Imagine sipping an ice-cold Pina Colada on white sandy beaches caressed by the crystal clear blue waters of a lagoon. The horizon in front of you is dominated by an ancient volcano sprouting directly out of the lagoon. Welcome to heaven on earth, commonly called Bora Bora in French Polynesia.

A short 1-hour flight from Tahiti, Bora Bora is one of the most unique tropical locations in the world. Bora Bora was created million years ago by the volcano that is now Mount Otemanu. Like most of the islands of French Polynesia, Bora Bora is surrounded by a ring of coral reefs, also known as an atoll. Known best for exotic resorts, with thousands of such secluded beaches, nature lovers will find themselves in heaven on earth – since this French Polynesia island is the one and only place to behold where the striking grandeur of tectonic activity meets a never-ceasing blooming life.

No matter who you are or what your reason is for visiting Bora Bora, a Bora Bora vacation has something for everyone.

So, what are the best things to do in Bora Bora? Here are the top seven activities!

1. Explore the beautiful lagoon by paddleboard or kayak

Most resorts will provide you with complimentary non-motorized watersports. Take full advantage of this benefit by grabbing the paddleboard or kayak and paddling out to the lagoon. During our stay, we frequently saw trumpetfish, various types of rays, small reef sharks, and tons of colorful reef fish.

The biggest benefit of paddleboarding and kayaking is that nearly anyone can do it, from young honeymooners to recently retired love birds, enjoy the easy waters and exciting adventure.

 

Things to do in Bora Bora

2. Move a bit faster on water and rent a jet ski

While jet skis aren’t typically complimentary, certain resorts do have access to them during your stay. Even if your resort doesn’t have their own jet ski, you can always book a quick jet ski tour with a local guide who will bring them directly to you! Jet skis are one of the fastest ways to explore the lagoon, but don’t be afraid, you can get the gist of controlling them in a very short amount of time. 

3. Go beneath the waves with a snorkel or scuba excursion

One of our favorite days in Bora Bora was spent on the full-day snorkeling excursion with Lagoon Services. We swam with sharks, pet stingrays, saw dolphins, and dove some of the most beautiful reefs in the world. We also had a few great conversations at the resort with some avid scuba divers who told us all about their dive with manta rays. 

We have snorkeled tons of reefs all around the world, from the Red Sea to the Caribbean and the Bora Bora excursion was one of our most memorable diving experiences we have ever had.

Things to do in Bora Bora

4. Swim with whales

⁠If you want a truly unique and unforgettable experience, you have to go on a humpback whale excursion. Humpback whale watching is a seasonal experience, running from July to November when they come to give birth and reproduce in the warm waters of French Polynesia. While the excursions don’t promise anything, a lot of guests get the opportunity to actually swim with these huge beautiful animals. 

5. Explore the island of Bora Bora with a rigorous hike

Maybe you like looking at the water and are not as big of a fan of getting into the water. That’s ok! Bora Bora offers several amazing hikes. One of the most popular hikes is The Valley of the King’s trail, which takes you through the ancient paths of Polynesian kings. During your trek, you will even visit remnants from old Polynesian villages. If you are looking for something a bit more adventurous, you can climb Mt Pahia or Mt Otemanu (and visit its ancient cave) with the help of a guide⁠.

6. Bike the main island of Bora Bora

You can rent either pedal bikes or a motorized moped at several locations on the main island of Bora Bora. Bora Bora’s 32 kilometers of coastal road is relatively flat and offers stunning views of the island. We rented a pair of bikes with Avis for about 1,500 F (~$13) for the day. If biking is not your thing, you can always rent a scooter or car for the day. If you do rent a car, go small, the roads are not very large on the island.

Overall, the island is small, so you only need one day to explore. Be sure to stop by the town of Vaitape for some local crafts, arts, and local delicacies. Also, don’t forget Bloody Marys for drinks and seafood. ⁠

Things to do in Bora Bora

7. Booze it up and enjoy the views

Whether you are staying at a luxury resort or a smaller AirBnB, you will eventually have some time to burn and why not burn it with a cold drink in your hand. Warning, if you stay at one of the luxury resorts, you’ll find that alcohol is insanely expensive! For example, one small drink is around $24⁠ USD. However, the good news is you’re allowed to bring 2 liters of alcohol (such as a wine bottle or bottle of liquor) per person to French Polynesia. We filled a carry-on with both our booze and some snacks, which worked perfectly. If you want soda for mixed drinks, you can grab some at a local grocery store on the main island, OR you can just get soda in a can at the resort. ⁠

Getting around Bora Bora:

There are actually quite a few options: boat, car, scooter, or bikes. ⁠

Because our hotel (the InterContinental Thalasso) was on a motu or small islet, we took our hotel’s water taxi to the main island and then rented bikes for the day. 

⁠However, we found a secret. To just ride the InterContinental Bora Bora water taxi, you have to pay a relatively high fee. However, if you are doing an “excursion” on the island that you booked through the resort, you can ride the water taxi for free. The cheapest excursion is just renting a bike for about $20 a day, which is cheaper than the roundtrip water taxi! Long story short, if you are staying at the InterContinental Bora Bora Resort & Thalasso Spa and want to go to the big island of Bora Bora: rent a bike for a day.

Once you are on the main island, you can bike, scoot, or drive just about any of the main roads without any difficulty at all. There are several places to pull over and snap some beautiful photos, so make sure you don’t have a super tight schedule while exploring the island.

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Where to stay:

If you’re looking to stay at a resort with overwater bungalows and incredible views of Mount Otemanu, these are the best hotels:⁠

  1. Four Seasons⁠
  2. InterContinental Thalasso⁠
  3. St. Regis⁠
  4. Le Meridian 
  5. For something more budget-friendly, check out Airbnb!
Things to do in Bora Bora

A resort island usually only witnessed by those who can afford to make the trek, Bora Bora is a destination coveted by travelers of all sorts. From my point of view, it is worthy of the praise. It is a cliche, I understand. But Bora Bora is, quite legitimately, the most romantic place on the planet. The island has a beauty unmatched by other tropical islands. It also hosts some of the best water-based activities and excursions we have ever experienced.

The only downfall is the price of the drinks, but I guess if everything were perfect, no one would leave!

Be sure to check out more destinations on the blog here!