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If you're dreaming of the ultimate island holiday, chances are a Bora Bora trip has crossed your mind. It is known by many as the definitive island vacation destination.
You can do as much or as little as you want on a Bora Bora break.
Snorkelling, canoeing, scuba diving, boat trips around the island, jet skiing, 4x4 trips, hiking ... there are truly many activities to keep you busy and give you different points of view of this idyllic island.
Or simply enjoy the picture perfect scenery that a Bora Bora trip offers: relax on the beach or at your over-water bungalow. Later on watch the sun set over the turquoise water.
Then a water taxi might pick you up and take you to one of the great restaurants where you can enjoy fresh seafood or something else from the international menus.
You can book your Bora Bora trip all year round as the temperatures never really drop much. However you may want to consider the rains as some previous travellers to Bora Bora have had a bit more than they were hoping for. The wet season is November to April while the dry and more popular season is May to October.
Although a Bora Bora trip can turn out to be one of the most expensive you have planned, those in the know say it's worth every cent. Most of those past travellers are already dreaming about going back to visit this tranquil paradise and to swim again with rays, sharks and colourful fish.
To get a better idea of what it's actually like in paradise, read the summarised trip reports below.
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| Hotel stay |
 = Trip Summary  = Full trip report  = Video clip |
Accommodation:
Radisson Plaza Resort (Tahiti)
Sofitel Marara Coralia Hotel
Activities:
Diving with Top Dive
June 2007
Sue and Eddie ClampSource: BSAC Travel Club
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Recently Added Review!!
It was in 1999 that Sue and Eddie first visited Bora Bora on a cruise of the Polynesian islands, but back then diving was the last thing they wanted to do. Nine years later they return having promised themselves they one day would, and this time Eddie took to the water.
While Eddie enjoyed his dive outings Sue took in the beauty and peaceful atmosphere of the island while learning the art of pareo decoration (dyed tapa cloth wrapped around the body as comfortable casual wear).
Three dives in total had Eddie sighting manta rays, barracudas, morays, black tip and grey reef sharks. It was during their second (and Eddie's favourite) dive that two lemon sharks veered towards the group of divers followed shortly by their guide's signal to step back onto the safety of the boat…
 
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Trip Operator:
Booked trip with Pleasant Holidays/AAA travel agent
Local operator: Marama Tours
Tupuna Mountain Safari (4x4 trip)
Accommodation:
Radisson Plaza Resort (Tahiti)
Intercontinental Thalasso Resort and Spa (Bora Bora)
Activities:
Lagoonarium tour, Keishi tour incl. snorkelling, Miki Miki jet ski and Motu tour, kayaking, 4x4 expedition and pearl shopping
8 days, July 2006
Shaun and Jenny (San Francisco, USA)Source: TravelBlog
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Shaun and Jenny had the best holiday of their life, even if it was the most expensive. They vow to return one day.
Shaun's Intercontinental Ambassador card landed them a nice room upgrade and other benefits. Staying in an absolutely magnificent and very luxurious over-water bungalow with glass coffee table (to see the fish underneath), helped make it the perfect honeymoon.
In Bora Bora, everything is overpriced. They suggest you bring things like suntan lotion from home. US$ and credit card was sufficient everywhere.
They used their new Canon Powershot Digital Elph SD550 camera with Canon waterproof case on the trip and took some truly awesome pictures.
During their Bora Bora trip, Shaun and Jenny saw crabs, sting rays, turtles, sharks, an eel and masses of bright tropical fish.
The Keishi tour was their favourite excursion. They snorkelled and enjoyed a very romantic picnic lunch which really should not be called a picnic as they were sat at a pretty table in the shallow water and served lobster, steak and champagne.
They spoilt themselves with dinner at La Villa Mahana one night, which turned out to be the best meal of the trip...
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Trip Operator:
Booked trip through Amy of Tahiti Explorer
Local operator: Marama tours
Tupuna Safari and Mountain Tours (4x4 tour)
Moana Adventure Tours (boat trip)
Accommodation:
Sheraton (Tahiti)
Pearl Beach (Bora Bora)
Activities:
4x4 tour, boat trip incl. snorkelling, relaxing, getting a tattoo
7 days, June 2006
J Roche and his wife (NC, USA)Source: TravelBlog
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The organisation of their tour ran smoothly and this couple had the time of their lives. They plan to go on another Bora Bora trip soon.
