What is the best area to stay in Bora Bora?

For the water and the view, the eastern motu, where the Four Seasons, the St. Regis and the Westin face Otemanu. For a beach you can walk to and lower prices, Matira on the main island, the only public beach.

Is it better to stay on a motu or the main island?

On a motu if the lagoon is the point of the trip and the budget allows; on the main island if you want to eat out, walk to the beach and spend less. Many visitors split the stay.

Where should I stay in Bora Bora on a budget?

A pension at Matira or in the north. Village Temanuata's beach bungalows run ≈ 27,000–32,000 XPF (≈ US$265–315) for two, plus VAT; Bora Vaite Lodge, with shared bathrooms and breakfast included, quotes on request.

Where should families stay?

On the main island, Bora Bora Holidays Lodge in Nunue, with apartments and two pools; at the top end, the Four Seasons, where children 17 and under stay free in their parents' room.

Can I walk to Matira beach from the resorts?

Not from the motu resorts: every one is a boat ride from the main island. From Royal Bora Bora, Le Maitai Polynesia or Village Temanuata, yes.

No. Matira is walkable, the coast road suits a bike, and a one-day rental from the Vaitape quay covers the island. On a motu you will rely on boats anyway.

Is the InterContinental Thalasso open?

No. It closed on 1 June 2026 and is due back as Regent Bora Bora in late 2027.

Which side of Bora Bora has the sunsets?

The west. Le Bora Bora on Motu Tevairoa and the Conrad on Motu To'opua are on the sunset side; the eastern motu trade the sunset for the view of Otemanu.

Is there a hotel at the airport?

No. The airport has a motu to itself. The closest resort is Le Bora Bora, 10 minutes away by boat; everyone else crosses to Vaitape on the free shuttle in about 15 minutes.

When is accommodation cheapest?

In the wet season: January and February bring the deepest pension discounts, and the fewest visitors across French Polynesia. Expect more rain, around 245 mm in January.

Which hotels have overwater bungalows?

The five motu resorts: the Four Seasons, the St. Regis, Le Bora Bora, the Conrad and the Westin. The rooms are compared in Bora Bora's overwater bungalows.

Stay · Bora Bora

Where to stay
in Bora Bora.

On a motu for the water, at Matira for the beach, in the village or the north for the budget. What each choice costs, in money and in boats.

The ring of motu where the resorts sit

Stay · Bora Bora

Bora Bora's beds split along one line. On one side are the motu, the reef islets around the lagoon, where every big resort sits. On the other is the main island, with the beach, the village and every cheaper room. The airport is on a motu too. Decide which side of that line you want before you choose a hotel: this page sets out the areas, the kinds of stay and the trade-offs, and the ranking compares the hotels themselves.

01 · The short answer

Motu, Matira
or the village.

With the budget for it, and the lagoon as the point: a resort on a motu. You get the water at the door and, on the eastern motu, Otemanu across the lagoon. You also get a boat timetable: dinner in the village, a dive shop or Matira beach all mean the resort shuttle.

For a beach without boats: Matira, on the south of the main island, the island's only public beach.¹ The mid-range hotels and several pensions are close by, with snack bars and restaurants you can walk to.

For the lowest bill: a pension in or near Vaitape, or in the quieter north. Rooms are simpler and a bike or a car becomes part of the plan, but the lagoon is the same lagoon.

02 · The areas

Five places
to sleep.

The eastern motu

The big-name resorts face Otemanu from the outer reef: the Four Seasons, the St. Regis on Motu Ome'e and the Westin on Motu Tape.²³⁴ Seclusion and the postcard view, at the price of a boat ride for anything off the property. Best for honeymoons and overwater rooms.

The western and southern motu

The sunset side, closer to the village. Le Bora Bora by Pearl Resorts is on Motu Tevairoa, 10 minutes by boat from the airport and 15 from Vaitape;⁵ the Conrad has Motu To'opua in the south-west lagoon.⁶ Best for overwater rooms with an easier run to dinner ashore.

Matira and the south

The public beach,¹ the mid-range hotels (Royal Bora Bora and Le Maitai Polynesia), pensions such as Village Temanuata, the InterContinental Le Moana on Matira Point itself (open, and not the closed Thalasso), snack bars and a dive centre.⁷⁸⁹¹⁰ The closest thing to a self-sufficient base without a boat or a car.

