What to do in Bora Bora

Perhaps the most well known island in French Polynesia after Tahiti, Bora Bora today has come to embody the perfect tropical paradise on the planet. With its pristine and calm turquoise blue waters, white sands, palm tree lined beaches, marine rich lagoon, towering mountains and verdant greenery, this island offers its visitors tons of things to do and see. With an abundance of activities to enjoy, Bora Bora is the dream vacation destination for many.

Take a dive into the Southern Pacific to catch a glimpse of the treasures that lie beneath the surface of the water amidst the rich coral reefs here. Home to a huge variety of marine life, diving in Bora Bora gives you the chance to come face to face with hundreds of brightly colored fish, a number of a shark species and an assortment of rays. A great place to dive at here is at Toopua and Toopua Iti, which have some big drop-offs. Ideal for the expert diver, you can come up close and personal with a large diversity of marine life. Anau near the Meridien Resort and Muri Muri near the airport are also fabulous dive sites.

Scuba dive and swim in the shallow waters of the lagoon to make your vacation an underwater adventure. For some very good snorkeling try the area around Hotel Bora Bora, where the currents are virtually nonexistent and fishing is banned, to see a vast collection of fish and other underwater life. If you have the time, enjoy a lagoon tour around the island or for the more daring, take a walk along the seabed accompanied by a dive expert.

If you want to spend some time on land, there are many hiking opportunities on Bora Bora, try a climb up Mount Pahia or go for a horseback ride on the lovely Motu of Piti Aau. There is plenty of shopping on Bora Bora to do as well, and it is an excellent place to buy some black pearls as well as pick up some local arts and crafts. For the more adventurous try your hand at parasailing or take a catamaran ride to do some deep-sea fishing. If you prefer a more laidback vacation, take a four wheel drive safari tour of the island getting a history lesson on Bora Bora as well as sampling some of the delicious fruits grown out here, and tasting the many locally made delicacies.

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