If you’re planning a trip to French Polynesia and trying to choose between Moorea and Bora Bora, my answer is almost always both, with Moorea first and Bora Bora last! Moorea is where I send couples for the adventure: hiking, snorkeling with sharks and stingrays, cultural tours, and great local food. Bora Bora is where they unwind in an overwater bungalow at the end of the trip so they fly home relaxed instead of exhausted. I’m a certified Tahiti Specialist, I’ve been to French Polynesia twice, and I planned my own honeymoon exactly this way, starting at Sofitel Kia Ora Moorea and finishing at The Westin and The St. Regis in Bora Bora. Here’s how the 2 islands compare and how I decide what’s right for my clients!
What is Moorea like?
Moorea is green, dramatic, and full of things to do! It’s only a 30-minute ferry ride from Tahiti, so it’s easy to get to after your arrival night, and the jagged mountains make it feel like you’ve stepped into another world. On my honeymoon, we did a small-group nature and culture tour with about 8 people that took us almost to the top of Magic Mountain (our guide drove most of the way, so it was just a short staircase to the lookout!). We tasted local mango, pineapple, and vanilla jams, visited a pineapple farm, and explored ancient temple ruins. The next day, on a lagoon tour, a huge group of dolphins started leaping right next to our boat, then we snorkeled with stingrays and blacktip reef sharks and ate a Polynesian BBQ lunch at tables set right in the water. Moorea also has some of my favorite local food. We loved Rudy’s so much we went twice! If you want adventure, culture, and a more local feel, Moorea is the island for it.
What is Bora Bora like?
Bora Bora is the island most people picture when they think of French Polynesia, and it lives up to it! It’s home to the iconic overwater bungalows, a huge lagoon, and Mount Otemanu, which looks unreal from almost every angle. You fly into a tiny airport, and most resorts pick you up by boat right there. There’s plenty to do in Bora Bora too. We jet skied around the whole lagoon, drove ATVs up the main island, and swam with manta rays! But where Bora Bora really shines is relaxing. At The Westin, we spent hours swimming right off our bungalow, ordering room service, and watching the sunset from our deck, and our last night at The St. Regis, watching the mountains glow at sunset from the 727 Bar, is still one of my favorite memories. If the overwater bungalow is the dream, Bora Bora is where you want to end up.
Why do I always put Bora Bora last?
This is one of my strongest opinions! I build every trip from the bottom to the top, so each property tops the last one, and right when you think nothing could beat where you are, you move and it does. Doing Moorea first means you get the action and adventure in while you have the most energy, and then you finish in Bora Bora with fewer nights, unwinding in your overwater bungalow so you end with a bang and fly home rested. It’s also the smartest way to spend your budget, because your biggest room rates land on the nights you’ll remember most. Honestly, Bora Bora is the wrong base for couples who want a trip packed with activities, because you’d be spending your most expensive nights away from your bungalow! (The one exception to my rule: if you’re going to The Brando, The Brando is your finale.)
Can you skip Moorea and just do Bora Bora?
Honestly, I don’t recommend it! Bora Bora is gorgeous, but if it’s the only island on your trip, it can turn into “Boring Boring” pretty fast (and yes, that’s a real thing my clients have heard me say!). After a few days of lounging, most couples start craving a little adventure, and you’d be spending your most expensive nights away from your bungalow trying to find it. Moorea gives you that adventure first, so by the time you get to Bora Bora, relaxing in your overwater bungalow feels exactly right. Pairing the 2 islands is how I make sure Bora Bora feels like the grand finale it should be.
Can you skip Bora Bora and just do Moorea?
You can! Moorea has gorgeous overwater bungalows of its own, and resorts like Sofitel Kia Ora Moorea and Hilton Moorea are favorites of mine. If you’re an active couple who’d rather spend your days hiking, snorkeling, and exploring than lounging, Moorea can absolutely be your whole trip. Most couples I work with, though, have dreamed about Bora Bora for years, and I love being the one to get them there!
How do you get from Moorea to Bora Bora?
On my honeymoon, we took a short Air Tahiti flight straight from Moorea to Bora Bora, and then a boat transfer from the Bora Bora airport to our resort. Before that, we started with a night on Tahiti after the long international flight, because I’ll never send my clients from the airport at PPT straight to a 4am ferry! I book every one of these transfers for my clients, so you never have to think about how you’re getting from the plane to your bungalow.
How many nights should you spend in French Polynesia?
The shortest trip I recommend to French Polynesia is 5 nights, and I’d love for you to have more if you can! It’s a long way to travel, and between your international flight, your arrival night on Tahiti, and getting between islands, a shorter trip means spending too much of your vacation in transit. Once we know how many nights you have, I usually give Moorea a little more time and Bora Bora a few fewer nights at the end. That gives you room for adventure on Moorea without rushing, and just enough time in Bora Bora to fully relax before heading home. I’ll tailor the exact split once I know how you like to travel and what you’re most excited about.
If you’re trying to decide between Moorea and Bora Bora (or how to do both!) and you’re not sure where to start, that’s where I come in! Book a complimentary consultation with me! We’ll get to know each other, I’ll walk you through how Susan’s Travel Services works (including what being a Virtuoso agency means for you), and we’ll talk about next steps.