Best Things to Do in Bora Bora: Take the Perfect Boat Tour Around the Island
You’ve arrived in the paradise that is Bora Bora, and now you are looking at things to do. If you want to play with stingrays and sharks, swim with eagle rays, snorkel in a pristine coral garden, and learn how to make the most delicious poisson cru- we’ve got the perfect day excursion for you!
One thing you have to do when in Bora Bora is explore the azure lagoon and everything it has to offer. I mean, half of the reason people go to Bora Bora is to enjoy the pristine waters, so what can be better than a boat day?
Enter Bora Bora Romantic Tour. We did the Deluxe Bora Bora Experience and had the most incredible day out on the lagoon. Food, drinks, and snorkel masks are included, so all you have to remember to bring is your towel and sunscreen!
The company offers pick-up service right from your hotel, so you don’t have to worry about getting to their dock. The tours take place on Tahitian-style outrigger boats, which offer cover against the sun, and are pretty smooth sailing. We went out on a sunny day, and as someone who always gets seasick, I felt absolutely fine all day. Huge win for me!
Our first stop was stopping to play with the stingrays and sharks. The water here is waist height, so stepping out on the water is easy. We spent around 30 minutes here being circled by adorable stingrays, which truly act like puppies. Stingrays are one of the most misunderstood animals out there because of what unfortunately happened to Steve Irwin- they really are such sweet creatures. All they want is to be pet! As long as you keep your hands on top of the stingray, and not under their belly where their mouths are, or grab their tail where the sting is, they are quite innocent! Make sure to do the ‘stingray shuffle’ when you step out, to double-check that you don’t actually step on one.
The stingrays won’t be the only ones that come out to play- the black-tip reef sharks will keep their distance circling you, but the yellow striped fish will come right up to you. This moment was one of our favourites from the whole excursion and we couldn’t put our GoPro away for even a minute.
WATCH OUR STINGRAY VIDEO BELOW
The next stop was snorkeling in the world renown coral gardens of Bora Bora. Here, you will see the most beautiful and well-preserved coral reefs, and the “I love Bora Bora” sign written on the ocean floor. We got to see a moorie eel close up, which has been on Kaan’s bucketlist for the longest time! When we got back on the boat, I headed straight for the cooler to grab a beer and enjoy the views of the volcano.
After spending the morning out on the water, the last stop was visiting a local island for lunch and beach time. On the way, we stopped to swim with some eagle rays, which we saw floating in the deep water.
OUR SNORKELING VIDEO
Once we got to the local island (which are called motus), we were greeted with a delicious rum punch. The local host lady showed us how to make the traditional polynesian dish, poisson cru, which is raw tuna with coconut milk. We are OBSESSED with poisson cru, and were so happy to learn how to make it. Champagne and fruit were served for dessert, and we spent the remainder of our time there lounging on the beach and enjoying the pristine waters.
The finale of this excursion included a tour around the island of Bora Bora, where we were able to see Mount Otemanu from all angles. We also passed by all of the different hotels, and were able to compare the different types of water villas and resort amenities.
It was the perfect day for us to spend time out on the lagoon in Bora Bora. The price of this excursion is $180 USD per person, but it does include food and alcoholic drinks. Considering how pricey everything normally is in Bora Bora, this excursion is a steal- and definitely an unforgettable experience!