Without a doubt, Bora Bora is one
|
The name Bora Bora just sounds exotic. That alone makes it one of the top ten travel destinations around. It has been described by some as being the most beautiful island in the world. Now that statement might be open to debate for there are certainly many wonderful and beautiful islands in the world. However, there is no doubt that Bora Bora definitely deserves to be included on that exclusive list of rare magical places.
Beautiful white sand beach on the island of Bora Bora. You will
not find nicer beaches in any other top ten travel destination.
Peaceful Bora Bora lagoon with Mount Otemanu rising above.
The first thing to strike me upon landing in Bora Bora was the incredible color of the lagoon water which surrounds the island. Sparkling turquoise gives way to many different shades of beautiful blue which I have never seen matched in intensity anywhere else. The pictures on this website do not really do justice to what my eyes actually saw. The water of the lagoon areas is also incredibly clear with underwater visibility of well over 100 feet. If you like to snorkel or scuba dive, it is a dream come true (especially if you enjoy taking underwater pictures).
The colors found on Bora Bora are rich and varied. From the many
shades of blue seen in the surrounding lagoon waters to the deep
and lush greenery of the island's interior, the island is a
dream come true for photographers.
A view of the lush tropical interior of Bora Bora island.
The entire island of Bora Bora is surrounded with smaller islands known in Tahitian as "motus". While visiting this island paradise, a friend and I went on a catamaran excursion which stopped for a while on one of these motus. We enjoyed exploring the motu and swam and snorkeled along the shoreline. The types of colorful tropical fish we saw while snorkeling are difficult to describe - yet very beautiful. We also saw a number of large Manta Rays from the catamaran. Unfortunately, I did not have a waterproof camera with me so I didn't get any pictures of these colorful fish.
One of many smaller islands (or motus) which surround Bora Bora.
This is me on one of the outer motu islands back in 1988
with camera bag in hand. I wish I was still that thin!
Some of the dense tropical foliage found on the outer motu islands which surround Bora Bora.
Later that week, I rented an underwater camera at the hotel and went with my friend on a shark feeding expedition. This experience turned out to be the highlight of my trip to Tahiti. There were six people on the boat including a guide and his assistant. We all got into the water after the guide had lured about 6 or 7 sharks around our boat. The guide began feeding them fish chunks while the rest of us marveled and took
pictures of sharks
swimming around us. The guide also located a Moray eel among some rocks and hand fed it. Top ten travel destinations should offer unique and exciting experiences, and this shark feed on Bora Bora definitely qualified for that distinction.
Being in the water with black-tipped reef sharks turned out to be the highlight of my trip to Bora Bora, Tahiti. How many top ten travel destinations can offer something like this?
Clouds shroud the top of Mount Otemanu. Some over-the-water bungalows can be seen along the shoreline of the island. These are very popular with visitors to Bora Bora, although the bungalows do cost more than a room or hut on the main island.
Another view of Mount Otemanu as seen from the water. The constantly changing cloud formations offer many unique and different looks of this mountain peak.
All of the islands in French Polynesia could qualify as
top ten travel destinations
in their own right. But Bora Bora truly deserves a special and unique place among the world's tropical islands. It is easy to see why many say it is the best.
Cruising around the lagoon on a catamaran is a terrific way to see the island of Bora Bora in all of it's glory and to see why it deserves to be included on a list of top ten travel destinations.
Bora Bora is filled with beautiful tropical flowers
such as these Plumeria blossoms.
Close-up view of Mount Otemanu, located in the center of Bora Bora island.
Please visit more of my Tahiti pages:
Pictures of Moorea, Tahiti
Tahiti main page
Pictures of Bora Bora sharks
To return to the home page, click here.
