Explore Bora Bora
Bora Bora is perhaps the most famous of the French Polynesian islands, nestled away in the southern Pacific Ocean. It is a 30km² island group, geographically part of the Leeward Islands. Popular with honeymooners, it is a location often found on “dream holiday” lists for its sheer, tropical beauty. It is hard to imagine a more perfect destination - volcanic islands surrounding a crystalline turquoise lagoon; craggy, palm tree covered hills and enveloped by still, cobalt ocean, as far as the eye can see.
Diving in Bora Bora is mainly accessed through high-end dive resorts. There are a number of dive centres but they too operate within resorts, though it is possible to stay in more humble accommodation and still dive with them. The calm waters of French Polynesia make it a popular liveaboard destination too.
Bora Bora is made up of a number of small islets or “motus”, ringed by a coral barrier reef with only one inlet for boats. As a result, Bora Bora diving is unaffected by strong ocean currents and the lagoon remains calm. It is one of the best diving destinations in the world as its dive sites are generally suitable for all levels of divers, the visibility is fantastic and the underwater volcanic topography is fascinating. Highlights of diving in Bora Bora include the healthy, vibrant coral gardens and the big, abundant wildlife which includes hammerheads, mantas and even humpback whales.
Top Dive Sites Map
Diving in Bora Bora
The scuba diving in Bora Bora is some of the best in French Polynesia. All of the locations offer famously good visibility, often over 40m. The majority of dive sites are located in or around the lagoon as well, making them calm and easily catered to novice divers. There are also several dive sites on the coral barrier reef outside the lagoon for more advanced divers.
You can experience one of the highest visibility drift dives in the world at Teavana, whilst at Tupitipiti, you can explore some of the fascinating volcanic topography that makes Bora Bora so unique - huge coral bommies are found amongst walls, overhangs, caves and swim throughs.
The best Months to dive in Bora Bora
Diving in Bora Bora is possible year round due to its perennially warm weather and calm ocean conditions. The French Polynesian summer months are from November to March. During these months, the weather is slightly warmer on average (30oC) with more significant rainfall, making the air feel more humid. It is common to experience heavy downpours in the mornings followed by sunny afternoons. This rainy weather causes an influx of plankton, which in turn attracts lots of pelagics, making this one of the most popular times of year to dive.
From May to October is the dry season, when the rainfall is significantly reduced and the temperatures are a cooler, but still pleasant, 28oC. The water temperature can cool down to 25oC at this time of year compared to the 30oC waters found in the wet season. The benefit of diving in Bora Bora at this time of year is that it is when humpback whales travel north to breed and give birth.
Statistics
Historical data and trends
