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Major city · French Polynesia

Bora BoraPora Pora

Go for 3–5 nights if the overwater bungalow is the point of the trip; otherwise 3 nights on the main island and day-trip the lagoon.

Weather
see forecast
Currency
XPF
Best months
May–Oct (dry season)
avoid Nov–Apr (wet season, storms; Dec–Jan busiest and priciest)
Airport
BOB
Nights
3–5
Not field-verifiedbasic guide
Print / PDF guide
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
Rules in force · 6
  • Oceania ↗Oceania's island states guard their farms and reefs at the border: tick 'yes' on the arrival card for any food, plant, animal product, soil or used outdoor gear, and let the officer decide.
  • Oceania ↗Across the tropical South Pacific, cyclones are possible from November to April: choose insurance that covers weather delays and keep one spare night before a long-haul departure.
  • Polynesia ↗In much of Polynesia Sunday is kept for church and family: expect shops, tours and some flights to stop, and dress and behave quietly in villages.
  • French Polynesia ↗Entry rules are set by France but separately from Schengen: EU citizens enter freely, other passports should check the French government's rules for French Polynesia, and an onward ticket is required.
  • French Polynesia ↗Declare food, plants and animal products on arrival; moving plants and soil between islands is also restricted.
  • French Polynesia ↗Drive on the right, as in France; scooters and cars can be hired on the main islands.

Bora Bora is one lagoon, one extinct volcano and a ring of motu islets, 50 minutes by air from Tahiti. The island is small — 31 km of road around the main island — and very expensive. What you pay for is the lagoon and the view of Mount Otemanu; everything else is logistics. Three nights covers the lagoon tour, Matira Beach and one slow day. Five nights lets you add diving or a second motu.

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Bora Bora, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • Sit-down mealRestaurant dinner, main course3,000–6,000 XPF
  • Street or quick mealBeer at a snack / resort bar600–1,500 XPF
  • SIM or eSIM, a weekeSIM or data SIM, about a week2,500–4,500 XPF
  • Budget bedGuesthouse or pension double, a night, per roomXPF 12,000
  • Mid-range bedGuesthouse or pension double, a night, per roomXPF 20,000
  • High-end bedGuesthouse or pension double, a night, per roomXPF 35,000

A day, not counting the bed: Budget XPF 12,000 · Mid XPF 22,000 · High XPF 45,000

Local prices, with USD next to them (rates 2026-09 (approximate); change it in the header). Ranges are desk estimates: check locally. Every price and the budget calculator →

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

The lagoon and its motu isletsMount Otemanu and Mount PahiaOverwater bungalowsMatira BeachTahitian black pearls
Airports
BOB Bora Bora Airport (Motu Mute) (On a motu north of the main island; Air Tahiti from Papeete about 50 min, several flights a day. Free shuttle boat to Vaitape; resorts meet their own guests at the airport.)

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Bora Bora: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

31°C

24°C

18 rd

Feb

31°C

24°C

16 rd

Mar

31°C

24°C

17 rd

Apr

31°C

24°C

14 rd

May

30°C

23°C

12 rd

Jun

29°C

22°C

10 rd

Jul

29°C

22°C

9 rd

Aug

29°C

22°C

9 rd

Sep

29°C

22°C

10 rd

Oct

30°C

23°C

12 rd

Nov

30°C

24°C

15 rd

Dec

31°C

24°C

17 rd

High / low °C · rd = rain days

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

One sealed road circles the main island (31 km, about 1 h to drive without stops). A single bus runs roughly hourly on part of the loop; taxis exist but are few. Rent a car, scooter or e-bike in Vaitape for a day. Motu resorts move you by boat on their own timetable — ask before booking activities elsewhere.

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time

Lagoon tour (shark and ray snorkel)

go

Door to door: Half day to full day

Boat from Vaitape or your resort quay; most operators run a half or full day

The reason to come. Book with a licensed operator; ask about pick-up from your accommodation.

Matira Beach

go

Door to door: 20–30 min from Vaitape

Bus or rental car to the south tip of the main island

Free, shallow and calm; the island's main public beach.

Mount Pahia hike

caution

Door to door: Half day

Trailhead above Vaitape; guide strongly advised

Steep, partly unmarked, crosses private land; not for casual walkers.