Vaitape and the west coast

The village and its quay, where Air Tahiti's free airport shuttle docks¹¹ and the rental desks, taxis and le truck wait.¹² Shops, the independent restaurants and the roulottes. Practical rather than pretty, and the cheapest place to sleep near everything.

Faanui, Anau and the north

Residential, quiet and green, with the Second World War sites and the marae. Bora Vaite Lodge, the island's budget model, is in the north and runs daytime transfers to Matira or Vaitape at 800 XPF (≈ US$8) per person return.¹³ A bike or a car stops being optional.

03 · The big decision

Motu resort
or main island?

The water: Motu resort: Lagoon at the door; overwater rooms; on the eastern motu, the Otemanu view.
Main island: Matira's shallow, sheltered water; elsewhere the lagoon is across the coast road.
Getting about: Motu resort: The resort's boats, on the resort's timetable. The return airport boat is in the Four Seasons' rate and the Westin's nightly fee; the St. Regis charges 17,200 XPF (≈ US$169) and the Conrad 18,000 XPF (≈ US$176) per person.²⁴³¹⁴
Main island: On foot at Matira, otherwise a bike, a car for a day, a taxi or le truck from Vaitape.¹²
Eating: Motu resort: Resort restaurants, priced like the rooms, unless you take the boat ashore.
Main island: Snack bars, restaurants and the Vaitape roulottes.
Price: Motu resort: Overwater bungalows ≈ 50,000 XPF (≈ US$490) to well over 200,000 XPF (≈ US$1,960) a night.¹⁵
Main island: Pension bungalows at Matira from ≈ 27,000 XPF (≈ US$265) for two, plus VAT.¹⁰
Suits: Motu resort: Honeymoons, short stays, travellers whose trip is mostly about the water.
Main island: Families on a budget, independent travellers, anyone who wants to eat out.

Verdict. The lagoon looks the same from both sides; what changes is how you reach it and what you pay. A motu for the stay you came for; the main island if you want Bora Bora as a place, not only a view. Plenty of trips do both.

04 · By kind of stay

From overwater
to a shared bathroom.

Luxury motu resorts: The Four Seasons, the St. Regis, Le Bora Bora, the Conrad and the Westin. Bora Bora's hotels averaged ≈ 137,000 XPF (≈ US$1,340) per room-night before tax in July–September 2025, the highest in the country.¹⁶ The Conrad's suites started at 190,523 XPF (≈ US$1,870), before tax, for one October 2026 night.¹⁷Compared in the ranking
Mid-range hotels: Royal Bora Bora, with garden rooms, a pool and a beach bar near Matira, advertised an early-booking rate from 28,884 XPF (≈ US$283) a night in October 2026.⁸ Le Maitai Polynesia has two restaurants and two bars near Matira Beach.⁹Three-star hotels averaged ≈ 36,000 XPF (≈ US$353) territory-wide, July–September 2025¹⁶
Pensions and guesthouses: Village Temanuata has 11 fan-cooled bungalows on the beach at Matira Point, at ≈ 27,000–32,000 XPF (≈ US$265–315) per bungalow for two, plus VAT (undated rate sheet, checked 2026).¹⁰ Chez Alice et Raphael is three bungalows on Motu Ome, with no air conditioning and no TV.¹⁸More on how pensions work in the pensions guide
Families: Bora Bora Holidays Lodge in Nunue has rooms, studios, bungalows and apartments, 12 units for up to 38 people, and two pools.¹⁹ Among the resorts, the Four Seasons lets children 17 and under stay free in their parents' room.²See French Polynesia with children
Budget: Bora Vaite Lodge: shared bathroom, breakfast included, guest kitchen, cash only; rates on request.¹³Bring cash; not everything takes cards

05 · Who is where

The hotels,
by location.