Some tips and advice:
- sit on the left side of the plane from Tahiti (great views)
- take along a collapsible cooler and bug spray
- don't bother bringing your own liquor... they ended up buying Tahiti Drink and Hinano (beer) locally
- stop by at Ben's for a drink and a chat
- dinner at Bloody Mary’s was nice but nothing impressive
The 4x4 tour was good fun and he recommends it. It also included a visit to a Pearl Farm.
Snorkelling among sting rays, sharks and loads of colourful fish was the highlight of their trip. They were a group of only 4 on the boat, which added to the enjoyment.
The room at Pearl Beach was amazing and private, with a view of the mountain and a ladder from their deck into the lagoon. They had most of their meals at the hotel and found the food to be very good to excellent...
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Trip Operator:
Travel agent (no name given)
Tahiti Tours
Tapuna Tours (4x4 trip Bora Bora)
Accommodation:
Radisson Plaza Resort (Tahiti)
Le Meridien (Bora Bora)
Activities:
Snorkelling, 4x4 trip, visit to the pearl farm, turtle information session, Keishi tour
1 week, May 2006
Tirsabel (LA, USA)Source: Tahiti Explorer
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The honeymoon started off well with a room upgrade at the Radisson to include a jacuzzi, huge shower and huge balcony with a great view.
The two took the ferry to Moorea where they spent 4 days (4x4 trip, snorkelling, wonderful canoe breakfast trip, massage and unfortunately, some rain). Next was their Bora Bora trip (they sat on the left side of the plane for good views) of one week.
Due to renovations at Le Meridien, there was a big mix up with their hotel booking. However, the staff redeemed the situation by apologising profusely, compensating with a free lunch and some champagne. They even got a replacement booking at Villa Mahana restaurant, where Tirsabel and her new husband had the best meal of their entire trip.
There's not a lot to do on a paradise island if it rains. Some days the indoor activities like table tennis would all be occupied and the nice DVDs taken.
Luckily the rain subsided on their last day and they got to go on a Keishi tour. It was definitely one of the highlights of their Bora Bora trip: they had great picnic food, beautiful views and close encounters with sharks and manta rays...
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Trip Operator:
Travelled independently
Accommodation:
Over-water bungalow
Activities:
Snorkelling, swimming, sunbathing, canoe trip, spa treatment
May 2006
Ava and John (UK)Source: TravelPod
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Ava and John spent a few days in Bora Bora as part of their round-the-world trip, after New Zealand and before Los Angeles.
They found it an absolute treat to relax in such unbelievably beautiful surroundings.
The turquoise water amazed them and made the place all the more perfect.
They mainly relaxed and snorkelled, but also paddled via canoe to some of the smaller nearby islands.
Like everyone on a Bora Bora trip, they saw fish of all colours and sizes around their over-water bungalow, as well as mantra rays...
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Trip Operator:
Travelled independently
Activities:
Boat trip, swimming with sharks
February 2006
Tom Shill and Suse (London, UK)Source: TravelBlog
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Tom and Suse visited Tahiti, Mo'orea, Huahine, Ra'iatea, Bora Bora and Maupiti. The first thing they noticed was that there were flowers everywhere, especially behind people's ears.
The weather wasn't all that great and they experienced a few heavy showers.
Before booking their Bora Bora trip they thought the place was probably overhyped. But once there they could see why people make such a big fuss: the beauty of the place defies description.
Apart from the many massive rays around the island, they also swam with sharks. The adrenalin pumped while they experienced this underwater predator up close and personal, a highlight of their trip...
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Trip Operator:
Travelled independently
Accommodation:
Bora Bora Nui Resort & Spa
Activities:
Boat trip with shark feeding, rented a car to drive around the island, floating in the water around their bungalow
December 2004
Jen and Frank (USA)Source: Rough Guide
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Jen and Frank can not recommend the Nui Resort highly enough. They had a phenomenal stay and the staff offered excellent service with much attention to detail.
An octopus visited the crystal clear waters below their bungalow. In fact there were several glass "doors" to the water below which allowed them to feed and thus attract fish.
They enjoyed free eats and bottled water around the pool area, as well as free use of the canoes and free transfer services to the main part of the island.
