How to Plan a Trip to Bora Bora: A Detailed Guide
Have you ever seen a computer screensaver of little beach bungalows over turquoise blue water? May I introduce you to… Bora Bora?! Bora Bora is definitely one of the most beautiful and extraordinary places I’ve ever had the pleasure of visiting. Made famous by those overwater bungalows, Bora Bora is a small island in the South Pacific Ocean. It’s part of France’s overseas collectivity of French Polynesia, along with other islands like Moorea and Tahiti. If you’re planning a trip to Bora Bora, you’ve come to the right place.
Planning a trip to Bora Bora may seem overwhelming at first, but it doesn’t have to be! In this guide, I break down everything you need to know about planning a trip to Bora Bora, including how to get there, where to stay, things to do, and more! I’ve also included a list of frequently asked questions for Bora Bora to cover all the bases! So keep reading if Bora Bora is on your bucket list and you hope to make your dreams a reality!
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Everything You Need to Know About Planning a Trip to Bora Bora
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to visit Bora Bora?
Like any vacation, it totally depends on your travel style, preferences, etc. However, it’s important to know when planning a trip to Bora Bora that it is expensive, probably one of the most expensive destinations in the world. ON AVERAGE, I would expect to spend around $10K for two people for a week in Bora Bora. This assumes you are not travel hacking and paying for everything out right!
Is Bora Bora good for couples?
Bora Bora is probably the most popular for couples! It is very common for people to go to Bora Bora on their honeymoon.
When is the best time to visit Bora Bora?
Dry season in Bora Bora is May – October, and rainy season is November – April. However, you can expect warm temperatures and blue skies pretty much year round. We visited in March, and it was perfect!
Do I need a passport or visa to visit Bora Bora?
If you are traveling from the USA, you will need a passport to enter French Polynesia, with at least one blank page, and valid for 6 months. You can stay for up to 90 days without a visa.
What is the currency in Bora Bora?
The currency used in Bora Bora is the French Pacific franc (XPF/CFP). $1USD is equal to approximately 110XPF. However, we used credit cards for most of the trip and did not need much cash!
What are some cheaper Bora Bora alternatives?
If planning a trip Bora Bora seems too expensive, there are lots of alternatives! Islands like Moorea and Rangiroa are also part of French Polynesia but are typically cheaper than Bora Bora. There are also gorgeous places all around the world that are similar to Bora Bora. Places in Asia, like Thailand, will be much more affordable. There are also plenty of resorts in the Caribbean (Jamaica, Belize, and St. Lucia come to mind) that have overwater bungalows!
What voltage and currency is used in Bora Bora?
Most places in Bora Bora use the same types of plugs as France (C and E). Travelers from America will likely need an adapter, but check with your hotel first! Some do have A/B available as well. Be careful with certain appliances and the voltage differences.
Do I need to rent a car in Bora Bora?
You definitely do not need a car in Bora Bora! Rental cars are available, but unnecessary! The entire island is only 18 miles around, so biking is the best and cheapest way to get around! Taxis are also available, or the very unreliable public transportation on the island, called “Le Truck”. Most resorts that are not located on the mainland have boat shuttles, or you can call a water taxi.
How to Get to Bora Bora
Flying to Tahiti
Let’s start off with one of the most important questions: where the heck is Bora Bora and how do you get there?! Before we can talk about getting to the island of Bora Bora, we have to talk about getting to Papeete, the capital of French Polynesia, located on the island of Tahiti.
If you’re traveling from the USA, your best bet is to book a flight from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) or San Francisco International Airport (SFO). Both of these airports have direct flights to the capital city of Papeete (PPT).
To get anywhere in French Polynesia, you have to fly into PPT and then travel to the smaller islands from there. Below is a map showing where Tahiti is in relation to Hawaii, Australia, and Mexico!! Spoiler alert: it’s wayyyy out there!
There are a few different airline choices to get to the capital of Papeete, including, Air Tahiti Nui, Delta/Air France, and United. We chose to fly Delta/Air France out of LAX since we had Delta miles to spend, and I just prefer them as a carrier overall!
