This atoll in the South Pacific was made famous by US Marines, stationed there during the Second World War, who were quite simply stunned by the magnificent natural beauty of the place. Since then, the atoll has become something of a tropical icon, a place that is so far away, it may as well be mythical.

bora bora

Bora Bora

Upon arrival, the first thing that will take your breath away are the brilliant colours of the lagoon: turquoise, aquamarine, sapphire, emerald, fluorescent green and electric blue - you could spend a day or two here just trying to get your mind around the myriad of colours! Then there's the impressive rock face of Mt. Otemanu that towers over the lagoon, the crystal clear water and pristine white sandy beaches, the low-rise resorts (that give the place a very exclusive feel) with their idyllic thatched roof overwater bungalows, the constant scent of frangipani and tiare Tahiti (the national flower that's used for almost everything), and the fact that you're in the middle of the South Pacific, thousands of miles away from the nearest landmass!

Bora Bora is a 45-minute flight away from Papeete, the capital of French Polynesia on the island of Tahiti, and the location of the international airport. There are several flights a day operated by Air Tahiti linking Bora Bora with Papeete and other islands.

Bora Bora is not cheap but with some good planning and internet research, you will be able to find great flight+hotel deals from the Americas, Australia or Japan. If you're on your way from Australia/New Zealand to Easter island and/or mainland Chile, there is the possibility of including Tahiti/Bora Bora in your itinerary. Air Tahiti Nui flies from Sydney, Melbourne and Auckland to Tahiti while Lan Chile flies the Tahiti - Easter Island - Santiago leg. Bora Bora's small airport is located on an island on the fringe of the atoll, which means that you have to take a boat from there to whichever hotel you're staying at - most hotels provide a pick-up service.

There are a handful of middle-grade hotels on the main island while the atolls around the lagoon house the most exclusive resorts anywhere in the South Pacific. My belief is that if you're going to fly all that way and spend all that money, you might as well live it up a bit more by, for instance, booking an overwater bungalow - little villas built on stilts in the lagoon. Most resorts on the atolls such as the Le Meridien, Four Seasons, St. Regis and others offer this luxurious accommodation type. The resorts mentioned above are relatively high-density but there are smaller resorts such as the Sofitel Motu (built on a secluded private island in the lagoon) and the Bora Bora Pearl Beach. Food and drink are also pricey so bring your own snacks and alcohol. Most resorts do offer reasonable meal plans so that may be something worth looking into.

There isn't much to do on Bora Bora except laze and take in the atoll's stunning beauty - thus making it ideal for a romantic honeymoon or if you really want to get away and do nothing but relax. You could also hire a boat or kayak, or jump into the clear water to admire the reefs and colourful fish. There are various excursions worth doing. One I would certainly recommend is the shark/manta ray feeding boat excursion. Swimming with the black tip sharks and graceful manta rays is truly an experience of a lifetime!

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