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Bora Bora & Taha'a |
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Bora Bora & Taha'a
Few names conjure up more romantic images than fabled Bora Bora. And they’re all true—Bora Bora really does have the wild jungle, emerald peaks, secluded lagoons, and crystalline waters you’re hoping for. And if it’s possible to get even more exotic than that, remote Taha’a is another idyllic side of French Polynesia.
Activities and Attractions:
On Bora Bora, your vacation can be as active or as restorative as you like. Bronze yourself on white sand beaches. Go snorkeling—the waters of the huge protected lagoons here are famously clear. Raititi Point and Matira Point both jut into shallow, sandy-bottomed lagoons, and together offer the best snorkeling and swimming on the island. When you’ve toasted enough, spend some time in Vaitape, the biggest town on Bora Bora, to get a taste of local life.
Explore the interior a bit, too. Away from the beaches you might stumble upon a Marae, or ancient temple; a working coconut plantation; or even the rusting hulks of guns placed in the hills by American soldiers during World War II. You can book truck tours of the island, or view it all from above on a helicopter tour.
On less visited Taha’a, you can see a sea-turtle rehabilitation clinic, buy farm-fresh vanilla beans, and purchase black pearls directly from the farmers who cultivate them. Or, as with Bora Bora, you can recharge in the lap of luxury at a plush resort—some are located on private islands.
Insider Tip:
When shopping for black pearls—French Polynesia’s signature export—beware specimens that appear just a little too perfect. A necklace made from pearls that are all exactly the same size and shape, with perfect uniform drill holes, is almost certainly mass-produced. Real pearls have minute variations and are drilled by hand.
-Exclusively for Perfect Escapes by Nicole Clausing |
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