It’s easy for everyday Australians to overlook Bora Bora when it comes to planning a tropical holiday.
The most celebrated destination in The Islands of Tahiti’s Society Islands, Bora Bora is as famous for its azure waters dotted with white sand motus and luxury overwater bungalow accommodation as it is for its celebrity holiday makers and honeymooners.
Subsequently, the destination has a reputation for catering to the one percenters only.
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There’s no denying Bora Bora can be eye-wateringly expensive, but here’s the thing –with a little careful planning, travellers on every budget can enjoy the island’s riches.
Here’s how:
Getting to Bora Bora
We might as well be upfront; thanks to a flight schedule which sees Australians arriving at Faa’a International Airport, Papeete, late at night, any stay around the Islands of Tahiti (including Bora Bora) necessitates a stay overnight in the island capital both on arrival and on departure.
While shelling out for two additional nights in Tahiti can add expense to your holiday, it doesn’t need to be an eye-watering affair. If you manage to refrain from throwing yourself at the big name resorts conveniently located right by the airport, you’ll have a wealth of pensions (local guesthouses) at your disposal at a cost of around $100 to $150 (or more) per night. Check out Fare Suisse Tahiti, Pension de la Plage, Pension Relais Fenua and Polynesian Cabins by Kon Tiki.
Of course, if you’re keen to start your Tahitian holiday early, you can opt for a more affordable resort-style property. Te Moana Tahiti Resort (formerly known as the Manava Suite Resort Tahiti) is a short drive from the airport but is conveniently located within minutes of the Lagoonarium diving and snorkel site and offers guests a slick outdoor setting with an infinity pool, numerous eateries, bars where happy hour reigns supreme come sundown, and a range of accommodation options.
Don’t miss taking a drive downtown and making a beeline for Papeete Market, where vendors sell a wide range of local produce and products, from monoi oil and floral dresses to woven bags and cakes.
Want to get your hands on a Tahitian black pearl necklace for a fraction of what you’ll find it for anywhere else? This is the place to do it, and what’s more, you can even choose your own loose pearls from as low as 50c each and have a piece made unique to you.
Weighed down – both by cake and by pearl jewellery, it’s time to board your 40-minute Air Tahiti flight to Bora Bora. Be sure to sit on the left side of the plane to make the most of those turquoise aerial views.
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Accommodation
No doubt you’re already thinking about overwater bungalows seemingly floating on azure lagoons, but we’re going to start with… camping grounds.
Bora Bora Camping Motu is exactly what it sounds like: an idyllic campground located on a dazzling motu and teeming with equipment and activities. You can kayak, snorkel, learn local cultural arts and cooking skills (all free of charge), and there’s even a handy little restaurant on site to order simple meals. Best of all, the price tag for this paradise is only around $45 a night.
Airbnb in Bora Bora continues to be a growing market and you can rent an apartment or bungalow on the island through the site (or others such as Stayz) for as little as $200 per night, while pensions and guesthouses – dotted across the island – will set you back anywhere between $150 and $250 per night. You can see a selection of pensions available on the island here.
If you’re desperate to book that overwater bungalow however, there’s no need to drop $2,000 to $4,000 a night; with prices starting from $830 per night for a spacious overwater bungalow, InterContinental Le Moana Resort could be just the ticket. Not only is an overwater bungalow here less than half the price you’d pay for an overwater bungalow on a private motu, it’s located on the main island so you’re only a short distance away from the soft sands of Matira Beach, plus various shops and supermarkets.
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As a guest of InterContinental Le Moana Resort, you’ll enjoy a spacious bungalow complete with a glass coffee table which opens up to reveal the vibrant array of fish (including stingrays) swimming around the coral directly underneath you (Yes, a ladder outdoors provides swift access).
There are plenty of free cultural activities (everything from a coconut show and Poisson Cru demonstrations to hat and bag braiding), as well as complimentary use of kayaks, snorkel equipment, outrigger canoes and stand up paddle boards. Don’t worry, if you manage to get a patch of rain, you can also enjoy ping pong, billiards, chess and various board games.
While the resort has excellent facilities, including a pool, restaurants and the ever-popular canoe breakfast and Polynesian theme night buffet and show, guests have the option to take the boat transfer across to the more luxurious sister property, InterContinental Bora Bora Resort & Thalasso Spa to enjoy the facilities there.
