Everything about Bora Bora totally explained
» This article is about the island of Bora Bora. For the administrative commune which includes the island, see Bora-Bora. For other meanings, see Bora Bora (disambiguation).Bora Bora is an island in the
Leeward group of the
Society Islands of
French Polynesia, an overseas territory of
France in the
Pacific Ocean. The island, located about 230 kilometres (140 mi) northwest of
Papeete, is surrounded by a
lagoon and a barrier
reef. In the center of the island are the remnants of an
extinct volcano rising to two peaks,
Mount Pahia and
Mount Otemanu, the highest point at 727 metres (2,385 ft). The original name of the island in the
Tahitian language might be better rendered as
Pora Pora, meaning "First Born"; an early
transcription found in 18th- and 19th century accounts, is
Bolabolla (or "Bollabolla").
The major settlement,
Vaitape is on the western side of the island, opposite the main channel into the lagoon. The products of the island are mostly limited to what can be obtained from the sea and coconut trees, which were historically of economic importance for
copra.
During the August
2007 census, the population on the island was about 8,880 people.
Administration
The island is administratively part of the
commune (municipality) of
Bora-Bora, itself in the
administrative subdivision of the
Leeward Islands.
The commune of Bora-Bora is made up of the island of Bora Bora proper with its surrounding
islets emerging from the coral reef (29.3 km²/11.3 sq. miles in total) and of the
atoll of
Tupai, located north of Bora Bora. The atoll of Tupai has no permanent population apart from about 50 workers in the coconut plantations.
History
The Island was first inhabited by Polynesian settlers around the 4th century. Its previous Polynesian name was
Vava'u.
The first European sighting was made by
Jakob Roggeveen in 1722.
James Cook sighted the island in 1769 and landed in
1777.
A London Missionary Society arrived in 1820 and founded a Protestant church in 1822.
In
1842 Bora Bora was made a
protectorate of
France following the actions of Admiral
Abel Aubert Dupetit Thouars.
World War II
Following the
December 7,
1941 attack on Pearl Harbor by
Japan, the
United States entered
World War II. The US chose Bora Bora as a
South Pacific military supply base, and an oil depot, airstrip,
seaplane base, and defensive fortifications were constructed. However, the island saw no combat as the American presence on Bora Bora went uncontested over the course of the war. Although the base was officially closed on
June 2,
1946, many American personnel so loved the island and the people that they refused to leave. Some had to be forcibly removed following complaints from their families.
This World War II airstrip, which was never able to accommodate large aircraft, was
French Polynesia's only international airport until Faa'a International Airport was opened in
Papeete,
Tahiti in 1962.
Today
Today the island is mainly dependent on
tourism. Over the last few years several high-end
resorts have been built on
motu (small islands) surrounding the lagoon.
Thirty years ago, Hotel Bora Bora built the first over-the-water
bungalows on stilts over the lagoon and today, overwater bungalows are a standard feature of most Bora Bora resorts. These bungalow-style accommodations will allow you to see parts of the scenery through their windows. As with any resort country, you'll receive what you pay for - it's possible to find cheap accommodations that sacrifice everything including cleanliness, and it's also possible to pay for cleaner, better-placed accommodations at a higher price. Most of the tourist destinations are aquacentric, however it's possible for a tourist to visit attractions on land such as WWII cannons.
Air Tahiti has five or six flights daily to the
airport on Moto Mute from Tahiti (as well as from other islands), at a cost of about 14,000
XPF one-way.
Although
French and
Tahitian are the main languages spoken by the inhabitants, people in contact with tourists generally have some command of
English. Most visitors to Bora Bora are American, Japanese, or European.
Public transport on the island is limited, consisting of a single bus that goes halfway around the island and back approximately every hour. Bicycles are the recommended method of transport for tourists. There are also small fun-cars for hire in the little town of Vaitape.
Bora Bora is famous for snorkeling and
scuba diving in and around its lagoon. Many species of
sharks and
rays inhabit the surrounding body of water. There are a few dive operators on the island offering manta ray dives and also shark-feeding dives.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Bora Bora'.
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