Bora Bora
Bora Bora is the postcard the overwater bungalow was invented for: a drowned volcano's peak (Otemanu) rising from a lagoon that runs every blue that exists, ringed by motu islets where the famous resorts sit. It's a splurge with no real substitute, and a place where understanding the meal-plan math and the seasons keeps the splurge from becoming a surprise.
- Getting there
- Fly to Tahiti (PPT), then 50-min hop to Bora Bora (BOB) + boat transfer
- The setup
- Resorts on motu islets around the lagoon
- Vaitape is the town
- Best for
- Honeymoons, once-in-a-lifetime lagoon trips
- Season
- May–October dry season
- Nov–April is wet/cyclone season
- Meals
- Mostly half-board/full-board plans, not true all-inclusive
- budget accordingly
When to go to Bora Bora
Climate normals for Bora Bora lagoon, and our verdict on each month.
| Measure | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average daily high | 89 degrees Fahrenheit | 89 degrees Fahrenheit | 89 degrees Fahrenheit | 89 degrees Fahrenheit | 87 degrees Fahrenheit | 86 degrees Fahrenheit | 86 degrees Fahrenheit | 86 degrees Fahrenheit | 86 degrees Fahrenheit | 87 degrees Fahrenheit | 88 degrees Fahrenheit | 88 degrees Fahrenheit |
| Rainfall | 13.2″ | 9.6″ | 6.7″ | 5.5″ | 4″ | 2.9″ | 2.1″ | 1.9″ | 2.1″ | 3.5″ | 8.3″ | 12.5″ |
| Verdict | Off-peak | Off-peak | Shoulder | Shoulder | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Shoulder | Off-peak |
Sweet spot. May–October (dry season, and peak villa pricing); rainy season runs November–April.
Storm risk. South Pacific cyclone season is November–April; systems reach French Polynesia only occasionally, but the wet season is real.
Figures are long-term climate normals for Bora Bora lagoon, good for planning. They are not a forecast.
What to actually expect
Days organize around the lagoon: snorkeling with rays and blacktip reef sharks, paddling off your villa deck, boat circuits of the motu, and staring at Otemanu from every angle. Resorts are isolated by design (dinner means your resort's restaurants or a boat ride), so the property you pick is the trip you get.
Unlike the Caribbean, true all-inclusive is rare here; most resorts sell half- or full-board meal plans with drinks à la carte. Price the meal plan into any comparison; it changes the math versus a Caribbean or Maldives all-inclusive materially.
When to go
May–October is the dry season: sunnier, less humid, peak pricing. November–April is warm, wetter, and technically cyclone season (systems are occasional, not annual). Water stays 80°F-ish year-round; the lagoon doesn't have an off month, just wetter skies.
Beyond the resort
Lagoon safaris with ray and shark snorkeling, a 4x4 circle of the main island's WWII cannons and lookout points, jet-ski lagoon laps, and a Polynesian dinner show. Add Moorea or Taha'a to the itinerary if you can; inter-island hops are short and the sister islands are gorgeous in different ways.
Where the Bora Bora resorts are
2 resorts mapped stars are five-star properties
2 mapped · marks five-star
The best all-inclusive resorts in Bora Bora
The Bora Bora properties we would actually book.
Resort chains in Bora Bora
The brands operating here. Each links to its full ranking and what its plan really covers.
Bora Bora, head to head
Price, flights, sand, food and safety, compared honestly.
Bora Bora vs JamaicaMexicoDominican RepublicMaldivesGreeceSpainTurks & CaicosArubaBarbadosSt. LuciaItalyPortugalTurkeyAntiguaCuraçaoBrazilCosta RicaPhilippinesMoroccoEgyptSouth AfricaMauritiusKenyaTanzaniaMozambiqueThailandIndonesiaMalaysiaPunta CanaCancúnRiviera MayaLos CabosPuerto VallartaMontego BayNegrilOcho RiosGuanacasteCreteBahiaMalé AtollsRodney BayBarbados South CoastBarbados West CoastViti LevuVanua LevuFijiCroatiaU.S. Virgin IslandsSri LankaSeychellesBahamasChileArgentinaUnited States
Frequently asked questions
Is Bora Bora all-inclusive?
Rarely in the Caribbean sense; most resorts offer breakfast/half-board/full-board plans with alcohol extra. Budget meals and drinks explicitly when comparing against genuinely all-inclusive destinations like the Maldives' AI resorts.
How long should we stay in Bora Bora?
Four to five nights hits the sweet spot for most couples: enough for the lagoon rituals without repeating them. Many itineraries pair it with Moorea or Tahiti nights on either side of the hop.