fret ifyourbudgetisn’tinthefour-figures-a-day category. Ahandfulofquaint nothing canbeatafew dayshere themostofitspleasures tomake andcharms. Anddon’t that us). Butsosuperiorare itsproportions Bora remains thestuffoflegend,and real escapehave turningtheir eyestonearbyMaupiti(butyoudidn’thearitfrom started area, thesenseofexclusivityissomewhattoneddownnow,andhedonistsinsearcha water bungalows(compared withafew dozen 15yearsago)dotted over afairlycompact mountainousinterior. inthespectacular underthesea andeven hiking walking though; whenyou’ve finishedsippingyour piece ofparadise. This diva ofanislandisnotonlyforunbridledpamperingandromance, in fancyrestaurants a convincingclaimtobeing andit’ssmallwonderBorastakes inasensationallagoonsettingandindulgentgourmetdining beach. Addsumptuousresorts derland isinstantlymadegood:glintingturquoiseseaanddazzlinglywhite sandystretches of This isit,thistheone. The arrivalbyplanesaysitall.Fromabove, thepromiseofawon- BoraBora 150 © LonelyPlanetPublications nonetheless. Checkinandchillout. affordable midrangehotels beckon.They’re notasritzy,butyou’llenjoyasliceofparadise „ It’s notallthatrosy(well,turquoise),though.With,atthelatest count,almost700over-

„ „ „ „ „ HIGHLIGHTS POPULATION: 5757 Enjoyinga romanticdinnerwithyour viewoftheislandona Seeingabird’s-eye Hearingyourselfscream ‘Darling,it’s Discovering alltheperksofaworld-class amazing sites suchas andMuri Diving Matira Point in agourmet partner it you deserve scenic helicopter flight( p157 ) –pricey,but blue lagoonona magical’ whileoglingthestunningcerulean your sundeck recreating the onsecluded resort ( p155 ) amongharmlesssharksat From Here toEternity boat tour Motu restaurant (p155) 12) on (p162) 19) and (p159) kiss on kiss maitai, „ AREA : 47 SQ KM Muri check out diving, snorkelling, parasailing, checkoutdiving,snorkelling, Tapu Lagoon Matira Point pensions Piti Aau Motu and BORA BORA 151 (islets) 67 76 36; % motu ( 6am-6pm Mon-Sat) 7.45-11.45am & 1.30- h 7.30am-4pm Mon-Fri) The h 7.45-11.45am & 1.30-4.30pm 7.30-11.30am & 1.30-3.30pm ( h h h ( ( 7am-3pm Mon-Fri, 8-10am Sat) Internet h ( (per hr 1600 CFP; A wide, sheltered and navigable lagoon lagoon and navigable A wide, sheltered Point is the main town, but Matira and Mt Otemanu (727m). The main island island The main (727m). Otemanu and Mt 9km from north to south for about stretches INFORMATION INFORMATION [email protected]; and has pamphlets and office is on the quay at Vaitape Mildly helpful. other info. Internet access. Wi-fi is also available (same rates). At the Wi-fi is also available (same Internet access. centre. back of a small shopping Mon-Fri) Currency exchange, and has an ATM. Mon-Fri) exchange, and has Currency Vaitape Vaitape fromIf arriving by air you’ll be transported the island’s Vaitape, airport to the Motu Mute main settlement. It’s not the most evocative town, but it’s the only place on Bora Bora that for built exclusively doesn’t as if it were feel Post office counter). access (with the Manaspot card, on sale at the SIGHTS Bora Bora’s 32km coast road hugs the shore- line almost all the way around the island and any sea aren’t level. There rises above rarely sights bar along the route overwhelming Beach, for a challenging Matira but it’s great mortals may find them- ride (mere day’s bike up the hill around walking their bikes selves Fitiiu Point on the east coast). Cars can also or you can join a 4WD tour. be easily hired, going The following tour starts in Vaitape, the island. anticlockwise around All services are in Vaitape. There’s a medical a medical There’s All services in Vaitape. are private well as numerous as in Vaitape centre a pharmacy. and doctors Aloe Cafe Banque de Polynésie Banque de Banque Socredo Bora Bora visitor information centre and is about 4km in width at the widest point. width at the widest point. 4km in and is about the coast. runs around A 32km road island, with sandyencircles the is the most developed quay for inter- spot. The and between Vaitape is at Farepiti, island ships the at airport is on Motu Mute The Faanui. edge. reef the outer of northern extremity 4.30pm Mon-Fri) Has an ATM and a 24-hour automatic and a 24-hour automatic 4.30pm Mon-Fri) Has an ATM machine. exchange Mon-Fri) Currency exchange, and has an ATM. Mon-Fri) exchange, and has Currency edging most of the outer reef. The Teavanui The Teavanui reef. the outer of edging most is the only side Bora Bora’s western on Pass lagoon. the pass into ma- e theory that look like look like always BORA BORA •• History . (southeast trade wind) blows.

destination, there are a few affordable affordable a few are destination, there pensions a turquoise-backed especially mirror, when the August, from June to raamu There’s nation than a beach destination. beach. only one ‘real’ Heiva Bora Bora ( p163 ) in July or the ) in July or the p163 ( Heiva Bora Bora ) in Novem- p45 Hawaiki race ( Nui canoe events. engaging ber – two highly

Bora Bora is an expensive Though a lagoon desti- more Bora Bora is much lagoon doesn’t The to make Try trip coincide with the your

„ „ „ KNOW BEFORE YOU GO GO BEFORE YOU KNOW „ During WWII a US supply base was es- sighted Bora Bora in 1769 on James Due to the shortage of flat ground on Bora of Due to the shortage

HISTORY HISTORY ORIENTATION ORIENTATION rising to Mt Hue (619m), Mt Pahia (661m) rising to Mt Hue (619m), Mt Pahia Bora Bora is spectacularly mountainous, the island during the war; all but one are still still the island during the war; all but one are in place. sive 7in naval cannons were installed around installed around cannons were 7in naval sive stationed on Bora Bora. Today the runway on stationed Today the runway on on Bora Bora. (and most useful) is the clearest Motu Mute days. Eight mas- those frenetic of reminder mid-1946 Operation Bobcat transformed the transformed the mid-1946 Operation Bobcat island and, at its peak, up to 6000 men were tablished here, prompted by the bombing by the bombing prompted tablished here, in 1941. From early 1942 to Harbor Pearl of 1842) until the island was annexed in 1888. 1842) until the island was annexed power over Tahiti, but resisted becoming a but resisted Tahiti, power over in Tahiti (established over protectorate French London Missionary Society (LMS) base Society (LMS) London Missionary was established on the island in 1820. Bora Bora for supreme in his push Pomare supported his first voyage to French , and a Polynesia, to French voyage his first managed to resist the warriors of of the warriors to resist Huahine managed most expansive. Bora Bora at their Bora, land pressures created an unusually an unusually created Bora, land pressures Only warriors. fierce population of defensive Tongan island of the same According name. island of Tongan Hiro, the first to local myth, the legendary Ra’iatea,king of sent Ohatatama his son to Bora Bora. rule Vava’u, perhaps supporting th Vava’u, it was colonised by inhabitants from the In ancient times, the island was known as was known as In ancient times, the island lonelyplanet.com