Bora Bora and Mount Otemanu

About this place

Bora Bora is an island in the Leeward Islands of the Society archipelago in French Polynesia, in the South Pacific, about 230 km north-west of Papeete, the capital on Tahiti. It covers about 30 square kilometres and is one of the best-known islands in the world. At its centre are the remains of an extinct volcano rising to two peaks, Mount Pahia and Mount Otemanu, the higher at 727 m, whose sheer rock walls have become the island's symbol. A wide lagoon of clear turquoise water surrounds the island, bounded by a coral reef and a chain of small sandy islets, the «motu», many of them home to resorts with their famous overwater bungalows. Visitors explore the lagoon by boat and kayak, snorkel among corals and colourful fish, and see rays and small, harmless sharks in the shallows. A coastal road of about 32 km circles the main island, passing the village of Vaitape and Faanui Bay, and higher viewpoints look out over the lagoon and the mountain. Exploring the island and public beaches is free, while lagoon trips are paid. Bora Bora is about 50 minutes by plane from Tahiti, and the dry season from May to October is the best time to visit.