Tag: Papeete

The world has so much to offer and explore that there are so many places that we have never even heard of. Even the most minute of spaces around the earth is beautiful, surreal and could be dream destinations to tick on your bucket list. One such place is the French Polynesian group of islands- Bora Bora. Location Not a very common tourist place, it is an archipelago located around 2600 miles south of Hawaii in the Pacific Ocean. The real name in local dialect is “Pora Pora”, which means the firstborn. It is the most well-known and celebrated island of French Polynesia and is a leading beauty. The main island is surrounded by a lagoon and a Barrier reef. In the centre of the island lies the remains of an extinct volcano which rises in two peaks- Mount Otemanu and Mount Pahia. The main settlement of the island is Vaitape located on its western side. This island runs mainly on the basis of tourism, with very little resources of itself. Best time to visit Since the island lies in the South Pacific Ocean, the temperature is usually between 25-30°C throughout the year. Occasional sea storms or weather phenomenon usually happens around the months of November- April. However, during this time the tourist traffic is less and you may get cheap rented rooms. Ideally, the best time to visit Bora Bora is from June to October, when the temperature is fine and normal to enjoy water sports without hindrance. How to reach? Reaching Bora Bora can be a little exhausting, but fret not. Here are some suggestions for you all: From India, there are no such direct flights. The only direct flights also have a stoppage at Singapore or Auckland. This is going to be really expensive and may cost around INR 1-2 lakhs per person, from Mumbai or Delhi. All the flights will first go to Papeete and then the Air Tahiti will fly you to a small islet of Motu Mute, from where you can go to the Bora Bora Island on a boat. The cheapest way to travel from India will be to take a flight from southern India. Flight from Bangalore to New Zealand will cost around INR 45000. From there, you can go to Bora Bora on a cruise or flight. You can travel by water only when you are in any nearby island or place like Honolulu etc. Where to stay? Bora Bora is very small and thus all the hotels, resorts and overwater bungalows are very close to each other. There are numerous private islands as well, where you can honeymoon with your partner. Some ideal locations to stay can be: Sofitel Bora Bora Private Island: This exclusive island offers accommodation among the beautiful crystal-clear beach waters. Royal Bora Bora: This resort has a restaurant and has got 3-star reviews offering spacious and comfortable accommodation. Village Temanuata: This is a low-key bungalow kind of resort offering kitchens and a beach for sightseeing nearby. Maitai Polynesia Bora Bora Resort: This is the ideal budget accommodation for budget travellers, with low room rates. Pearl Beach Resort Bora Bora: This is the ideal resort for those tourists who want to experience the traditional Tahiti Architecture. Hilton Bora Bora Nui Resort and Spa: This resort cum spa offers some amazing massaging and spa services for a cosy Living. It is a 5-star deluxe property and provides a luxurious residence. Destinations and Places to see The place has a lot to offer in terms of major tourist attractions. Do take a look at all these below-listed destinations: Matira Beach: This is the most famous beach in Bora Bora and also around the whole world. It is a public beach and has been even labelled as the most beautiful of all beaches. It has pure white sands and aqua, turquoise waters which make it look heavenly. It is not very crowded and people can watch Sunset and do water sports over here. There are many cafés and restaurants around it, serving local food. The Matira point on this beach is famous for a heavenly view of the Sunset with pink and orange hues in the background. Mount Pahia: This is the second-highest mountain peak on the Island and is located in the centre of the island. Tourists can take a boat ride around the mountain and enjoy the natural beauty of the place. The peak remains shrouded in the white clouds and around it is the beautiful Pacific waters. White Valley: As the name suggests, it is a paradise for all the diving lovers with its alluring white sands all around. This valley has much to offer in terms of rich coral and marine life and has many exotic sand dunes, shells and coral formations. Various types of fishes are also found here. Leopard Rays Trench: This is another diving site, wherein people can go underwater and watch the giant, amazing Manta Rays. The white bottom has many wonderful creatures whom you can watch and click on your camera too. Maupiti: It is a small coral atoll which has a volcanic island in the middle. Maupiti is known for its raw beauty and has interesting angles from where you can see the surroundings from the highest peak of this place. There are other sites like Mount Otemanu on which you can go for rock climbing or trekking. There are many war memorial sites too which depict the role of Bora Bora in World War II. Local Cuisine The Bora Bora has a unique cuisine with the intermixing of Japanese, French and Italian Styles. There are many restaurants in this Island along with some local Street side stalls as well. The food is made in ovens which are dug deep inside the ground. After the raw food is wrapped in Banana leaves, it is made to cook in-ground for hours. This type of feast is called Tamaaraa. Since it is an island, the main diet food is fish. Poisson