Bora Bora

Bora Bora, in the Society Islands of French Polynesia, is for many the single most beautiful island on earth and the ultimate image of the South Pacific paradise. At its heart rises the dramatic, jagged emerald peak of Mount Otemanu, the remnant of an ancient volcano, cradled by a stunning, multi-hued turquoise lagoon of extraordinary clarity, itself ringed by a protective coral reef and a necklace of tiny white-sand islets, or motu. Famed for its overwater bungalows - an idea born on nearby Raiatea that Bora Bora made world-famous - and offering swimming, snorkelling and diving among rays, sharks and coral in the warm lagoon, Bora Bora is a byword for tropical luxury, romance and dreamlike beauty.

History

Polynesian settlers reached Bora Bora around the 3rd century CE, and the first European sighting was by Jacob Roggeveen in 1722; James Cook sighted it on 29 July 1769, guided by the Tahitian navigator Tupaia. The London Missionary Society arrived in 1820 and founded a Protestant church in 1890. Bora Bora was an independent kingdom until 1888, when France annexed it as a colony and its last queen, Teriimaevarua III, abdicated, and its airstrip was French Polynesia's only international airport until Faa'a opened beside Papeete in 1960 (Wikipedia, Bora Bora).

What's there

• The lagoon - the dazzling, multi-hued turquoise waters.
• Mount Otemanu - the dramatic jagged volcanic peak.
• The overwater bungalows - the iconic resorts over the lagoon.
• The lagoon life - the snorkelling with rays, sharks and coral.

When to go

May to October, the cooler, drier season, for the best weather, calmest lagoon and clearest water; the wetter, hotter months from November to April bring more rain. Bora Bora is reached by a flight from Tahiti and a boat transfer, and its lagoon is warm and swimmable year-round, at its most dazzling on calm, sunny days.

Before you go

Bora Bora is remote and famously one of the most expensive destinations on earth, dominated by luxury resorts and their overwater bungalows, so it is very much a splurge, honeymoon and bucket-list destination rather than a budget or backpacker one; the main island itself is modest, with the magic in the lagoon and setting. For the reward of what many consider the most beautiful island in the world, though, a jagged peak in a dazzling turquoise lagoon, Bora Bora is genuinely breathtaking and unforgettable.

Nearby

The islands of Tahiti, Moorea and the Tuamotu atolls are reached by air.

Key facts