Bora Bora is a French Polynesian Island that offers plenty of awesome things for visitors to do and see! From snorkeling with sharks to petting stingrays, join ViewCation as we take a look at the best things to do in Bora Bora.
Go Snorkeling with Sharks
There are many exotic island locations that offer visitors the opportunity to go snorkeling and see all types of interesting sea life, but Bora Bora is fairly unique in that it allows tourists the chance to swim with sharks! Of course, the sharks that tourists go snorkeling with in Bora Bora aren’t the kind that eat people and are a good deal smaller than the average. You may see some snorkelers throwing out chum to the sharks, but this can be a dangerous habit as it causes the sea creatures to come to associate human beings with food. It’s best that you leave the shark-feeding up to the guides!
Besides the black-tipped reef sharks that you’ll see while snorkeling the waters of Bora Bora, you’ll also see more typical sea life, such as stingrays. One of the best places to go snorkeling is in the Lagoonarium, which is a completely natural part of Bora Bora’s signature lagoon. The great thing about the Lagoonarium is that there are guides there to supervise snorkelers, making it a great place for those who haven’t had much snorkeling experience to start out. Besides sharks and stingrays, some of the other sea life that you can see while you’re snorkeling around the waters of Bora Bora include turtles, dolphins, and all sorts of tropical fish.
Hang Out at the Beach
There are plenty of great beaches in Bora Bora, though it’s hard to deny that Matira Beach stands as one of the most popular beaches in the area amongst tourists. The beach features beautiful white sands and crystal clear water, stretching a mile along the southern coast of the island. The waters along the beach are typically fairly gentle, and the beach is open to the public so you won’t have to pay a fee.
Matira Beach is another great location within the island of Bora Bora to go snorkeling, as it’s water features plenty of impressive coral reefs full of diverse tropical fish. If you get hungry or want to shop for souvenirs, you can check out the numerous shops and eateries that line the beach.
Go on a Jeep Tour Around the Island
There are numerous ways for visitors to get a taste of all that Bora Bora has to offer, and one of the most popular ways to do so is a guided jeep tour. Guided jeep tours take you through the bumpy back roads of Bora Bora and show you a great deal of the island’s expansive wilderness. The jeeps will come equipped with roll bars just in case things get a little too intense, but the great thing about guided tours is that you’ll always be sure that you’re going on a safe road.
Another great thing about guided jeep tours is that your tour guide will be able to provide you with plenty of information about the different areas that you’re driving through! Bora Bora is an incredibly interesting volcanic island with plenty of history, and taking in the island’s exuberant sights isn’t quite the same without getting a bit of cultural context.
Take a Hike Up One of Bora Bora’s Big Mountains!
There are a couple of huge mountains in Bora Bora that tourists love to climb up, with the two most popular being Mount Otemanu and Mount Pahia. Of the two, Mount Otemanu may be bigger and more striking, but both mountains offer a unique challenge and plenty of beautiful sights, not to mention some staggering views when you get to the top. If you can only climb up one of the two and you don’t mind a challenge, go with Mount Otemanu.
Mount Otemanu is a giant mountain located right in the middle of Bora Bora, and it’s beautiful green slopes can be seen from all around the island and it’s waters. While gazing at the sight of Mount Otemanu from afar is an experience in and of itself, the true way to get acquainted with the mountain is to hike up it. Those who wish to hike up the mountain will typically take a guide with them, as it can be pretty tough, particularly on the way down!
Mount Pahia is just about as challenging to hike up as Mount Otemanu, but both of the mountains offer incredible views of Bora Bora when you get to their peaks. Since the hikes around Bora Bora can be challenging, the trails typically aren’t too crowded, so hiking is a great way for tourists to get some one-on-one time with the island. While Mount Pahia is smaller than Mount Otemanu, you may still want to take a guide with you when you hike up the mountain as it’s just as difficult, and there are plenty of sections of thick jungle.