Maupiti

overnight

Door to door: Half day plus

Air Tahiti, about 15 min, limited days

A quieter lagoon island; go only if you have spare nights.

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

Matira (south tip of main island)

The main public beach, snacks and a handful of guesthouses; the cheapest way to be on the water.

Vaitape (west coast)

The only town: ferry quay, groceries, roulottes and the airport shuttle. Practical, not scenic.

Motu resorts (off the main island)

Overwater and beach bungalows on islets; boat transfer is included but you are tied to the resort's schedule and prices.

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget (guesthouse, self-catering)
12,000–20,000 XPF excl. bed
Mid (hotel or pension, some tours)
20,000–35,000 XPF excl. bed
High (resort dining and daily tours)
35,000–60,000 XPF excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Hotel or beach bungalow double1 × 3 nights × XPF 55,000XPF 165,000
Food, local transport, entries2 × 3 days × XPF 22,000XPF 132,000
Air Tahiti Papeete–Bora Bora return2 × XPF 40,000 · checkXPF 80,000
Lagoon snorkel tour, half day2 × XPF 12,000 · checkXPF 24,000
Car rental, 24 h1 × XPF 12,000 · checkXPF 12,000
eSIM, about a week of data2 × XPF 3,000XPF 6,000
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurgeXPF 41,900
Trip total≈ XPF 76,800 per person per day, bed includedXPF 460,900

2026 estimate in CFP francs; international flights and inter-island air excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

Roulotte meal (burger or grilled fish with fries)700–1,400 XPF
Pizza at a Matira shack1,300–1,900 XPF
Restaurant dinner, main course3,000–6,000 XPF
Beer at a snack / resort bar600–1,500 XPF
Scooter rental, 4 h / 24 h5,500 / 6,800 XPF (check)
Electric two-seater, 4 h8,000 XPF (check)
eSIM or data SIM, about a week2,500–4,500 XPF

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

Bora Bora is a low-crime island; the real risks are sunburn, coral cuts, strong lagoon currents and the cost of a missed boat transfer. Use reef-safe sunscreen and never touch the coral.
  • Everything is expensive: food, transfers and activities all sit at the top of the range.
  • Motu resorts are not walkable to town; a missed boat transfer can cost you a tour.
  • Wet season (Nov–Apr) brings heavy rain and unpredictable storms.
  • Mount Pahia trail crosses private land and has lost hikers; go with a guide.
  • Book Air Tahiti seats early — flights from Papeete fill up.

Emergency numbers

Police
17
Medical (SAMU)
15
Fire
18
From mobiles
112

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

Bora BoraPora Pora

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

I teie vahi, na reiraTo this address, please

Emergency

  • Police17
  • Medical (SAMU)15
  • Fire18
  • From mobiles112

Embassy

No embassies on Bora Bora; the US, UK, Australian and other consulates are in Papeete, Tahiti (check addresses).

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • Airport shuttle boat to Vaitape: free with Bora Bora Navette (check)
  • Air Tahiti Papeete → Bora Bora: about 50 min, several flights a day (check)
  • Taxi Vaitape → Matira: about 3,000–4,000 XPF (check)

Say or show

  • Ia ora na — Hello (yo-rah-nah)
  • Mauruuru — Thank you (mah-roo-roo)
  • Nana — Goodbye (nah-nah)
  • E / Aita — Yes / No (ay / eye-tah)
  • E hia te moni? — How much is it? (ay hee-ah teh moh-nee)
  • Te fare iroto i hea? — Where is the toilet? (teh fah-reh ee-roh-toh ee heh-ah)

Tipping is not expected; a thank-you to a guide is welcome.

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Bora Bora. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: May–Oct (dry season) · avoid Nov–Apr (wet season, storms; Dec–Jan busiest and priciest) · month by month →
  2. 1 airport and 3 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 4 day-trips, door to door
  6. 5 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Airport-to-bed contract for BOB: Air Tahiti seat, shuttle boat to Vaitape, resort boat fallback, overnight rung.
  2. Four walking clusters with rescue anchors: Vaitape, Matira, Pofai Bay, the motu resorts.
  3. Place pages with verified cutoffs (lagoon tours, Matira, Mount Pahia, black-pearl farm) and eat pages with last orders.
  4. Wet-season and hostile-arrival fixtures so gates A–D can go green.

Meanwhile

Back to French Polynesia

Sources