CIRCLE ISLAND TOUR OPTIONS- BORA BORA

1) Vaitape, the town- The start of our circle island tour options. Here you can see the business center of Bora bora, hustling and bustling. Shops, stores, banks, fresh fruit and fish stands, the post office, the main wharf, cafes, and the old and quite beautiful church await you.

2) The TV Tower Vistapoint- Around 5 km's from Vaitape, you can head for your first killer view of the island and lagoon. The TV tower is at the top of a small hill accessable via dirt road. Find the road turnoff just before Bloody Marys Restaurant, (or not far after passing the Bamboo House Restaurant)

3) Bloody Mary's Restaurant- By far the most famous restaurant in the whole South Pacific, Bloody Mary's is always worth a stop. Lunches and dinners are famously tasty and terrific, and the bar is one of the only places on the island that can be considered "nightlife"... You'll see the sign around 5 km from Vaitape.

4) Matira beach- One of the only public access beaches on the island, Matira beach runs for about 1 1/2 km, starting not far from Bloody Mary's. White sand stretches, intermixed with a few hotels and small restaurants.

5) WW II Guns- (see the section on our "Sightseeing" page" for details...) The most easily accessable ones are located by means of a pathway located just past the Hotel Matira.

6) Matira Point- a turnoff road to Matira Point is around 7 1/2 km's from Vaitape... This is really just an interesting spot to visit...on the farthest southern point of the island. Find the small road by looking for the Moana Beach Parkroyal Hotel sign (on your right)... then, you'll pass the hotel on your left and just keep driving to the end...

7) Matira beach to Club Med- starting at around 7 1/2 km from Vaitape and going to Club Med around 9 km, this part of the road has the highest concentration of shops, galleries, pensions, hotels, etc. of any part on the island...

8) Anau- You may net even know you're in the small village of Anau except that if you come through on a weekend you can see some locals gathered and games being played at the school. Located around 11 km's from Vaitape. Look for the Lagoonarium sign (on your left) to tell you you're there...

9) Fitiiu Point (or Tuivahora Point) Mareas and WW2 Guns- around 15 km's from Vaitape the road veers off and climbs ever so slightly away from the coast. This point of the island is interesting to walk around, provided you can find the trails. There are 2 different Maraes on the point, some good views and also 2 more coastal WW2 cannons to check out. Look for the trail to your right just as the road begins its ascent (or ask a local if you see one walking nearby.)

10) Revatua Club- Located on the least developed coastal stretch of the island, (around 16 km from Vaitape) is a small restaurant called the Revatua club. This part of the island road overlooks Haamaire and Taimoo bays and is quite picturesque.

11) Marine Museum- at 21 km's from Vaitape is the Musee de la Marine, a small but interesting place to visit. See a collection of model historical boats (relevent to Tahiti exploration) and learn lots of interesting Polynesian maritime history facts as you also view some nice old photos, gift items, etc.

12) Taihi Point- approximately 1 km past the marine museum is Taiho point. To take an interesting walk, try climbing the short 4x4 road (located just before the point) up to a nice vistapoint. From there, you can look out over the colorful lagoon and also down onto the old abandoned Hyatt hotel project. (unfinished for years, on stilts, waterside. Hyatt ran out of money and never cleaned up thier mess... sad)

13) Tereia Point (and another WW2 gun)- After Taihi point, the road continues to circle back toward Vaitape at Tereia Point. At around 24 km from Vaitape, you'll see an old ferry jetty. (Built by American G.I.'s) From there, look for the concrete water tank and climb up the hill (no trail) beyond it for access to another WW2 cannon.

14) Marae Fare-Opu- This is one of the most interesting maraes on Bora bora... not for its size or impressiveness, but because of its classic shape and a few nice turtle petroglyphs on some of the giant coral rocks that serve as its base. (Read about Bora Bora's Maraes for more info.) Located very close to the road, on the lagoonside.

15) Faauni Bay, Village, and church landmark- Approximately 27 km's on our counterclockwise circle island tour from Vaitape (or around 5 km coming from the other way), is a beautiful church marking the head of Faanui bay. One of Bora bora's only non-coastal roads goes beyond it. Take the road to get some great view perspectives of the island as you experience the inland jungle fauna all around you.

16) Marae Taianapa- If you dont blink, and are looking, you can probably located this Marae located on the mountain side of the road on someones private property. (Just before the Hinano beer/ Coca Cola depot). A classic but not particularly interesting Marae, this fairly large archeological site was restored in 1963 and its grounds are kept fairly well groomed. Good for pictures, but hard to find the entrance. It's best to get out of the car or off the bicycle and walk the road to find the entrance.

17) Farepiti Wharf and Marae Marotetini- Built by the Americans in WW2, the wharf isn't much to look at... With a fair amount of junk and rusted heavy machinery scattered about it, this serves as Bora Bora's deepest water wharf for large ships. Theres a small restaurant at one end, and beyond that is yet another difficult to locate Marae, but worth the look if you can find it. (Ask at the restaurant for verbal directions to locate.) Restored in 1968, this Marae is nearly 50 meters long and located coastside.

18) Bora Bora Yacht Club- Just beyond the Farepiti Wharf is Bora bora's newly redone yacht club. There's a new bar there and restaurant just getting under way. The sign (on your right) is difficult to find if you're going to fast, so be on the lookout. This is a great place for a drink or, and if you're a sailor, to moor and resupply your boat.

19) More WW2 guns- Around 30 km as we continue this circle island tour (or only 2 km from Vaitape coming from the other way), be on the lookout for the last of the WW2 guns. You may or may not see them up on the hill. There's actually 2 guns there if you can find them. Locate the path if you're observant and/or lucky from a turnoff just past the Farepiti Wharf. (or ask around)

Notes on finding sights: If you choose to circumnavigate the island on your own, you may or may not locate some of the partially hidden trailways and rather poorly marked (or not marked) 4x4 roads that get you to the various Maraes and WW2 guns listed on this page. We suggest asking as many locals as you can find and not getting frustrated if you don't get the answers you need. You will need to be persistant, curious, inquisitive, observant, and a bit of a super sleuth. If you give up or don't want to bother trying, realize that's what the guides are for...