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Get Hands-On with Sea Turtles at the Turtle Center Project
If the prospect of getting some hands-on experience with Bora Bora’s sea turtles sound tantalizing, you may want to head over to the Turtle Center Project while you’re visiting the island. The Turtle Center Project is a non-profit turtle sanctuary located at Le Meridien Bora Bora, which is one of the island’s most luxurious hotels. Although it is located within a luxury hotel, the Turtle Center Project is a true non-profit sanctuary that was established with the full cooperation of Bora Bora’s environmental authorities.
As a turtle sanctuary, the Turtle Center Project functions as a place where sea turtles that have been injured can be rehabilitated so that they may eventually go back out into wild waters. Visitors to the sanctuary will get the opportunity to help out by doing such things as cleaning algae that has built up on the sea turtles’ shells. You’ll also get to learn a thing or two about the interesting animals from the marine biologists who work at the sanctuary and take care of them.
While the Turtle Center Project is named after sea turtles and considers those creatures to be it’s main focus, the sanctuary also offers care for other sea creatures that can be found around Bora Bora. Of course, this means that visitors to the sanctuary will also get the chance to see such other interesting sea creatures as pufferfish and eels.
Go on a Helicopter Tour of Bora Bora
Besides the aforementioned jeep tours that have become so popular with tourists visiting the island of Bora Bora, there’s also the option for visitors to check the island out on a guided helicopter tour. Helicopter tours are typically much shorter than jeep tours, but you’ll see just as much of the island in the short amount of time as you would on the jeep tour! The great thing about a helicopter is that it gives you an unprecedented view of the entire island. However, you won’t be able to get as up close and personal as you would if you were travelling the island on foot or in a jeep. Still, whether you’ve got plenty of time to kill on Bora Bora or simply want to see the island as fast as possible, taking a guided helicopter tour may be a practical option for you.
Shop Around for Tahitian Black Pearls
One of the things that the island of Bora Bora is known for the world over besides it’s crystal-clear waters is it’s Tahitian black pearls. You’ll find these black pearls being sold all around Bora Bora, and some of the jewelry that contains these pearls can sell for a pretty hefty price! Visitors to Bora Bora will likely want to take home at least one pearl, and there are plenty of shops where you’ll be able to find one as a souvenir for a reasonable price.
The best place to go souvenir shopping while you’re in Bora bora is Vaitape, which is the island’s biggest and most populated city. There are tons of little shops located within the city of Vaitape. Besides black pearls, you can also find plenty of other awesome souvenirs, and some great cuisine!
Experience Bora Bora by Jet Ski
Going out on the waters of Bora Bora with a jet ski is another way to experience the stunning island location, and you can do so either on your own or as part of a guided tour. Jet-ski tours typically last around two hours, and you’ll be taken around areas where you might be able to get a peak at a dolphin! Of course, you can also rent a jet ski on your own.
Pet and Feed Wild Stingrays
There are numerous resorts around Bora Bora that offer visitors the opportunity to feed and pet wild stingrays, with feedings typically occurring along the beach at designated times throughout the day. You can simply get in the shallow water and pet the stingrays as they’re being fed, or brave visitors can get the chance to feed the stingrays on their own. Stingrays feature mouths at the base of their bodies, so they’ll have to slide up on your arm to get the food. Stingrays aren’t dangerous to handle so long as you don’t touch their stingers, but you’ll want to be careful that you don’t hurt them, as tourists can easily trample them on accident.
Bora Bora is a French Polynesian island that’s offers tourists plenty of awesome things to do and see while they’re visiting! Now it’s time to hear from you: did you know that tourists visiting Bora Bora can snorkel with sharks, and that there are several large mountains on the volcanic island that visitors can hike up for a challenge? As always, like this video to show your support, and subscribe and hit the notification bell if you’d like to be among the first to know when more informative ViewCation videos are on their way!