Four Seasons Resort Bora Bora

Private motu facing Otemanu and Pahia. 108 overwater bungalows and suites, seven beachfront villa estates; breakfast and the airport boat included, with a compulsory 10% resort fee.²²⁰

The St. Regis Bora Bora Resort

Motu Ome'e. Overwater villas from 1,550 sq ft (≈ 144 m²) and a private Lagoonarium.³

Conrad Bora Bora Nui

Motu To'opua. Reopened 1 May 2026; Hilton says every villa has a private pool, though some categories are sold without one.²¹¹⁷ Hilton's site reported works in parts of the resort in October 2026.²²

Le Bora Bora by Pearl Resorts

Motu Tevairoa, 10 minutes from the airport by boat. 108 rooms and villas, overwater, beach and garden.⁵

The Westin Bora Bora Resort & Spa

Motu Tape, the former Le Méridien, reopened September 2024 with 128 overwater bungalows.²³ Destination fee 11,550 XPF (≈ US$113) a night.⁴

Royal Bora Bora and Le Maitai Polynesia

Main island, near Matira. Pools, restaurants, the beach on foot. The Royal Bora Bora has no overwater rooms; Le Maitai has 13 overwater and 7 Premium overwater bungalows, at the island's lowest published overwater rates.⁸⁹²⁴²⁵

06 · From the plane to your bed

Arriving,
step by step.

01
Land on Motu Mute
Bora Bora's airport is on a motu on the north of the reef. Nothing there but the terminal and the pontoons.
02
Resort guests: the hotel boat
Motu resorts meet their guests at the airport pontoon with their own boats.¹² The price varies: included in the Four Seasons' rate, 17,200 XPF (≈ US$169) return at the St. Regis, 18,000 XPF (≈ US$176) return per person at the Conrad.²³¹⁴ Confirm it when you book, and send your flight number.
03
Everyone else: the free shuttle
Air Tahiti's shuttle crosses to the Vaitape quay in about 15 minutes, free with your ticket and with no booking; seats are limited.¹¹
04
From Vaitape: taxi, truck or pick-up
Taxis and le truck wait at the quay; most pensions will collect you if asked.¹²
05
Leaving
The shuttle leaves the Vaitape quay 1 h 30 before each departure.¹¹ Resort guests: ask for the boat time the day before.

07 · Closed and renamed

Names you'll see
that you can't book.

InterContinental Bora Bora Resort & Thalasso Spa closed on 1 June 2026 and is due to reopen as Regent Bora Bora in late 2027, with 84 villas.²⁶ Tahiti Tourisme's listing still showed it as open all year when we checked in October 2026,²⁷ and some booking sites still sell it. They should not.

The two Sofitels, Marara Beach and the Private Island, are closed and no longer appear on Tahiti Tourisme's list of Bora Bora hotels.²⁸ Le Méridien became the Westin in September 2024.²³ Bloody Mary's Hotel was listed as temporarily closed in October 2026.²⁹

08 · By traveller

Who should
sleep where.

Honeymooners: A motu resort, ideally overwater, with Otemanu on the eastern side or the sunset on the western one.See the Bora Bora honeymoon guide
Families: The main island near Matira, where the water is shallow and the beach is public; or, if the budget stretches, the Four Seasons or the Conrad, both with kids' clubs for ages 5 to 12.³⁰³¹See with children
Divers: Matira, where Bora Diving Center has worked from the beach since 1992; an introductory dive cost 14,900 XPF (≈ US$146) in 2026.³² Motu resorts arrange pick-ups, at a price.See diving in French Polynesia
Hikers: The main island, close to the trailheads. Mount Pahia, 661 m, is the summit you can climb, with a guide and in dry weather.³³See things to do in Bora Bora
Short stopover: Le Bora Bora, 10 minutes from the airport by boat,⁵ or a Matira hotel close to the Vaitape shuttle quay.
Tight budget: A pension in the north or at Matira, the free airport shuttle, a bike and the roulottes.¹¹¹³See what a trip costs

09 · Timing

When to book,
and what moves the price.

Rain and price move together. July to September are the driest months at the airport, about 62–65 mm of rain a month; December and January are the wettest, around 245–251 mm.³⁴ Visitor numbers across French Polynesia peak in July and are lowest in January, February and November,³⁵ and Village Temanuata's seasonal offers are deepest in January and February.¹⁰

The small places fill first. Village Temanuata has 11 bungalows,¹⁰ Chez Alice et Raphael three:¹⁸ for July, August and the Christmas holidays, book them when you book the flights. The motu resorts have more rooms but the same calendar.

Cruise ships anchor in the lagoon on some days and land passengers at Vaitape. The commune caps them at 1,200 a day,³⁶ but the quay, the taxis and Matira are noticeably busier then: if you stay at Matira, plan your beach days around them.

