First you dream of Bora Bora, then you book a ticket and get to the island... You put down your bags, settle in, and go looking for things to see and do.

Whether you consider yourself a traveler or a tourist, there's a good possibility that if you get to Bora bora, you will most likely experience at least one of these general sightseeing areas at some point of your stay.

TST makes sightseeing and island exploring options easy! If you want MORE choices, simply check out our other "To SEE" pages: UNIQUE ATTRACTIONS and ARTISTS, CRAFTSMEN & OTHER SPECIALISTS.

Wan't more? Be sure and explore our "WHAT TO DO" section for even more activities, adventures, relaxation, shopping ideas and other things to do and see!

"CIRCLE ISLAND" TOURING

In most of French Polynesia, (and certainly Bora bora), the phrase "circle island tour" is rather popular although sometimes loosely used and quite vague.

Ultimately, you have but 2 basic choices when it comes to making one of these circle island tours: will it be by road or by lagoon?

Whichever choice you make, exploring the island full circle is certainly recommended, (at least once), to experience the true flavor of Bora Bora...   

Although some tour operators may lead you to believe that their particular tour is the best or most interesting, the truth of the matter is that they all vary to some degree... No one way is right or wrong. The most important decisions you'll be needing to make are simply whether you'll be seeing the sights on your own (you'll need a car, scooter, bicycle, or boat) and HOW and WHAT you want to explore: roadside sights or inside the lagoon...     

Here, we refer you to these separate categories of "circle island touring" options of Bora bora:

TST'S "DO IT YOURSELF" 32 KM CIRCLE ISLAND ROAD TOUR: Suitable for printing out and taking with you.

ORGANIZED LAGOON CRUISES BY CRUISER, CATAMARAN, OR PIROGUE: See the ISLAND FUN page.

ORGANIZED LAND TOURS BY BUS OR MINI VAN: See the RELAXATION page.

ORGANIZED LAND TOURS BY 4X4: See the ADVENTURES page.

ANCIENT MARAES

Explore Bora Bora's archaeological sites.

COASTAL GUNS FROM WORLD WAR II

The "Guns of Bora Bora" have an interesting history behind them...
What are 7 giant cannons doing on a tiny tropical island in the middle of the pacific ocean, one might ask? For those of you who are WWII history buffs, the answer might be obvious, but for most, its a mystery that needs tobe answered.
     
These cannons are remnants of a time gone by when America didn't always have the military confidence it now enjoys. They are, of course, perched on various different strategic points throughout the island as military defense outposts... guarding the island of Bora bora from "capture or control" from our WW II arch-enemies, the Japanese, while protecting the island that the United States had chosen as a supply base for material en route to the Solomon Islands. (Remember Guadalcanal...)
    
Operation Bobcat, as it was called, transformed the island of Bora Bora into a stronghold of the US, chosen for its strategic location in the Pacific... Leaving South Carolina in late January, 1942, only a few weeks after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, a supply force of nine ships, 20,000 tons of equipment, and nearly 5,000 men travelled to Bora bora. From early 1942 to mid 1946, Operation Bobcat remained in action, and at its high point, utilized the military services of nearly 6,000 men.
     
In their prime, these massive seven inch naval cannons over 20 feet long on their swivel bases were quite capable of protecting the important lagoon passes from any possibility of military takeover with powerful explosive blasts...

Nowadays, they aren't used for such things... (and in fact never had to be fired in an actual military conflict situation) They are rusty now, but still impressive. Tourists from all over the world now regularly walk, climb, balance, sit, and take pictures on them and try and imagine the past and their purpose... while locals sometimes hang out and party on them at sunset.

Some of the cannons are accessed easily via paths and 4x4 roads, while others are more difficult to locate. (in fact, you may never find 1 or 2 of them without a guide). The best ones are located in prime vistapoint areas of the island and worth a visit for sure. Although TST hasn't had the experience of seeing ALL the coastal guns, we attempt to publish 4 possible ways of doing so on your own here:

1) Matira guns- Some of the most accessable WW2 guns are located on a hill overlooking Matira Point... To find the trail, go to the eastern edge of the Hotel Matira and look for a well worn walking path. (If you can't find the trail, you can ask at the reception area of the Hotel Matira.)

2) Fitiiu Point guns- around 15 km's from Vaitape, (in the direction of Bloody Mary's), 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.)

3) Tereia Point gun- 8 km's from Vaitape, (in the direction of the Farepiti Wharf, continuing past the Faanui church landmark), 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.

4) Farepiti guns- Only 2 km from Vaitape is the Farepiti wharf. Less than 1/2 km before you get there (coming from Vaitape), be on the lookout for the last of the WW2 guns on the hill above you on your rightside. There's actually 2 guns there if you can find the path, but locating it is diffcult because it isn't marked. We suggest asking around. (see location finding notes on our Circle Island Tour page)

So, if you want to see the WW II cannons of Bora bora, you can either search for them on your own or experience them by way of either of these 4x4 touring companies:

Sightseeing on the Other Islands of

An Internetwork of Travel & Tourism Guides
for the Main Islands of Tahiti Polynesia.

Papeete / Tahiti

Moorea Island

Tuamotu Islands

Raiatea / Tahaa

Huahine

Tetiaroa

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