I think it's safe to say that Bora Bora is on everyone's bucket list. Even if you aren't familiar with the actual island of Bora Bora, the allure of French Polynesia and a stay in the overwater bungalows is real. Bora Bora is a small South Pacific island northwest of Tahiti in French Polynesia. It is a dreamy little island surrounded by sand-fringed motus (islets) and a turquoise lagoon protected by a coral reef. The water is the perfect cyan blue, that dissolves into a deeper cerulean as you get closer the ocean depths. If you're looking for true relaxation on literally the most gorgeous spit of land on the planet, this is it.
Traveling from the US:
We had to fly Delta from ATL to LAX, and then Air Tahiti to Papeete, the capital of French Polynesia. From there, we took a charter plane to Bora Bora. Bora Bora’s airport is located on a motu — a reef island — so to get to the mainland, you’ll need to jump on Air Tahiti’s free catamaran. It takes you directly to the dock in Vaitape, which is the main town on the island. Or, your hotel will send a boat to pick you up and bring you directly to your hotel's dock. Depending on where you are staying, Vaitape could be a 30 minute boat ride away. The hotels are not set up along a strip or next to one another. Once you are at a property, you cannot leave, except by boat. And if you choose to do so, it costs extra. All in all, from Atlanta to the door of our overwater bungalow, it took about 24 hours. Keep that in mind when you're planning how long your stay will be. We booked this entire trip through Costco Travel. Ask me about Costco, that’s a whole separate love story.
What to do:
Given the fact that you are on a tiny island, there really isn’t a whole lot to do but relax. People sunbathe, float by in kayaks, sip from coconuts, and dine on fresh raw ahi, roasted whole piglets, fresh fruits and veggies. We did take a boat out to a gorgeous reef one day to snorkel amongst the sea life and underwater foliage (see the video below for clips from the excursion). We also swam with black tipped sharks and giant stingrays. It was an amazing experience. So there are a number of water actives that you can partake in, but you will need to charter a boat and guides, which is available via your hotel concierge.
Bora Bora, French Polynesia