10 · Splitting the stay

Two bases,
one island.

Plenty of trips split Bora Bora: a few nights at Matira or in a pension, then the last nights on a motu. The move is a boat transfer from the main island; ask the resort where and when it collects guests. The Westin, for one, runs a daily boat to its base on the main island.⁴

You don't have to fly in. The Apetahi Express leaves Papeete at 06:30 on Tuesday, Friday and Sunday and reaches Bora Bora at 13:20 after Huahine, Raiatea and Taha'a, for 8,000 XPF (≈ US$78) one way in school term and 9,000 XPF (≈ US$88) in the holidays (timetable from 15 June 2026).³⁷ It makes Bora Bora the natural last stop of a Society Islands loop.

Whichever way you arrive, keep a night on Tahiti before the international flight home: a late inter-island delay should not cost you the long-haul. The options near the airport are in where to stay in Tahiti.

11 · Questions

Questions.

01
What is the best area to stay in Bora Bora?
For the water and the view, the eastern motu, where the Four Seasons, the St. Regis and the Westin face Otemanu.²³⁴ For a beach you can walk to and lower prices, Matira on the main island, the only public beach.¹
02
Is it better to stay on a motu or the main island?
On a motu if the lagoon is the point of the trip and the budget allows; on the main island if you want to eat out, walk to the beach and spend less. Many visitors split the stay.
03
Where should I stay in Bora Bora on a budget?
A pension at Matira or in the north. Village Temanuata's beach bungalows run ≈ 27,000–32,000 XPF (≈ US$265–315) for two, plus VAT;¹⁰ Bora Vaite Lodge, with shared bathrooms and breakfast included, quotes on request.¹³
04
Where should families stay?
On the main island, Bora Bora Holidays Lodge in Nunue, with apartments and two pools;¹⁹ at the top end, the Four Seasons, where children 17 and under stay free in their parents' room.²
05
Can I walk to Matira beach from the resorts?
Not from the motu resorts: every one is a boat ride from the main island. From Royal Bora Bora, Le Maitai Polynesia or Village Temanuata, yes.⁸⁹¹⁰
06
Do I need a car?
No. Matira is walkable, the coast road suits a bike, and a one-day rental from the Vaitape quay covers the island.¹² On a motu you will rely on boats anyway.
07
Is the InterContinental Thalasso open?
No. It closed on 1 June 2026 and is due back as Regent Bora Bora in late 2027.²⁶
08
Which side of Bora Bora has the sunsets?
The west. Le Bora Bora on Motu Tevairoa and the Conrad on Motu To'opua are on the sunset side;⁵⁶ the eastern motu trade the sunset for the view of Otemanu.
09
Is there a hotel at the airport?
No. The airport has a motu to itself. The closest resort is Le Bora Bora, 10 minutes away by boat;⁵ everyone else crosses to Vaitape on the free shuttle in about 15 minutes.¹¹
10
When is accommodation cheapest?
In the wet season: January and February bring the deepest pension discounts,¹⁰ and the fewest visitors across French Polynesia.³⁵ Expect more rain, around 245 mm in January.³⁴
11
Which hotels have overwater bungalows?
The five motu resorts: the Four Seasons, the St. Regis, Le Bora Bora, the Conrad and the Westin. The rooms are compared in Bora Bora's overwater bungalows.

Sources · last verified 19 October 2026(37)

Where to stayin Bora Bora.

Motu, Matiraor the village.

Five placesto sleep.

The eastern motu

The western and southern motu

Matira and the south

Vaitape and the west coast

Faanui, Anau and the north

Motu resortor main island?

From overwaterto a shared bathroom.

The hotels,by location.

Four Seasons Resort Bora Bora

The St. Regis Bora Bora Resort

Conrad Bora Bora Nui

Le Bora Bora by Pearl Resorts

The Westin Bora Bora Resort & Spa

Royal Bora Bora and Le Maitai Polynesia

Arriving,step by step.

Land on Motu Mute

Resort guests: the hotel boat

Everyone else: the free shuttle

From Vaitape: taxi, truck or pick-up

Leaving

Names you'll seethat you can't book.

Who shouldsleep where.

When to book,and what moves the price.

Two bases,one island.