The flight from California is about 8 hours, and most leave overnight so you can (hopefully) get some sleep on the flight over! Once you arrive in Papeete, you’ll need to continue on to your final destination, which in this case is BORA BORA.
If you’re looking for tips on how to minimize the costs of your trip to French Polynesia, including how to save money on flights, check out my blog post: Bora Bora on a Budget!
Flying to Bora Bora
Unfortunately, you won’t be able to do much travel hacking to get a cheap flight to Bora Bora. Only ONE airline flies from Papeete to Bora Bora (BOB), and that is Air Tahiti. It definitely depends on the time of year and day of the week, but don’t expect to get these flights from less than $200 RT. We visited in March 2020 and the flights were ~$350 per person… for a 45-minute flight! Yikes.
It doesn’t really make sense to do anything else but fly to Bora Bora, as it’s a pretty far boat ride. So just know you are going to have to shell out some dollars for this flight, but rest assured it’s probably one of the most gorgeous flights you’re ever going to take!
Arriving in Bora Bora
Welcome to Bora Bora! The Bora Bora airport is definitely one of the smallest, but most gorgeous airports I’ve ever been to! There’s no AC, and it’s located on its own motu (the French Polynesia word for island)!
Fun fact: The Bora Bora airport was opened during World War II and did not open commercially until 1958!
Getting to Your Hotel
When figuring out how to get to your hotel after arriving at the Bora Bora airport, please know that you do not HAVE to take the boat your hotel offers. If you’re looking for the most convenient option, the boat shuttle directly from the airport to the hotel takes the cake. But most of the luxury hotels charge for this boat ride, and it is NOT cheap.
On our honeymoon, the Conrad Bora Bora wanted $150 per person for this shuttle. To get around this, you can take the FREE airport boat that goes from the airport to the main town of Vaitape. T
his is a great option because it allows you to hit the grocery store before heading to your hotel to stock up on snacks, wine, and liquor. After arriving in Vaitape, most hotels will pick you up from somewhere on the mainland for much cheaper.
Where to Stay in Bora Bora
This is probably the hardest decision you will have to make when planning a trip to Bora Bora! Rest assured, all of the resorts in Bora Bora are incredible, so it’s hard to go wrong! If you have status at any major hotel chains, I recommend seeing if they have a resort in Bora Bora! Below is a list of the major hotel chains and their Bora Bora hotels:
- Hilton (Conrad Bora Bora Nui)
- Marriot Bonvoy (St. Regis Resort Bora Bora & Le Meridien (being rebranded to the Westin))
- IHG (InterContinental Bora Bora Thalasso and InterContinental Bora Bora Le Moana)
If you don’t care about choosing a resort that’s part of a chain, these hotels are also top-rated in Bora Bora:
No matter which you choose, if you’re planning a trip to Bora Bora, it’s important to know it’s not going to be a budget vacation! Everything on the island, especially the hotels, are very pricey. If you’re looking to stay in an overwater bungalow, you can expect to pay between $1000 – $3000 per night, depending on what amenities and how nice of a room you are looking for!
Room Options
Even though it’s the most popular option, you certainly don’t need to stay in an overwater bungalow for your trip to Bora Bora. Most hotels have standard garden or ocean views, similar to “normal” hotels! And most hotels also have something in between the two, like suites on the beach with their own pools, but not technically “overwater”. Honestly, no matter what you book, your stay will be gorgeous and INCREDIBLE.
Personally, I wish we had splurged and gotten the overwater bungalow with the pool. Of course the ocean is right at your doorstep, so you don’t need a pool for swimming. However, it was very hot, and we could only stand laying on our patio for so long. We spent a lot of time at the hotel pool because it was so gorgeous and had a swim-up bar. This kinda made me feel guilty about not spending more time at our room! So if we could do it again, I would definitely spring for the overwater bungalow with a pool.
Things to Do in Bora Bora
If you don’t like the ocean, don’t bother planning a trip to Bora Bora!!!! Most of the things to do on the island are centered around the water, so it’s kind of a necessity to enjoy the ocean. Here’s a list of all the incredible activities Bora Bora has to offer.