One day they rented a little car to explore the "superexotic" island. It took only 1 hour to drive around the island and in hindsight they feel a car is unnecessary.
Some tips are to pack blow-up li-los (floats) to laze around the water on and also to use the supermarket at the docks in Vaitape to save a bit of money on food.
Jen and Frank recommend a Bora Bora trip to anyone who loves fresh seafood (they can recommend the Nui resort's restaurant, Bloody Mary's and Top Dive), water activities and peace and quiet in the most beautiful surroundings you can imagine!...
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| Budget stay |
= Trip Summary = Full trip report = Video clip |
Trip Operator:
Travelled independently
Accommodation:
Chez Rosine Masson
Activities:
Cycling, lagoon cruise
1 week, September 2007
Kyle and DanSource: RealTravel
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Recently Added Review!!
Kyle and Dan had quite a tight budget for their Bora Bora trip, so their choice of accommodation was a guesthouse (or a pension, as the French refer to it). They recommend Chez Rosine Masson as being one of the best pensions on the island, the fact that it is the cheapest being a bonus.
They were both a little disgruntled at the cost of renting a bicycle to ride around the island with, but decided to close their eyes and go for it anyway, since it was still the least expensive mode of exploring Bora Bora. Kyle's bicycle chain snapped while they were going up a hill, but they were not given any discount this fault.
Their speedboat cruise out to Motu made for an exciting stop along the way, at a shallow end of the lagoon where they got to swim with sharks and stingrays.
In general they found the trip to be well worth it, and cut costs by cooking in the guesthouse kitchen instead of eating out and keeping the organised activities to a minimum, rather relaxing and walking on the beautiful beaches or swimming in the clear blue waters of the lagoon…
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Trip Operator:
Travelled independently
Accommodation:
A hostel near the Intercontinental
Activities:
Cycling
3 days, February 2007
DerekSource: Derek's blog
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Recently Added Review!!
From Moorea, it only takes a 45 minute flight to Bora Bora, pronounced bo-ha, bo-ha by the French. Derek says that his first sight from the air already took his breath away sporting lush greenery, beautiful beaches and the crisp, light blue lagoon.
The economy in Bora Bora is run focussing strictly on tourism, and most accommodation here can be quite expensive, but Derek found a spot in a hostel, or rather, a room in a small house next to the Intercontinental at which he was kindly allowed to have a look around, providing him with a few hours of truly stylistic, spectacular views.
Only stretching out for about 32km, Derek decided to explore the island on a bicycle, starting out in the morning and ending it off later the afternoon with a swim in the crystal clear waters of one of the bays on the island…
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Accommodation:
Club Med Bora Bora
Activities:
Kayaking, snorkelling, sailing
July 2006
Ian and WendySource: Ian & Wendy's website
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Recently Added Review!!
Ian and Wendy's Bora Bora trip was part of a 3-week holiday of the South Pacific. They opted for the Club Med as the most cost effective accommodation on the island with meals, drinks and a good variety of activities included in the package.
Apart from having trouble withdrawing cash and missing their luggage for a few moments upon checkout, their Bora Bora trip ran quite smoothly. They warn to come prepared with extra cash and credit cards since some cards are not accepted at the local ATMs.
They were not too impressed that the two a day snorkelling trips were to the same spot every time, and that this was also the spot frequented by other surrounding hotels. This does at least mean that only that bit of the island's coral gets trodden by those visitors who tend to not mind their step.
Having read some not so good reviews of the Club Med beach they were pleasantly surprised to find a good stretch of luscious, clean white sand surrounding the pier, with coral sand elsewhere on the beach and a clear blue ocean complete with a Tiki statue under the water…
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Trip Operator:
Travelled independently
Accommodation:
Pension Maeva - Chez Rosine Masson
Activities:
Relaxing on the beach, snorkelling
2 days, January 2006
Tom and LizSource: TravelBlog
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Liz and Tom's Bora Bora trip was part of their island hopping adventure in French Polynesia. Where they did take flights in between the islands, it was barely 10 minutes long.
Their affordable pension room was in Rosine's house. She was a wonderful hostess and the place was decorated with a strong local flavour, including paintings by her famous painter son. The house overlooks the beautiful lagoon.
