Although
travelers visit Bora Bora for a variety of reasons,
newcomers are often quite naive about most of the facts and facets of the
island, including its people, culture, flora and fauna, history, economy, etc.
They often arrive with the simple desire to just relax and take in the Pacific Island charm. Not long after arriving, however, does the true nature of French Polynesia begin to unfold for them. A couple of days of exploring this enchanted island and they begin to recognize the country for its many faces beyond a mere vacationland. This French owned territory is filled with a unique energy unto itself. There's no place on earth quite like it. Of course return travelers and local inhabitants know that. Each lives or returns to Bora Bora for their own reasons... This page unviels information, facts, and insight for discovery of your OWN reasons to become enchanted with Bora bora, the legendary island of the pacific.
Note: This page works in tandem with the GENERAL TAHITI INFORMATION section where you'll find lots more additional generic information for ALL the Tahitian Islands. |
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The climate on the Island of Bora Bora
and the rest of the Society Islands is considered tropical and can be divided
into two basic seasons: the wet season and the dry season.
The wet season (Polynesian Summer), is between the months of November
to April, receiving approximately 3/4ths of the annual rainfall of French
Polynesia between these months. The humidity during this time can be
quite heavy and muggy and cloud cover is common. Storms are frequent, brief,
and unpredictable.(Average rainfall for Papeete is 1800mm). Temperatures
will range from 27 - 30 degrees C, with the hottest months being February
and March. Day to night temperature fluctuations are minimal.
This "wet season" is considered the "off season" for
tourism.
From a travelers standpoint, this "off season" may not be the
most favorable weatherwise, however the benefits may tip the scales to the
travelers advantage in many other ways: There's less competition for
lodging, activity and
sightseeing schedules. With the additional advantage
of lower average pricing for most products and services, it can be considered
that this wet season is easier to travel, explore, and generally, get things
done. There's always the trade-offs to consider...
For you sunworshippers out there, keep in mind that the sun is not on vacation,
but merely less commonly seen than in the drier months. Being a French Polynesian
Island, and tropical, even in the "wet season" you'll definately
get your fair share of sun on Tahiti Island. (There are between 2500- 2900
Sunshine hours per year.)
By contrast, the "dry season" - May through October, is the
"on season" for tourism. This is the Polynesian winter. Temperatures
generally range from between 24-28 degrees C, and rain is rare. Day to night
temperature fluctuations are minimal.
As to be expected, these favorable weather conditions also bring out the
tourists. July is most likely the favorite and most heavily traveled month
for all the Tahitian Islands because of its many festivals and celebrations
during the month long holiday that occurs at that time known as Tiurai.
For those interested in Scubadiving
in Tahiti and her surrounding islands, the dry season is favorable due to
increased visibility.
Tradewinds-
Winds will be present in Tahiti Polynesia no matter the season.
The basic geography of all the French Polynesian islands will always insure
this. Most days in Tahiti will include some type of light wind, oftentimes
picking up toward the latter part of the day. For the most part, these winds
will always be considered a blessing. The feeling of a nice pacific breeze
on a hot day is very refreshing and will always be appreciated.
There are two common trade winds affecting Tahiti Polynesias weather and
travelers: The dry season's mara' amu, and the wet seasons
toerau. The mara' amu is a southeasterly blowing tradewind
most common during the winter months (dry season), of June, July, and August.
These winds can be a bit more persistant than you may be prepared for, bringing
with them sudden downpours and cooler temperatures. Be advised to pack an
extra windbreaker...
As for the toerau, these winds are less common and blow in a north- northeast
direction and occur during the wet season months.
Cyclones-
The Pacific Ocean surrounding all the Tahitian Islands, with it's thermal
currents interacting with the various jetstreams (air currents) can produce
winds of terrific magnitude. Cyclones (another word for Hurricanes) are
always a cause for concern for those inclined to worry. Take heed. French
Polynesia has had its share of cyclones. (although the frequency of them
seems to be far less than other parts of the world which are prone to them,
such as the southeastern seaboard or midwest states of the United States).
The last powerful cyclone that caused considerable damage to Tahiti and
many surrounding islands was in 1982. Tahiti Sun Travel provides
you with this telephone number to check on weather updates for the region:
(689) 36.65.09
(We are working on providing an online weather checker for the future.)
FAUNA- (WILDLIFE IN GENERAL)
Bad
news for all you animal lovers... you'll not be photographing many wild or
fascinating South Sea mammals here. The Polynesian islands don't have a lot
of natural wildlife, aside from birds and of course, a magical array of Marine
life creatures. Why is this? The islands are so lush and their interiors so
undeveloped, you may wonder...
The answer lies within the origins of the islands
themselves. Volcanic in nature, these islands literally sprang up in the middle
of nowhere, far from any surrounding land masses where any other land creatures
could habitate from. The only mammals on the islands today are those that
were brought over by the human navigators who populated these islands, both
native Polynesian, and Europeans.
The list of land mammals is rather short. All the
usual suspects are here: horses, cows, sheep, pigs, dogs, cats, and of course,
rats. It seems there is one exception to this mundane list: the wild pig...
some of 'em must have got away from their captives long ago and hankered for
life on the wild side... good for them!
On the other hand, there are quite a number of bird
species here, with some of the less inhabitated islands such as Tetiaroa,
Mehetia, and others having breeding grounds for future health of the species. Thankfully, most of the critical habitat bird breeding grounds are protected
by the government and looked after with care.
Dogs
Dogs, dogs, dogs, and more dogs!
All Tahitian islands boast a fairly healthy dog population and Bora Bora is no exception. As with most dogs of Polynesia, no matter what island they're on, they ALL SEEM 
TO HAVE THE SAME PARENTS! They all have that "generic dog" look common in many third world countries.
Basic browns, or spotted of a thousand colors, most are classic mutts, many of which seemingly wander around carefree and owner-free amongst the homes and businesses of the populace.
Most locals seem to regard them with a casual nonchalance- not unfriendly, but not particularly worried about their well being either... Occasionally, (more so on Tahiti than the other islands), you will see a purebred animal as a family pet, but not often.
So be it. Woof, woof. In Polynesia, compared to other countries, a dog's life could be worse...
Crabs
Yes, crabs- Coconot and Hermit crabs, that is...
Q: Why a separate section for crabs, you may ask? A: 'Cause we like the little buggers... we'll have lots of interesting facts and crab trivia in
the future.
Marine Life
Of course, any time spent in Polynesia will reveal
to the animal lover the true source of wildlife fascination here: the exquisite
marine life.
There are nearly 500 species of fish within the Tahitian island waters,
along with other amazing creatures such as sea turtles, dozens of sharks species,
and the ever so popular dolphin (the "flipper" kind), porpoises,
and the hugely popular humpback whale topping the list of marine mammals.
Interestingly, there are NO pinepeds.
See Bora Bora's scuba section for much more information on marine life specific to the island.
FLORA- (PLANTS & FLOWERS)
Information on this subject coming soon including information about the famous and saught after Noni plant...
ECONOMY
Information on this subject coming soon...
SOCIETY & PEOPLE
Information on this subject coming soon...
HISTORY
Information on this subject coming soon...
LEGENDS & MYTHS
Information on this subject coming soon...
ABOUT
THE OTHER ISLANDS
Explore the facts and
culture of the other islands of
An Internetwork of Travel and Tourism
Guides for the Main Islands of Tahiti Polynesia.
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