Bora Bora

You don’t make a casual, spontaneous visit to Bora Bora. If your goal is to spend some time there at a luxury resort, you have to fly to Tahiti International, take a domestic flight to Bora Bora’s tiny airport, then get a boat ride to the Motu (outer island) where your resort is located. After all that you are rewarded with the best snorkeling and diving in French Polynesia. The lagoon teams with millions of fish and other aquatic life. Originally the luxury resorts were on the mainland but most have now migrated to the Motus.

If you plan on a land tour the ship’s tender boat lands you in the village of Vaitape. Public transit is non-existent so you need to rent a car or a bike or take one of the “Le Truck” bus tours.

Really luxurious, eh? No A/C but the sea breezes keep you cool enough. The road around the island and the airport are courtesy of the US Military – who used Bora Bora as a supply base in World War II.

The remains of a long dormant volcano. According to our guide you can try to climb up to the caves in the rock, but the mosquitos will likely carry you away before you get there.

Not a bad view from the back garden.

One of the nicest souvenirs you can get is this hand colored Pareo wrap – a versatile beach accessory. All kinds of designs are available and quite inexpensive if you buy at the source. The tour stops right at a little shop where they make them.

It’s pretty difficult to take a bad photo in Bora Bora.

One of the public beaches. Note the white sand from the coral reef here. None of that volcanic black stuff. You can swim with the rays here if that’s your bag.

On the way back we stopped at the best bar on the island. Bloody Mary’s has hosted a lot of famous people over the years.

Recognize anybody on the list?

Tour’s over and it’s time to head back to the ship.

On the way out, this fellow did some tender surfing on the wake of our boat in his outrigger canoe. Scary.

Back aboard. Our final look back at Bora Bora as we get ready to sail to Hawaii.

 

 

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