A lot of the beaches are private, and some of the public ones not that clean. Liz's tip is to find a hotel beach, like they did. There you can enjoy the tranquil surroundings with a Hinano (local beer) or pineapple juice in hand...
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Trip Operator:
Travelled independently
Accommodation:
A tiny bungalow with a fridge, communal shower facilities and communal kitchen with a dining room
Activities:
Rented a boat, swimming with sharks, relaxation at the pool
1 week, New Year's 2005/06
Petr Neveceral (The Czech Republic) to join his friend Martin and familySource: TravelBox
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Being a spur of the moment decision, Petr took little luggage on his Bora Bora trip but did not forget the most important items: a bathing suit, his digital camera and a cover for underwater pictures. His credit card had to take care of the rest...
He realised the rumours about how expensive everything was, were true. He was unable to afford a hotel room with its own splash pool like his friend Martin. Luckily he could join Martin in using the free internet at the hotel reception.
They booked a 4-hour boat trip and swam among colourful fish and even a few sharks. The trip ended up lasting only 3 hours. Petr was refunded a quarter of his money - but only upon request (it pays to ask!).
The next day the two visited the famous Bloody Mary's restaurant, which Petr describes as nothing exceptional. They saw the pictures of all the famous previous patrons and were served shark meat.
Despite getting a bad sunburn during his holiday, Petr thought Bora Bora was incredibly beautiful, with the finest white sand he has ever seen...
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Trip Operator:
Travelled independently
Accommodation:
Village Pauline
Activities:
Hiking, enjoying the beach, drawing and taking photographs
4 days, October 2005
Charles Sharp (USA)Source: TravelPod
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During an extended stay at the islands of French Polynesia, Charles decided to take the 2-hour ferry from Tahiti for a Bora Bora trip of 4 or 5 days.
He usually spent sunset at Hotel Bora Bora's bar on Matira Beach, enjoying ice cold Hinano beer while taking in the white-beach-with-palm-trees view and chatting to the locals or his new Dutch friend.
One day, he hiked over 30km around the island. He enjoyed the hike but wouldn't recommend this unless you're really into slow exploration.
Overall Charles found the culture less vibrant than on some of the other islands. However, during the Hawaiki Nui Canoe Race Bora Bora came to life, giving the artist in him plenty of opportunity to capture images on paper and with his camera...
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Trip Operator:
Travelled independently
Accommodation:
Bora Bora Beach Lodge
Activities:
Cycling, snorkelling
1 week, April 2005
Julie AndreenSource: Travel Library
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Recently Added Review!!
Julie warns that if buzzing night life is what you desire while on vacation, then this serene island is not ideal for you. On the other hand, if venturing into the rarer, better hidden glorious gems of nature is what tickles your fancy, then a Bora Bora trip is what you should set your sights on.
She stayed in a bungalow at the Bora Bora Beach Lodge, kitted out with everything from a stove to a queen size bed and a patio overlooking some of the sea. It was also situated across the road from a small grocery store, making it all the more convenient. She reports that it was cheap and easy, definitely a worthy choice of accommodation.
Julie spent one entire day just riding around the island on a bicycle, taking in all the beauty and relaxing at little restaurants along the way. She also went snorkelling during which she saw reef sharks and manta rays…
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Trip Operator:
Crystal Cruise Line
Accommodation:
Bora Bora Nui Resort
Activities:
Relaxing around their bungalow, swimming
27-28 January 2005
Dick Newton and Mary (Greenville USA)Source: TravelBlog
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Dick and Mary's Bora Bora trip was short (1 night only), as it formed part of their 100-day world cruise. It was enough time for the newly wed couple to rate it as the most beautiful place on earth: tropical paradise bordered by turquoise and deep blue waters.
They were welcomed to the island by two seranading locals at the pretty dock.
Their room, a thatched over-water bungalow, looked pretty basic from outside but was extremely luxurious inside. It was beautifully decorated with quality furniture (including a glass coffee table with the fish swimming below), private deck with lounge chairs and a ladder into the water.
Room service breakfast was brought by canoe ... where else in the world but on a Bora Bora trip...?
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Related Content: (opens in a new window) - Where is Bora Bora located? Find out, along with other practical information to arrange your Bora Bora trip, at Tahiti Explorer.
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