There are many operators offering boat tours in Bora Bora. By luck, one of our friends has a local company, with a great reputation, offering this type of excursions (Moana Adventure). you can check on the Internet, they are rates 5/5 almost everywhere! We decided to book our tour through them, and we were not disappointed! The food is delicious, the Polynesian crew on board is adorable, the boat is comfortable and the program is perfect. The tour takes place in small groups, and the private mound on which we have lunch is beautiful. For all these reasons, we definitely recommend this tour, which we absolutely loved! Be careful, you’ll need to book in advance due to the limited capacity.

Price & Online Booking : Boat tour on the lagoon / Luxury boat tour on the lagoon (the one we did and loved!) / Private boat tour on the lagoon (the best option you can book, but also the most expensive) / Catamaran sunset sail 
Where to stay in Bora Bora? Price for accomodation & Online booking : Vacation rental (less expensive than hotels) Find all hotels Our selection : Best hotels and lodges on a budget (1, 2 or 3 stars) / Best luxurious hotels and bungalows on stilts (4 or 5 stars)

Matira beach is easily accessible by the road. If you’re doing a tour of the island (see our top #6), you’ll be able to make a stop there to relax and have a swim. You’ll also find several snacks and restaurants, ideally located, offering great food at an affordable price. It’s also a great place to admire the sunset.

If you don’t get the opportunity to book a sightseeing flight over Bora Bora, make sure you try to have a good seat on your plane to get there so you can see the island before you land. You just need to ask one of the flight attendants what side to sit on when you board, seats aren’t pre-booked so you can sit wherever you want.  

If you do decide to book a sightseeing flight, you’re probably wondering whether you should choose a helicopter or a (sea)plane. On our end, we chose to go for a seaplane (which actually turned out to be a regular small airplane of 8 seats when we did our tour). We wanted to be able to see the entire lagoon, and the airplane generally offers a more aerial view.

Most of all, we really wanted to fly over Tupai. Only helicopter flights of 30mn offer this option, at a higher price than the airplane. And since a helicopter is slower than an airplane, we rathered the second option which allowed us to fly over more territory. We don’t regret at all our choice as this island is very different and amazing… the pictures speak for themselves!

If you’re not particularly interested in Tupai, you can choose a helicopter flight of 10mn or 20mn. It’ll allow you to limit your spendings while offering you an amazing view on Bora Bora. Either way, make sure you book in advance as availability is limited!

Price & Online Booking : Helicopter scenic flight over Bora Bora (30mn) / Scenic plane flight over Bora Bora (10,20 or 30mn – the 30mn flight includes Tupai)

Once again, we indicated the operator which we used for our jet ski tour below. Everything went well and we really loved being able to go high speed on secure engines. We strongly recommend it!

For kayaking or paddle, unfortunately we did not have enough time to try them out, but rentals are usually available through hotels. For wakeboarding, you need to book in advance. Learning your way through the activity is quite fast, and you easily manage to stand-up out of the water.

Price & Online Booking : Jet-ski tour on the lagoon / Combo tour: Jet-ski + snorkeling with sharks and rays (awesome tour combining both activities, we strongly recommend!) / Stand-up paddle guided tour (you can also choose to simply rent a paddle board for a smaller budget) / Wakeboard initiation class

Although you may swim freely with your own material, you won’t be able to access the best spots. Those are indeed located too far from the coast, and thus only accessible by boat. To choose your operator, please make sure you don’t go for one that feeds the animals. This type of practice modifies the behavior of wildlife, and thus makes the animals dependent on human activity. We indicated the one we used below, which was awesome and respectful of nature.

