'Holidaying in Bora Bora is like a breather I cannot afford to not have. It keeps me ticking, you know, for the ardours of the world.
Paul Newman, one of the biggest names that Hollywood history can put in its list of legends, was a long-time lover and visitor of Bora Bora, a prominent island constituent of French Polynesia.
Located at a reasonable distance (of about 250 km) from Tahiti, Bora Bora is most famous for its luxury resorts, water parks, beautiful white and yellow sand beaches, mountain ranges, native bio-diversity and a youthful culture of fun and entertainment.
For over 200 years, Bora Bora has been a colonial dominion of France. Even today, administratively speaking, it is a French dominion, regarded as a major part of the overseas collectivity. Because of this fact, major French influence on Bora Bora's culture, customs and cuisines can be easily observed.
The best part of a holidaying trip to an island like Bora Bora is the enthusiasm with which the place meets its tourists. Tourism is the single most contributor to the island's revenue schemes, and hence, has “ for quite a few years “ attracted a steady stream of overseas investments, leading to a surge of tourists.
If you are actually planning on visiting this paradise island that is a whole new world away from the rest of the world, you should rest assured that by the end of your trip, you will be left with a bag full of memories and experiences. So, don't be surprised if you end up visiting this exotic land, sooner rather than later!
Living Cheap in Bora Bora
As veteran tourists would know, the only problem with a place like Bora Bora that is driven wholly by tourism is the lack of cheap hotels that one can count on to curtail their hotel expenses.
This problem can be dealt with extensive searching and digging deeper than superficial deals offered by many hotels in Bora Bora. To find a truly cheap hotel is tantamount to saving a huge chunk of money, money that allows to you explore other avenues, do more things, indulge in more adventures and if not, at least save up.
To help you achieve exactly that, you can pick one from a few cheap hotels that we are going to overview in this thread. Maitai Polynesia Bora Bora is one such hotel that fits this bill quite handsomely. Located on the pristine Maitai Beach, this is a budget hotel that goes closest to any luxury hotel experience you might have been used to.
Sunset Hill Lodge is another cheap lodging option in Bora Bora if you don't wish to spend a great deal of money. Suitable for long stays, it is also known for its authentic local cuisines. Chez Nono, located just beside the Matira Point, is a similar establishment that “ despite its hut and shack outlooks “ is a pretty comfortable option.
Luxury Lodging in Bora Bora
Let's address the burning issue now. There's no denying that the most famous attribute of Bora Bora, and Tahiti in general, for the outside world is the presence of unusually high number of luxury resorts and spas. These posh and at times exorbitant hotels in Bora Bora take the meaning of hospitality and luxury to a completely new level, making sure in the process that their guests do not have a single thing to complain throughout their stay.
Among these, Le Meridien Bora Bora deserves a special point of mention. Exhibiting the rich French heritage of Bora Bora's past, Le Meridien goes to astonishing lengths to allow its wealthy patrons a feel of Marseilles or Lyon.
St Regis Resort Bora Bora is the next illustrious entry in this segment of luxury Bora Bora hotels. Situated conveniently by a serene beach, St Regis is a collection archipelago styled luxury suites and floating shacks.
InterContinental Thalasso Resort & Spa, as well as Bora Bora Lagoon Resort & Spa are also quite popular among tourists who, at any cost, do not wish to forgo on luxury that Bora Bora has to offer.
What to Do/See in Bora Bora?
Bora Bora offers many picturesque beaches and lounging areas for tourists who wish to soak all the sun they can while sipping on their favorite martinis. Reading in the sun was recently voted as the best activity that most tourists enjoy while they are staying in Bora Bora. Other than these obvious candidates, Bora Bora has many other attractions to present to its visitors.
The centrally located coral lagoon is where you should be spending significant lengths of your stay, purely because of its geographical uniqueness and utterly beatific ambiance. At its very best, this lagoon can really inspire the best of emotions in its visitors.
Among other attractions in Bora Bora, Mount Otemanu is a popular pick among outdoorsy people and adventure seekers. Matira Beach is the most popular beach in Bora Bora that some tourists might find too crowded for their liking at times.
Scuba diving and snorkelling enthusiasts can find a number of naturally conducive spots in Bora Bora where rich marine life can be observed up and close.
Do's and Dont's of Sightseeing in Bora Bora
The only thing you need to remember while you are in Bora Bora is not to get stuck in many commercialized activities that you can anyway found in many other parts of the world.
To counter this possibility, you can choose to arrange your itinerary in such a way that you get to spend most of your time here visiting locally unique places and beaches.
On another note, exploring authentic local Polynesian cuisine is one activity you shouldn't miss out on while sightseeing.
Hotels Near Airport
Bora Bora is serviced by a singular airport (Bora Bora Airport) that only sees short distance flights from Tahiti, which is well-connected with other parts of the world.
Many of Bora Bora hotels can be found in close proximity of this airport, purely because of the fact that Bora Bora is geographically concise in spread. So, finding a hotel near the airport for the sake of convenience should be the least of your worries when you are planning on visiting Bora Bora.