I know what you must be thinking - Bora Bora? Wow! To most of us, Bora Bora is something of our dreams. If you want to have your mind blown the second you step off the plane, start with Bora Bora.


This beautiful island had been at the top of my (now) husband and I's bucket list for almost the entirety of our 7.5 year relationship. Starting from the day I said "yes" to spending forever with Graham in December of 2017, we started joking about finally biting the bullet and visiting Bora Bora for our honeymoon. Eventually, that joke became a reality - and here we are!


Verdict = BEST. TRIP. EVER.


Getting to visit Bora Bora for our honeymoon was so amazing. I couldn't have imagined a better way to spend our first week as husband and wife.


With a gorgeous turquoise lagoon surrounding the main island and the large dormant volcano, Mount Otemanu at the center, this island has anything you could imagine for a luxury vacation.


While the luxurious properties at Bora Bora are designed for you to live your best life of relaxation and treating yourself, there are also tons of activities to help you enjoy the island lifestyle.


While Graham and I probably won't be hitting up Bora Bora again anytime soon (gotta live that budget life,) getting to visit for our honeymoon was amazing, and we look forward to going again one day! I wanted to share my love of this island with all of you by sharing the the details of our trip, how you can afford to go too, and the top 10 things you need to know when booking a Bora Bora vacation.

1. Why visit Bora Bora?


Bora Bora was the #1 destination on my bucket list for as long as I could remember. Although my husband and I talked about it for years, getting to make it a reality was truly magical.


The island is exactly what we imagined - and more. The second our plane landed, we just had this feeling of pinch me!


The beaches have the softest, whitest sand, and the ocean is different shades of crystal blue, green and turquoise - just mind-blowingly beautiful.


Visiting here is pure paradise. The luxury and the culture (local French + Tahitian as well as visitors from all over the world) is unparalleled. 


Although budget could be a reason you may question visiting Bora Bora, this post will serve as a guide so that you can discover how to make this dream destination not as pricey as you may think.

2. What to Expect on the Island


First things first, expect your worries to float away. With turquoise waters and incredible views at every angle, it's almost guaranteed.


Bora Bora will capture your heart the moment you experience one of this island's truly epic sunsets.


So, for the island itself - Bora Bora has motu's (small islets) that surround the main island along with the reef, creating a picture-perfect lagoon. Away from the locals, most resorts are located on the motu's, giving the most incredible views.


About the locals - Locals of Bora Bora are some of the friendliest, most caring people you will ever meet. Living in isolation with a tiny population, these locals have a true sense of community and fascinating traditions. You're also guaranteed to be greeted with a friendly "Ia Orana" everywhere you go.


What you really want to know - There are a few things you need to know about Bora Bora that will make your trip SO much easier. First of all, French is the official language of Bora Bora and all of French Polynesia. However, almost everyone on the island speaks English as well. The local currency is the French Pacific Franc (CFP). One USD is about 109.12 CFP. The US dollar is accepted a lot of places, but you will definitely want plenty of spending money in CFP (we exchanged in the LAX airport.) You can also use your credit card at most hotels, car rental companies, restaurants and shops, but you will want to always have cash in CFP or USD with you just in case. There are also ATMs at banks on the main island. On the island, the power plugs are type A, B and E. But, I recommend bringing a universal adapter with converters. It makes everything so much easier!


While in Bora Bora, you'll truly be able to relax in the best way possible because this island is one of the safest places to visit in the world. There is virtually zero crime, making it the perfect destination.

3. When to Go


Bora Bora is a perfect 78-87 degrees almost every day, all year long. The best time to visit is between June and August. The weather is warm, and there is very little chance of rain. But during high season, hotel and bungalow prices skyrocket.


If you are looking to be a bit more budget-friendly, November through April is a great time to visit the island. This tends to be the rainy season, but don't let that scare you off.


While the weather may be a bit more unpredictable, most of the time the storms are short-lived. We got lucky on our visit - the weather was truly perfect every day!

4. What to Pack


Most of your time on this beautiful island will be spent on the water and in the sun. So, you will (of course) want to bring swimsuits, shorts, dresses, and other warm-weather gear.


The most important thing to bring to Bora Bora - SUNSCREEN! The sun here is harsher than anything I've ever seen. You'll be burnt to a crisp before you realize it, so bring plenty of extras. Don't wait to buy a second bottle on the island like I did - paying almost $45 for one really hurt the wallet (whoops!)


You will also want to bring a waterproof camera! You will very likely be spending a lot of time in the crystal blue lagoon or snorkeling on an excursion, so you'll want to have a GoPro or something similar for getting video of the awesome coral, marine life or yourself! Our GoPro videos and photos were some of my favorites from our entire trip.

5. How to Get There


First things first - you have to actually get to the island. Imagine that!


