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Whether you need to know local public holidays or highlights through the seasons, we hope you will find the facts gathered below useful tools for your travel planning. Please feel free to contact us if we can assist you further.

General information

The most famous of French Polynesia’s Leeward Islands, Bora Bora is the quintessential tropical paradise. Volcanic in origin, it is surrounded by sand-fringed motus (small islets) on an outer coral reef that encloses a turquoise lagoon. With only one navigable pass, the crystal-clear lagoon is calm, warm and relatively shallow. At 727 metres (2,385 feet), Mount Otemanu towers over the main island. Next to it, the more rounded Mount Pahia stands at 658 metres (2,159 feet).

Settled by Polynesians around AD 900, French Polynesia was discovered by Europeans in the 16th century. For centuries, the French and English vied for the possession of Tahiti and her archipelago. A French colony since 1884, Bora Bora became an overseas territory in 1946. Her unequalled beauty has drawn artists and writers – perhaps most famously, author James A. Michener, who declared it the most beautiful island in the world. Today, most of Bora Bora’s 4,650 people live on a thin, flat coastal strip, many around the small port of Vaitape.

On a private motu, Four Seasons Resort Bora Bora offers a South Seas escape in a lush world of unsurpassed tropical beauty.

Time zone

GMT -10 hours

Language(s) spoken

The official languages are Tahitian and French; English is widely understood by locals in the travel and hospitality industries.

Electrical system

Local voltage is 220 volts AC, 60 Hz. Adapters are available; please request through the Concierge.

Shopping hours

Daily 8:00 am to 5:00 pm

Working hours

Monday to Friday 8:00 am to 5:00 pm

Time and distance to city centre

25 minutes by boat

Time and distance to shopping

Vaitape – 25 minutes by boat

View in–depth travel advice from Frommers.com

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Seasonal highlights

July

Heiva, French Polynesia's most important festival, is celebrated in a flamboyant display of traditional costumes, dance, music, crafts and sports. While the main event is in Papeete, each of the five archipelagos holds events to display their distinctive traditions, beginning at the end of June and carrying on through most of July.

October

Hawaiki nui va'a, French Polynesia's outrigger canoe race, is a major annual sports event. For three days, over a hundred traditional canoes race between Huahine and Bora Bora, cheered on by supporters in boats in close proximity. The excitement peaks at the finish line, where spectators welcome the winners with music and dance.