Visiting Bora Bora was on our bucket list. I’d always dreamt of the verdant mountains and crystal waters; sleeping in an over the water bungalow. What I didn’t realize is that there is very very little to do except eat and lie in the beach. So, if you are active travelers like we are, you may go a little stir crazy. We stayed one week in Papeete at the Hilton and one week on Bora Bora at Le Meridien. Of the two islands, Papeete was far more interesting. We rented a motorcycle and rode around the island, stopping for hikes and investigating old WWII gun turrets. The Hilton was gorgeous and we took out stand up paddle boards and kayaks daily. On Bora Bora our highlight was a guided snorkeling tour of the bay. We saw sea life we would never have believed; swam with Mantarays (and watched our guide kiss one on the mouth!), saw Moray eels peeking out of coral fissures, and vibrantly colored huge schools of tropical fish swimming around us. The waters were so warm and clean. Truly magical. Le Meridein was a wonderful hotel. However, generally the only thing to do on Bora Bora is eat. There is a nightly ritual where you need to make a reservation for a restaurant, typically on a neighboring island. You get picked up by the bus and driven to a boat where you are ferried to your restaurant in time for your reservation. You eat and then are delivered back to your hotel. It’s worth researching these restaurants in advance as the really good ones are often booked up. All in all I would classify Bora Bora/Papeete as a must do vacation but only really great for total relaxation (and honeymooners) and you only need to do it once.