We flew from Atlanta to LAX, LAX to Tahiti. It was roughly a nine-hour flight, so you will definitely want the overnight flight with Air Tahiti so you will get a full day at your hotel once you arrive.


Once you arrive at Pape'ete, French Polynesia's capital and largest city, you'll have to hop on a 50-minute flight into Bora Bora. If you are considering visiting multiple French Polynesian islands, you'll want to purchase the Air Tahiti Air Pass. (It makes the shorter flights much more affordable.)


After arriving at the tiny Bora Bora airport, your hotel will pick you up via boat right at the front. Bora Bora Pearl Beach Resort greeted us with leis, grabbed our luggage, and escorted us to the boat.


Under the bright blue sky, you'll be wisped away to your little slice of paradise.

6. Where to Stay


Most people who visit Bora Bora stay at one of the many resorts on the island (like we did!) If luxury is what you are after, then that is definitely the way to go. The overwater bungalows are incredible but pricey - but since Bora Bora is a once-in-a-lifetime destination for most people, it is absolutely worth it. 


We chose to stay at Bora Bora Pearl Beach Resort, with a slightly more modest price. They also offered free boat transfers to and from the main island! This was an awesome plus since most resorts charge at least $50 one way.


Overlooking the famous Mount Otemanu, this adorable island resort has countless overwater bungalows (our choice!) and beach suites. Besides a room with impeccable views and a superb staff, Bora Bora Pearl Beach Resort also has its own spa, multiple restaurants, and beach activities in addition to a coral nursery. You could visit for a week and never even leave the resort!

7. Things to Do


When we were planning our visit to Bora Bora, we seemed to find a trend that people think the island is boring. After spending the week in this literal paradise, my hubby and I were grateful to discover just how wrong that was. While some activities can get pricey, there were still plenty that were budget-friendly and fun!


While you can easily spend a week gazing out at the lagoon working on your tan, there's a lot to do on the island. If you want a bit more excitement, you can do things like lagoon tours, kayaking, snorkeling, hiking or spas.


Since Graham and I opted for budget-friendly activities, I thought I would give you guys the rundown on what activities we chose for each day!


Day 1 - For our first full day on the island, we decided to relax a bit and take advantage of everything our resort has to offer. Bora Bora Pearl Beach Resort provides snorkeling equipment, stand-up paddleboards, kayaks, and canoes for free to anyone staying at the resort. Learning how to stand on a paddleboard made for quite an entertaining afternoon (and some funny videos!)


One of my favorite parts about the Bora Bora Pearl Beach Resort was the lagoon. We spent a lot of time snorkeling in the coral garden and outside of our bungalow with the fish. We had the best time and got some amazing photos - the water was just so clear!


Day 2 - After a visit to our concierge (which I highly recommend - they help you find the best activities for your budget!), we decided to spend Wednesday on a ray and snorkel adventure. The particular one we chose cost about $80 a person, but it was all day and included lunch.


Bora Bora's lagoon is home to sharks, rays, corals and tons of beautiful fish, making the snorkeling incredible. Although it's hard to believe, Bora Bora is even more beautiful below sea level with 800 unique fish species and insane amounts of coral reefs.


With this excursion, we got the chance to snorkel with black tip and lemon sharks as well as rays and thousands of fish.


This trip was truly a once in a lifetime experience - with our guide being a local to Bora Bora and teaching us so many great things about his culture. Our lunch was held at a secluded motu islet where we ate true local cuisine, tried genuine coconut and created headbands from palm fronds. 


What made this trip even better was the variety of cultures on this excursion. In addition to Americans, we were joined by French, Italian and Japanese people - all spending the day soaking up culture and trying to communicate with each other.


100% worth every cent you will spend on this day.

Day 3 - On Thursday, we chose to take a trip across the island to Le Meridian resort to the Bora Bora Turtle Center. Our concierge helped us arrange transportation, and we were able to travel and visit the center for around $50 each.


The turtle center was one of my favorite parts of visiting Bora Bora because I LOVE sea turtles! The center's goal is to protect and rehab turtles in French Polynesia. 


The biologists here rescue turtles that have been injured by predators or poachers and rehab them back to health. If you get lucky, your visit might even coincide with a turtle release!


While we were at the center, we were given a tour of the turtle nursery and rehab center and were educated on the conservation and migration of these particular types of turtles. At the end, we even got to help feed the turtles being rehabbed! It was a one-of-a-kind experience I will never forget.


After the tour, we adventured around Le Meridian taking in the views and a few coconut drinks before catching the boat back to Bora Bora Pearl Beach Resort.

Day 4 - On our last full day, Graham and I decided to spend the day on the main island and explore. We set up a car rental and went on our way! They even drive on the same side of the road as the US, so it made this a breeze.