Scuba Diving
My husband and I specifically got certified for our trip to Bora Bora. We knew we couldn’t go to Bora Bora and NOT scuba dive, and I recommend you don’t either. To this day, it remains one of my favorite places to dive (Hawaii was a close second!).
There are tons of different dive sites around Bora Bora, ranging from beginner to advanced dives. We booked a morning dive tour through Eleuthera Bora Diving Center and visited two dive sits: Anau (a Manta Ray dive!) and Tapu (a Shark dive!) If you can, I highly recommend both of these dives! I’ve never seen so many different types of sharks on one dive, but it wasn’t scary at all! In fact, I have a new found love for sharks after this trip.
Snorkeling
If you’re not scuba certified, you will still enjoy your time in Bora Bora and can see a lot of similar areas snorkeling! We booked a combination jet ski and snorkel trip, and it was epic! We visited a gorgeous snorkel spot with beautiful tropical fish and coral heads. On our second stop, we visited a shallow sandy area where there were tons of stingray and reef sharks.. Yes, we DID get in the water with them, and I won’t lie and say it wasn’t a little freaky!
Jetskiing
Jet Skiing is another incredible activity to do in Bora Bora. I’ve been jet skiing a lot, but Bora Bora was definitely my favorite place to jet ski. You get to circle around the entire island, which means epic views of the volcano and all the incredible resorts. I will never forget all of the different shades of blue we saw while jet skiing… too many to count!
Private Island
One of the excursions our hotel offered was a day at their private island. We had an incredible lunch in the water, plus unlimited drinks. It was seriously one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever visited and definitely worth the high price tag!
Spa Day
Even if you’re not on your honeymoon, visiting a spa in Bora Bora is definitely a good idea! I recommend doing it on your first or second day, as it’s the perfect lazy day activity. Most, if not all, of the resorts will have their own spas. The one at the Conrad was tucked up at the top of the resort and had the most incredible views of the property!
ATV Tour
One thing we did not do on our trip that I wish we had was an ATV tour on the mainland. GetYourGuide has a tour that includes learning about the history of the Island, plus a pareo skirt demonstration. It sounds epic!
Kayaking/Paddleboarding
This is an easy one to make a free activity, as most of the hotels will offer kayaks or paddleboards free of charge! We had a great time kayaking around our resort and under all the bungalows. The water was crystal clear where we didn’t even need to snorkel, we could just look over the edge of the kayak!
Hang at your hotel
You paid a lot of money.. might as well enjoy the free amenities at your hotel! We spent a lot of time hanging at the Conrad’s incredible infinity pool and at our overwater bungalow.
Where to Eat on Bora Bora
Unfortunately, I don’t have a ton of advice on where to eat in Bora Bora, as we stayed at our hotel for most meals! However, we did visit Bloody Mary’s as part of our snorkel and jet skiing tour, and it was definitely worth a visit! With a sandy floor and dollar signs on the wall, it felt like an iconic spot that everyone visiting Bora Bora has to check out. After doing some research, here are some other restaurants on the mainland that look worth checking out:
- Restaurant Les Délices De Bora-bora
- Saint James Bora Bora
- Bora Bora Yacht Club
- Bora Bora Beach Club and Restaurant
- Bloody Mary’s
A Note on Food: I mention this in my guide to Bora Bora on a Budget, but if you’re looking for places to cut cost, I highly recommend picking a hotel that includes free breakfast. Or if you have loyalty with a certain hotel chain, sometimes breakfast is included in your rate. Then you can eat (free) large breakfasts and then eat smaller meals for lunch so you don’t spend an arm and leg on food every day.
Final Thoughts
That wraps up my Ultimate Guide to Planning a Trip to Bora Bora! Take my word for it when I say that Bora Bora truly is one of the most beautiful places in the world. Although it is pricey, Bora Bora is still worth a spot on your bucket list. I hope you feel more prepared for your trip to Bora Bora and have all your questions answered!
Don’t forget to pin this post for future planning!