Price & Online Booking : Snorkeling tour (coral garden, rays and sharks – 2:30-3hrs approx.) / Combo tour: Snorkeling + Jet-ski / Luxury boat tour on the lagoon including snorkeling

If you want to make a tour of the main island, you can choose to do it by bike, but you’ll need to pedal over 20 miles, including some climbs. You can also choose to rent a car, but you won’t be able to enjoy the fresh breeze and the beautiful landscapes. To meet the best compromise, we chose to go for an E-Mook, a small little electric car without doors (kind of like a golf cart). It’s the perfect option to combine utility and pleasure, making the drive an experience in itself. Whatever your choice, you can book all those activities on the link below. It’s the best rental operator of the island, offering quality vehicles and perfect service.

Price & Online Booking : Vehicle rental in Bora Bora (car, E-Mook, bike…)

First of all, you should know that the summit of the island, the mount Otemanu, is not accessible to hikes. It has only been climbed by some locals in difficult and dangerous conditions.

Concerning the other hikes, it’s complicated to indicate the exact departing point and the trail to follow. The easiest way is to ask your hotel or inn. Once you approach the departure point, ask confirmation to a local and follow their instructions. You shouldn’t get lost as the trails we’ve suggested follow a clear path. Beware though, there are some crossroads, so it’s best you know which direction to follow in advance!

Trails recommended by users: Wikiloc (this website gathers the walks and hikes made by other travelers, and can give you additional ideas)

Different operators each offer different routes. Indeed, the lands crossed by the quads are private and the owners allow access only to one operator. We therefore compared the different tours, and chose the one which to us offered the best view (see link below). We did not regret our choice! Our guide was super nice, and allowed us to access a summit near the mount Popoti. The view was incredible, and only accessible through this tour. Then, we were invited in his family house for a drink in an ideal scenery. For your information, we also made the tour of the island during this ride, but without making any stops. This tour thus offered a nice overall view of Bora Bora.

Price & Online Booking : Bora Bora island quad bike tour (it’s the tour we did, the only one giving access to the viewpoint of our picture above)

You can find several diving clubs in Bora Bora. We indicated an operator with great reputation below. Keep in mind that the prices are higher in Bora Bora than on the other islands. If you’re looking to do a diving training in Polynesia, we advise you to choose Rangiroa or Fakarava, where the prices are lower (but the courses are as serious!).

Price & Online Booking : First scuba dive / Exploration dive (if you already have a level 1)

If you’re staying at this hotel, the visit of the center and the feeding session is free (of course, donations are welcomed). Otherwise, you can also pay for the visit, which will give you access to all the other facilities of the hotel for the day (pool, beach…). For an extra fee, you can even help with some treatments and swim with the turtles!

Price & Online Booking : Sea turtles protection center (prices and booking by email indicated on this page)

In addition to the activities listed in our TOP 10, you’re looking for other things to do and see in Bora Bora? Here are some other ideas:

• Sunsets, meals and meetings: this article highlights activities specific to Bora Bora. However, like everywhere in Polynesia, make sure you take the time to admire sunrises and sunset, exchange with the locals and enjoy some delicious traditional meals.
• Observation or swim with the whales: between July and November, Polynesia welcomes many whales in its waters. You’ll then get the chance to observe some of them off Bora Bora and maybe even get in the water to swim with them. However, whales are more numerous and more easily observable around Moorea (or in the Austral Archipelago, but it is less likely that you will go there). Therefore, we advise you to do this activity there and spend your time on other things in Bora Bora. And if you are lucky enough to come across a whale during a boat trip, it will be a great bonus! Lien
• Skydiving: if you have the budget and you’re looking for an adrenaline shot, you should definitely go skydiving. The view is amazing and the experience unforgettable! Know that it’s also possible to skydive from Moorea at a way more interesting price. Lien
• Fish in the lagoon: as in almost all the islands of Polynesia, you can hop on a small boat and go fishing. This experience allowing you to get in contact with locals is quite expensive though. Lien
• Kitesurf lessons: if you want to learn kitesurf, you can do so in Bora Bora! The lagoon obviously offers a great playground but once again, this activity is a little more expensive here than on the other islands. Your choice to make! Lien