In the main village of Viatape, there are supermarkets, shops and open-air markets. This was a cool place to buy inexpensive, handmade items from locals! From Viatape, we took the car around the island, only 18 miles all the way around, taking in the beautiful views, local beaches, architecture, churches and hiking trails. We even found the most beautiful view of the island at the top of a very steep hike to find abandoned World War II cannons. It was a challenging hike in my sandals (whoops!) but it was well worth it! Before we turned in the car, I made sure to stop by Tahia Pearls to buy myself a pair of genuine Tahitian pearl earrings, easily my favorite souvenir of the entire trip!


As you can see, there is no lack of fun activities on this amazing island. So, I suggest visiting your concierge to discuss your must-dos and budget!

8. How to Get Around


As I've mentioned before, each resort has their own water taxi to escort you from the main island. We were fortunate that our resort didn't charge us to take advantage of this option. However, if you book a reservation at a restaurant on the mainland, they will send a shuttle boat to you for free - regardless of where you are staying!


When getting around the main island, you'll need some sort of transportation since the island isn't particularly walkable. If you have a particular destination in mind, you can set up a taxi with your concierge before departure. If you are just going to explore, you can rent a car for the day from Avis for less than $100. You can rent bikes and scooters from them as well at an even cheaper rate!

9. What to Eat


Ahh...the food! Bora Bora had some incredible food options, especially if you love seafood as much as I do!


Our resort package included breakfast at the Tevairoa Restaurant (some packages included dinner too!) Needless to say, breakfast quickly became our favorite meal of the day. It was served buffet style with gorgeous views of the lagoon and Mount Otemanu. There were tons of options from fruit, pastries and bread to cheeses, meats and fresh juices.


Bora Bora Pearl Beach Resort also had the Miki Miki Bar & Grill, perfect for lunch or a mid-afternoon poolside snack. They had a little bit of everything - my favorite was the pasta! The resort also had the Taurearea Sushi Bar open for dinner, which was SO yummy!


My favorite meal on the resort was on our first night for the vibrant, live Polynesian show! There isn't a ton of night-time entertainment in Bora Bora, but the Polynesian dinner is a must! It was super delicious, entertaining and a unique way to learn a bit about Tahitian culture. I even found my new favorite wine at this dinner, and yes I brought some home with me!


If you feel like visiting the main island for lunch or dinner, be sure to check out the food trucks or our personal favorite, Snack Lolo. It was a small little snack food restaurant where you could get tons of food at super low prices! Their pizza was divine, too! You can even visit their local supermarket, an easy walk from Snack Lolo, for snacks that are much more affordable than eating at your resort.

If you are looking for a swankier option, Bloody Mary's is incredible and offers one of the most exclusive dining spots on the island. It has gotten quite the celebrity status over the years, but Bloody Mary's offers a cool vibe with amazing food you may only get the chance to eat once in your life. The price tag at this spot is pretty hefty, but save your pennies because I promise this one is worth it!

10. Money-Saving Tips for Bora Bora


Though Bora Bora is a luxury destination, there are definitely ways to save money and make your trip more affordable. If you need a little inspiration for visiting Bora Bora yourself, here are a few tips we used to save money in paradise!


Visit during the off-season. - December to March is considered the slow season when hotel and resort prices are at their lowest. But keep in mind, there is also a huge risk of heavy rain this time of year. November and April are the best months for the cheapest rates and good weather.


Book your flights early. - Flights to Bora Bora were easily the biggest cost of our trip. Once we decided that we were visiting Bora Bora for our honeymoon, we reached out to a local travel agent to help us plan. Sean with Dream Vacations really was a gem - helping us navigate options with what we could afford. He helped us plan all of our flights and transfers as well as booking our resorts and excursions.


Research your accommodations. - It's true, resorts and hotels in Bora Bora are notoriously expensive - easily $700 to $3,000 a night. With Sean's help, we were able to find a resort with everything we wanted at an affordable price. Package deals are your best friend! Look for options that include daily meals, drinks, or activities. With that in mind, if the resorts are out of budget for you, check out Airbnb. There are lots of great options on the main island with great rates.


Take advantage of the freebies. - Take advantage of the free water activities at your resort before spending hundreds on an excursion. Most resorts include kayaking, snorkeling, and other activities as well as a private beach.


Eat locally. - If you don't want to spend money on every meal, be sure to visit the snack spots and supermarkets in Viatape to fill your belly without breaking the bank.


Well, do I have you dreaming of a French Polynesian vacation yet? Bora Bora really is the pearl of the Pacific. It is even more beautiful than you could imagine and will make for a vacation you will never forget. I know I won't!


Is Bora Bora on your bucket list? Any questions I may have missed? Let me know in the comments below!