s airport.
The lagoon is rich in fish and famous for its beauty. Its colors change with the depth, from deep indigo in the Teavanui Passage and certain bays, to pastel shades of blue and green in shallower areas. Coral near the surface brings bursts of yellow, red, blue, and purple, along with the marine life living among it.
Geologically, Bora Bora is part of a chain of volcanic islands formed by past volcanic activity. The volcano was active in the Upper Pliocene (3.45 to 3.10 million years ago) before sinking slightly and eroding under a tropical climate. Tuuraapuo Bay was once the volcano’s main crater, with its collapsed southwestern edge now forming the islets of Toopua and Toopua-iti. The island’s rocks are mostly basalt from lava flows, with rare explosive eruptions in its history.
Climate
Bora Bora has a tropical monsoon climate with warm temperatures all year round, hot days and warm nights.
Dry Season (April–October)
The dry season brings warm, fairly dry weather and plenty of sunshine. Trade winds can blow strongly at times. Even in this season, short showers or afternoon thunderstorms can happen. Humidity is usually between 45% and 60%, but at night it can rise to around 80%, sometimes triggering brief storms.
Rainy Season (November–April)
The rainy season is hotter and more humid, with humidity levels between 75% and 90%, sometimes reaching 100%. Rain can be heavy and last for several days, often accompanied by thunderstorms, but there are still many sunny days.
The highest recorded temperature is 35.6°C (96°F).
Tourism
Four Seasons Bora Bora
Four Seasons Bora Bora
Bora Bora’s economy relies almost entirely on tourism. Many resorts are built on the motu, small islands, surrounding the lagoon. The first resort, Hotel Bora Bora, opened in 1961. Nine years later, the island introduced the world’s first overwater bungalows, built on stilts above the lagoon. Today, overwater bungalows are a signature feature of most resorts, ranging from simple, budget-friendly stays to ultra-luxurious villas.
Most activities on Bora Bora are centered around the sea, but there are also attractions on land, like the World War II cannons. Air Tahiti operates five to ten flights a day between Tahiti and Bora Bora Airport on Motu Mute, with occasional flights to other islands. There’s no public transportation, so visitors usually get around by rental cars, bicycles, or small two-seater buggies available in Vaitape. Motorboats can also be rented to explore the lagoon.
Vaitape, the island’s main village on the west coast, is home to a large part of the population and is a popular tourist hub. Snorkeling and scuba diving in the lagoon are among the top activities. The waters are home to many species of sharks and rays, including manta rays. Several dive operators offer shark-feeding and manta-ray dives, and the sharks inside the lagoon are considered harmless to humans.
Place of interest
Bora Bora’s biggest attraction is its stunning lagoon, home to a rich and colorful underwater world. Visitors can explore it by glass-bottom boat, snorkeling, or diving to see vibrant coral reefs filled with thousands of tropical fish. In the deeper parts of the lagoon, barracudas and sharks can be spotted, and even fed during guided diving trips. A highlight for divers is Stingray Strait, where large groups of stingrays, including manta rays and leopard rays, gather.
The island’s interior offers adventure too. Jeep safaris take visitors off-road, but the best way to enjoy Bora Bora’s natural beauty is on foot. Hiking trails from Vaitape lead through orchards, forests, orchid fields, and fern-covered cliffs. The hike to Mount Pahia rewards climbers with incredible views, while Mount Otemanu offers a breathtaking panorama of the island. Near its summit is a large grotto where frigate birds nest.
Bora Bora also has historic sites, including the remains of more than 40 marae (ancient ceremonial platforms). The best-preserved are Marae Fare Opu in Faanui Bay and Marae Aehau-tai (also called Temaruteaoa) at the eastern end of Vairau Bay. Another major site is Marae Marotitini in the north, right on the beach. Its stone platform, originally 42 meters (138 ft) long, was restored in 1968 by Japanese archaeologist Yosihiko Sinoto. The area also holds two royal stone tombs.
