Bora Bora Lagoon Tour: An Amazing Excursion You Can’t Miss

One Of The Best Bora Bora Tours

Bora Bora is known to be one of the most beautiful places in the world. A lot of the beauty there is due to the incredible water that sits within the protected lagoon surrounded by a coral reef. The water itself, with the various shades of blue, is really something to see.

But under the water is where this location truly shines. The marine life is abundant, and the best way to explore this is on a Bora Bora Lagoon Tour. This blog will detail our experience and what you can expect for the day.

Highlights Of A Bora Bora Lagoon Tour

What Is A Lagoon Tour?

A tour typically consists of a private tour or group tour on a boat out to the lagoon to experience the locale’s marine life. Having access to a knowledgeable local guide only enhances the experience as they know exactly where the best spots are and will take you directly there to view the most abundant marine life. 

Taking a tour is essential from a safety perspective since there are hidden currents within the lagoon and you want to ensure you have a safe and enjoyable time.

✅ This is the amazing tour that we took to explore the lagoon and land by 4WD. The crew took excellent care of us in the water, ensuring an enjoyable and safe experience.

What To Expect On A Bora Bora Snorkeling Tour

After being picked up from our accommodations, we were taken directly to the boat launch. Our outrigger boat was spacious and also had shady parts, which is important as the sun can become very strong during the day. We were only a group of six, which was a perfect number, so there was no crowding.

As we cruised out into the lagoon, our guide first conducted a safety briefing and we spent some time assembling our snorkeling gear. He also gave us some information about the areas we were passing, pointing out notable locations along the way. Since we had already toured the Bora Bora mainland with a car, this was a nice way to see it from a different perspective.

We have been to other lagoons, such as the Blue Lagoon in Camino, Malta and the beautiful lagoon in Rarotonga in the Cook Islands, but the lagoon of Bora Bora is truly something special to see. And in our opinion, it is superior to the lagoon in Moorea.

Our first stop was to swim with sharks. Now that may sound a lot more dangerous than it really was. The area we swam in has a large population of reef sharks.

These are good-sized sharks but aren’t dangerous to humans as long as you respect their space and don’t try to touch them. They are actually quite skittish and while they will swim around you – mostly they are just curious and keep their distance. 

I will admit it was a little intimidating seeing them circling around the boat while we were getting ready to go in the water. But once we got into the water, measuring approximately 15 metres deep, and saw the numerous fish among the sharks, our amazement overtook our fear. 

We spent quite a bit of time at this location, exploring the underwater show put on by the sharks and fish. The water wasn’t choppy, so we were able to enjoy a leisurely swim through the crystal clear water.

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Next, we were zooming off to another location that was much more shallow, allowing us to stand in the water. The highlight of this experience was the interaction with sting rays and black tip sharks.

The big excitement for people there is for the guide to bring the sting ray up onto your arms and chest to have an up-close encounter but this made me very nervous.  I did get in the water with the guide but had a difficult time with the sting rays coming close to me. 

But for most people, including Denis who loved it, it is a great experience. I did like swimming around in this area, checking out the underwater life and swimming with a different breed of sharks. Just swimming in the warm, blue water was a treat all on its own.

Our final stop for underwater exploration was the Coral Garden. Here is where there is a lot of coral and, therefore, tons of different kinds of tropical fish. It was really impressive to see. This is also where the “I Love Bora Bora” underwater display has been made with shells and rocks on the sea bed. It is a popular spot to visit.

With our water experience complete, we loved just watching the scenery as we cruised around. The water is so beautiful and seeing the motus with the resorts along the edges was lovely. Our guide also took many pictures of us with the lagoon as the backdrop.  

After a busy morning in the water, we were then taken to a private motu where we were warmly greeted by a family who lives there.

They treated us to a wonderful Polynesian BBQ lunch of chicken, coleslaw, and coconut bread. For dessert, we enjoyed mini bananas and coconut cake.

All of it was served on a fantastic plate made of palm fronds. Everything was very tasty and made even more delightful as we sat at a picnic table with our feet in the water. What a nice treat!

Following lunch, we saw a demonstration of how to make traditional pareos – otherwise known as a sarong. It is a style of tye dye that is used to make the designs in combination with stencils that are left on the cloth in the sun to dry. We were also given the opportunity to make our own which provided a very nice souvenir from the day.

We then had a coconut show where Denis learned how to remove the shell and once it was open, we tasted coconut water, coconut flesh, coconut milk and coconut flakes. All of it was super tasty!

Adding An Afternoon Option

This brought our half day on the water to an end. But we had opted to also take a 4WD land tour that was a great end to the day.

We visited Matira Beach and then were taken up a very steep path to see an incredible view. The road was very broken and extremely steep but our driver was highly skilled and after telling us to hold on tight, he got us up to the top.  Here, the view out over Taha’a and Raitera in the distance was definitely worth it.

After coming back down, we visited the first church in Bora Bora, and then we were taken up another steep and bumpy road to reach Canon Row. There are many canons left here from World War II that were installed by the Americans.

We learned about the history and checked out the canons.

At this point, the day was drawing to a close, and we were taken back to our accommodations.  It was an unforgettable day and something we would highly recommend doing.

FAQs

Does Bora Bora Have A Lagoon?

Yes, Bora Bora has an incredible turquoise lagoon and it is very alive with marine life. We would say it is the highlight of visiting Bora Bora.

Can You Swim In The Lagoon In Bora Bora?

Swimming in the lagoon is one of the best things about this beautiful spot. Enjoying the water from the beach and also in and around the overwater bungalows is highly recommended. There are areas farther out that can also be explored on a boat tour but it is necessary to go with a guide to avoid the strong currents that exist.

Bora Bora Lagoon Tour Price

Prices can vary depending on if you are looking for a half day or full day tour. The small group full day tour we took was approximately $150 USD per person – shorter tours would be less. The price will also vary depending on the time of the year and if you would prefer a private tour.

The Final Word…Exploring With A Bora Bora Lagoon Tour

If you are looking for an exceptional day in Bora Bora, be sure to check out a Bora Bora Lagoon Tour, where you can have an authentic reef discovery in the crystal-clear water, play with sharks and stingrays and enjoy a delicious Polynesian lunch. We would recommend this to anyone looking for a perfect day.