Activities and attractions
If you start locking in a truckload of land and lagoon tours, costs will quickly start stacking up, but the great thing about Bora Bora is that most of its highlights can be accessed free of charge.
Head to Matira Beach, arguably the island’s best, where there’s some pretty decent snorkelling (BYO mask), swimming and sunbathing to be had. This is the best spot for sunsets too, so bring a cold beer from the supermarket, settle back and watch the rays (and by that we mean both the sun and the marine creatures).
Snorkelling and swimming, of course, can be enjoyed all around the island but so too can hiking. The trail around Mount Popoti is just over four kilometres and easy to do on your own, but take care to start out early in the morning before the afternoon sun starts heating up the island.
Some resorts and guesthouses offer guests complimentary bicycles to use, but even if you don’t have one handy, you can hire one from a bicycle kiosk around Matira Beach for around $30. Why are you hiring a bicycle? For making the most of the island’s 32 kilometre coastal ring road. It’s mostly flat and incredibly scenic.
If you are planning to splurge on an activity or two, consider a cultural half-day 4×4 safari with Natura Discovery. With a knowledgeable guide at your disposal, you’ll be taken to the best lookouts across the island (hold on, it can be a hairy ride at times), see locals do their thing at a sarong workshop and enjoy a fruit platter with a local family on their plantation. Consider it a way of getting to know the island and its culture a little more intimately away from the usual tourist traffic.
If you like to think you and Snoop Dogg have plenty in common (and why wouldn’t you?), you should also push the boat out (sorry) and lock in a private lagoon tour with Toa Boat Bora Bora. Simply choose the boat and the tour you’d like (a big thumbs up for the swimming with reef sharks and rays experience complete with a BBQ motu lunch) and you could spend your day soaking in French Polynesia’s aquatic highlights (including the ridiculously good looking boat captains). No, it’s hardly a ‘cheap’ experience but considering recents guests of the service include the aforementioned rapper and Johnny Depp, you know you’re in for the time of your life.
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Dining
One of the biggest misconceptions about Bora Bora is that every meal necessitates the black market sale of a body organ. Sure, it’s not uncommon to part with $55 for a burger at the top luxury resorts, but if you’re smart about where to go, you can also eat for next to nix.
First, if your room has a fridge (or even if it doesn’t), be sure to pop by the likes of Chin Lee’s Market and Tiare Market where you can stock up on tasty baguettes, roasted meats, fresh fish dishes, snacks and drinks. Keep your eyes peeled, too, for roadside stalls run by locals selling all manner of fruits, desserts and local fish dishes.
Roulottes (essentially, food trucks) are a popular choice on the island and on Sunday evenings in particular, the normally sleeping town of Vaitape comes alive with families eager to get to the front of the queue at Roulotte Matira in particular.
At Roulottes – many of which are concentrated around Vaitape and Matira, you can get everything from poisson cru and meat skewers to pizza and burgers for around $10 – $15
Snack Matira is excellent for a local’s lunch (expect to pay around $20 per dish), but another great idea is to time a sunset visit to the Bora Bora Yacht Club. You’re steering clear of the cocktails of course (unless you want to pay Sydney pricing for a drink); if you order their tantalising (and gargantuan) poisson cru, it comes with an equally large basket of freshly baked baguette and once the sun sets, you can enjoy an evening of free bocce in the gardens. Total cost? Around $30 for an evening of great food and entertainment.
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Require the ultimate rock star option? About as far from budget as one can get in the gastronomic world, is La Villa Mahana, an elegant restaurant run by Damien Rinaldi-Dovio who has worked the kitchens in some of the best restaurants in the world. Here, in an intimate space seemingly created for much hand-holding and knee-grazing, you can feast on decadent (and super rich) lobster risotto and goat’s cheese tarte, dishes arriving at the table showered in bright pops of edible blooms. If you’re unsure if your wallet can take it, a quick bite at celebrity haunt, Bloody Mary’s is always a great idea – even if it’s for a quick drink. It’s not as pricey as you’d expect either; you’ll part with around $22 for a burger.
Getting to Tahiti
Air Tahiti Nui operates a thrice-weekly service from Auckland to Papeete and connections from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane are operated by codeshare partner airline, Qantas. The average flight time between Auckland and Papeete is around four hours and 40 minutes.
For further information on the Bora Bora, please visit Tahiti Tourisme.
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