Bora Bora

Tuesday, November 07, 2023
Bora-Bora, Leeward Islands, French Polynesia
Bora Bora is a popular and stunning destination known for its natural beauty and luxury. A volcanic island in the South Pacific Ocean forming part of French Polynesia. It is situated approximately 230 kilometres northwest of Papeete, the capital of Tahiti. It is relatively small in size and is one of the most well known islands in the region, with a population of 10,600, renown  for its stunning lagoon, barrier reef, and picturesque landscapes. The island is often described as one of the most beautiful in the world. It's known for its overwater bungalows, pristine beaches, and clear waters and temperate climate. French and Tahitian are the official languages, but French is more commonly spoken. The seas were moderate arriving into Bora Bora with the swell was larger than recent days.  The wind was approximately 50 km per hour. The weather was sunny which was nice because we only had the one day here and we would have been really disappointed if it was raining. We decided to do a local lagoon snorkelling tour, which was run by a local family. The mother and daughter made the lunch and the sons drove the boat. It was a small power boat with a canopy and there we only 3 other couples onboard staying at different accommodation. As we speed around in the boat picking up the other guests we were able to see some overwater bungalows (some with pools and some without). One couple mentioned they like to stay in a few different places when they come here to get some variety. This place is so picturesque and sometimes the photos just don’t do it justice. The resorts are very upmarket and the majority of the local people appear to live very simply. The township of Bora Bora was compact, with some very expensive black pearl shops and local shops and markets. It reminded us a little bit of Thailand. 
Our first stop was swimming/snorkelling with the stingrays and black tip sharks. I was a bit nervous (petrified might be a better word - ML) but Mark loved it. They were everywhere and they appeared to be very familiar with our guide. The next stop was a snorkel/swim in the beautiful coral gardens, in pristine turquoise water. The water was about 27 degrees and clarity was good. The third stop was much deeper and we swam with huge manta rays.  Last stop was a visit to Motu Tapu island for a traditional Tahitian wood fire Barbeque lunch of chicken, fish, salad and coconut rice and fresh fruit. This was a great place for some beautiful photos and we even participated (Mark not so good haha) in some Tahitian dancing.  Back to shore we caught a taxi to the famous Bloody Mary Bar. We met up with some friends from the ship there and sampled some local cocktails and reminisced about our amazing day. We felt like we maximised our time here as our boat tour guided us around the whole island. You can see why they call this a tourist mecca. We would love to come back one day.
We will add the underwater photos  when we get home.
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Comments

Panther and Vicki
2023-11-11

All your expectations must have been exceeded! No worries swimming at Town Beach now We are loving all your photos

Jan
2023-11-12

The water just looks amazing, love the pictures.

Gaye
2023-11-14

Beautiful photos Kylie and Mark! Your trip looks amazing. ❤️

2025-02-17

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