Bora Bora
| Bora Bora is reputed to be the most beautiful
island in the world. I'm inclined to agree. Like most Tahitian
islands, it's volcanic in origin, and is surrounded by a coral reef.
The volcanic peak is in the center of the island, and is covered with lush
vegetation. The beaches are made up of crushed white coral and are
surrounded by turquoise lagoons. It's tough to find a view that isn't
gorgeous. The reefs surrounding the island create a barrier that
protects the lagoons. The ocean swells slam into the reef with considerable
force, creating spectacular geysers. The picture above shows the
view of Bora Bora from the top of Mt. Tooiapi, on Raiatea.
The island is very small, with a circumference of just 37 kilometers. I bicycled around it in a few hours, and I'm no Greg LeMond. The major city, Vaitape, is just south of the wharf, on the western side of the island. It has a couple of banks, a post office and a couple of dozen shops. The whole city isn't more than a couple of hundred yards long. Everything tends to be very up scale in Bora Bora. Just about everything sells at a premium, even by French Polynesian standards. Most of the hotels and restaurants are at the
southern end, on or around Matira Point. It is the Beverly Hills of Bora
Bora, and it is very well taken care of. The high end hotels cost between $300-$500 a night, which is more than I'm willing to shell out. Besides, if I wanted a fully equipped suite with a beautiful view, I would have stayed home. I stayed at Chez Robert and Tina, a pension on the very tip of Matira Point. The place is very nice and the prices quite reasonable. Guests stay in a separate house, complete with four bedrooms, cooking facilities, a dining area. Eating in really helps to cut down on expenses, and gives you a chance to meet some of the other guests, just about all of whom are French. There is even an area to lay out and get some sun. Parts of Bora Bora are not particularly well kept. I saw garbage and junk piled up in vacant lots and laid out by the side of the road in a number of places. Areas on the eastern side of the island are particularly bad. Even paradise has it's problems. Bicycling around the island is a great way
to spend a few hours. Bicycles can be rented at most of the hotels.
There are some outstanding views up in the hills of Bora Bora. On my bike
trip, I climbed up a hill to one of the American guns left
over from World War II. From there you could see most half of the
reef surrounding the island. The view was absolutely spectacular.
Getting around is somewhat difficult. There isn't much in the way
of public transportation around the island, so you're kind of on your own.
Some of the restaurants will arrange transportation for their dinner guests. Bora Bora is home to Bloody Mary's, the best bar in the world. It also has a great restaurant. They let you select your own cut of meat or fish, which are arranged on a tray as you walk in. The decor is very South Pacific, with polished natural wood chairs and tables, sand floors, and a great deal of vegetation throughout. It is intensely tropical, in a very attractive way. The bathrooms evem have waterfalls for faucets. It is very nicely done, and both the staff and patrons are quite friendly. Bloody Mary's is a magnet for newly weds and Americans in general. We did met a few drunken cruise ship crew members who were very entertaining. Before you go, be sure to get a T shirt. They're very cool. I was in Bora Bora for three days, and only got to dive once. I dove on the eastern side of Matira Point, looking for Manta Rays. I dove with the Bora Bora Calypso Club, which left something to be desired. The boat was very modern, but it was loaded from bow to stern with divers. There was literally no room for anything else. The dive guide insisted that our dive group stay together in a tight formation, making it very difficult to get good photographs. The visibility was terrible, at 15-20 ft. The coral was dead and there were very few fish. It wasn't too attractive. About half way through the dive we saw a 10 ft. Manta Ray, and swam with it for several minutes. They are absolutely majestic creatures. This one didn't seem to mind our presence, as we swam above, below and along side it. The other groups had more luck, running into several Mantas. There is also a video taken on each dive, so you can buy a memorial of your trip if you wish. Despite the difficulties, diving with the Manta definitely made the trip worth while. It was absolutely amazing. I was told by other divers that the visibility, coral and fish were considerably better on the western side of Matira Point, but there aren't any Mantas. There is also a boat trip to the Lagoonarium, a penned area of the lagoon next a motu, a nearby uninhabited island. The fish life is said to be excellent, and the area is pretty shallow, so you can see quite a bit just by snorkeling. The trip takes most of the day, and can be arranged through most of the hotels and pensions.
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The roads are in great shape, and all of the vegetation is nicely manicured.
The northern and eastern sides tend to be much less developed, with only
a few cities and relatively few homes.
