Bora Bora’s lagoon ring around Vaitape

Bora Bora pairs a volcanic core with a lagoon and reef, while Vaitape sits on the west coast beside the main channel.

Bora Bora combines a volcanic island, a wide lagoon and a barrier reef in one compact landscape. Vaitape, the principal settlement, stands on the west side, facing the channel into the lagoon.

Bora Bora between volcano and reef

The island rises from the Society Islands in French Polynesia, in the South Pacific, with Mount Otemanu reaching 727 m (2,385 ft). Its land area is 30.55 km² (11.80 sq mi), and the main island lies about 230 kilometres northwest of Papeete.

The centre of Bora Bora is the eroded core of an extinct volcano, surrounded by water and coral. That meeting of steep slopes, reef and lagoon gives the island its recognisable outline, especially when seen from the west coast.

Vaitape on the western shore

Vaitape is the largest settlement and the administrative centre of Bora Bora. It sits opposite the main channel into the lagoon, with the island’s daily life concentrated along the waterfront and the roads that run inland.

French and Tahitian are the main languages spoken on Bora Bora, and the commune also includes Tupai. The island belongs to French Polynesia, which is an overseas collectivity of France.

Landscape, history and settlement

The outer reef encloses a lagoon, and several small islets sit along its edge. On the island itself, Mount Pahia and Mount Otemanu form the highest ground, while the lower shores remain tied to the lagoon and its passages.

Polynesian settlers arrived around the third century CE, and the island entered European maps after Jacob Roggeveen saw it in 1722. James Cook visited in 1769 and 1777, and France annexed Bora Bora in the late nineteenth century.

Visiting Bora Bora: what travellers from Western Europe should know

• The island is reached through Bora Bora Airport on Motu Mute, and Vaitape sits on the western shore opposite the lagoon entrance.
• The terrain rises quickly towards Mount Otemanu and Mount Pahia, while the shore stays low and edged by reef and lagoon.
• The commune of Bora-Bora also includes Tupai, an atoll north of the main island.
• French is the official language in French Polynesia, and the CFP franc is the local currency.
• Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.

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Frequently asked questions about Bora Bora

Where is Bora Bora?

Bora Bora is in French Polynesia, in the Society Islands of the South Pacific. Vaitape is the main settlement on its western side.

What does a visit involve?

The island is defined by the contrast between the volcanic interior, the reef and the lagoon. Travel across the main island centres on the shoreline, the airport at Motu Mute and the roads around Vaitape.

What makes Bora Bora distinctive?

Mount Otemanu, the lagoon and the barrier reef give Bora Bora its clear profile. The island’s scale and the position of Vaitape make the landscape easy to read from the water.