Most of Bora Bora’s beaches and hotels are in the two large bays between Pointe Paopao and Pointe Matira in the southwest, as well as on the nearby motus. About five kilometers south of Vaitape is Bloody Mary’s, a famous bar and restaurant with its own yacht dock. At the entrance, two wooden boards display over 200 celebrity names, including Marlon Brando, Jane Fonda, and Diana Ross.
Flora and Fauna
In Bora Bora’s lowland areas, which are relatively densely populated and heavily used for a Polynesian atoll, very little of the original vegetation remains. However, the steep, high mountains, harder to reach, still have much of their natural flora intact.
Along the back beaches, you’ll find dense growths of Cordia subcordata and Hibiscus tiliaceus. A cultivated variety, Hibiscus tiliaceus var. sterilis, with a straight trunk and rounded crown, is often planted along roadsides.
Up to the base of the mountains, most land is cultivated with coconut palms, breadfruit trees, Tahitian chestnuts (Inocarpus), cassava (Manihot), tropical fruits, and orchids grown for decorating hotels. In abandoned areas, wild guava and the fern Dicranopteris linearis have taken over.
The mountain ridges and crevices still hold untouched patches of Bora Bora’s original vegetation. These include groves of metrosider trees, stands of Wikstroemia coriacea (a daphne family plant found only in Polynesia), and a few species of Glochidion. Shady, humid crevices are filled with lush ferns.
Historically, the virgin forests on the slopes of Mount Otemanu in Bora Bora supported a remarkably diverse range of snail and slug species (gastropods) compared to other islands. Several endemic and native species thrived until relatively recently. However, the introduction of invasive predators such as Lissachatina, Euglandina, and various flatworms led to the near-total collapse of these populations. By the late 1990s, the endemic partulid Partula lutea, the once-native Samoana attenuata (absent from later surveys), and Mautodontha boraborensis, critically endangered in 1996 and last seen in the 1880s, had likely disappeared. These species were primarily restricted to untouched forest habitats. Today, the only gastropods that remain relatively common are several subulinids, tornatellinids, and the helicinid Orobophana pacifica.
Bora Bora’s surrounding waters are home to numerous species of sharks and rays. Local dive operators offer excursions to observe marine life and witness shark feeding in their natural habitat.
Religion
Christianity has been the dominant religion in Bora Bora since the arrival of missionaries in the 19th century, replacing traditional Polynesian beliefs that Europeans considered idolatry. The village of Vaitape was founded by British missionary John Muggridge Orsmond (1788–1856) of the London Missionary Society. Arriving from Tahiti in 1824, Orsmond built the island’s first church, followed by a wharf, roads, houses, and a coral-rock missionary school. This early settlement, called “Beulah,” later grew into modern-day Vaitape.
With the establishment of the French protectorate, the Catholic Church strengthened its presence. Today, the Saint-Pierre-Célestin Church (Église de Saint-Pierre-Célestin) in Vaitape serves the Catholic community and falls under the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Papeete in Tahiti.
Pre-Christian Polynesian culture still leaves its mark on the island. Thirteen ceremonial platforms (marae) remain, down from more than forty, as well as numerous petroglyphs, many hidden in dense vegetation. The best-preserved site is Marae Fare Opu in Faanui Bay, located directly on the beach. Once a large rectangular space bordered by boulders and a raised stone platform, it is now partially bisected by a road. Limestone slabs over one meter high enclose the platform, two of which bear turtle carvings on their north-facing side.
sports
Sports in Bora Bora are a vibrant blend of tradition and modern influence. While basketball, volleyball, and football are popular among the island’s youth, the heart of Bora Bora’s sporting spirit lies in the ancient art of canoe racing. The island is one of four, alongside Huahine, Raiatea, and Tahaa, that host the prestigious Hawaiki Nui Va’a. This international Polynesian canoe race draws elite paddlers from across the Pacific. During the event, the lagoon becomes a dazzling stage of strength, endurance, and cultural pride.
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