BORA BORA, French Polynesia
February 3, 2007
Bora Bora….I just love saying it…B O R A B O R A! What a special place!
If you were to start with a blank page and were challenged to design the perfect South Pacific Tropical Island, no doubt, the results would resemble Bora Bora.
Situated in the Leeward group of the Society Islands of French Polynesia, an overseas territory of France, Bora Bora may be best known for being the first resort island to build those over-the-water bungalows at the Hotel Bora Bora. And indeed, it was one of those memorable hotels with those small pointed thatched roof “rooms” perched on stilts above crystal clear turquoise-colored water….water teeming with all manner of brightly colored tropical fish. that first caught my eye when I opened my curtains as we slowly made our way into the Rade de Vaitape…the large sheltered harbor just off shore from Vaitape, Bora Bora’s “capital” city. Vaitape’s picturesque church also caught my eye. This small Protestant church stands proudly surrounded by swaying palm trees with a background of Mt. Otemanu, one of two dormant volcanoes that formed the island millions of years ago. The soft pink exterior of this charming building is a perfect compliment to the rich greens of the magnificent foliage all around. The distinctive steeple of dark cinnamon-colored tile looking like an inverted ice cream cone “dripping” crisp white Victorian detail off the eaves will always come into my mind when I think of Bora Bora.
The “large” central island of Bora Bora with one road that encircles the entire island is surrounded beyond the harbor by a series of small very narrow “Motus”. These Motus act as barrier islands, thus forming the calm and picturesque harbor or lagoon. And, it is on these Motus that most of the exotic stilt bungalows stand like flocks of birds prancing in shallow water…so picturesque. After a short ferry ride across the main harbor to Toopuai Motu and the Bora Bora Lagoon Resort, we meandered across a tall stilt bridge to the hotel. All along this picturesque bridge we found baskets of day-old bread which we feed to the throngs of eagerly awaiting colorful fish below.
Entering the luscious hotel lobby to the sounds of native drums, beautiful smiling women, bedecked with fragrant leis and head wreaths, offered us tall cool cocktails of exotic tropical juices….mmmmm!!! As we feasted on a delicious meal of local fish and vegetables more honey-toned women with shiny black hair and scantily clad bodies entertained us with an unforgettable hula. Making our way back to the ferry, the skies opened up and we were instantaneously drenched with a quick down pour….a storm that left just as quickly as it had arrived.
Once back on the “big” island, we boarded LeTruck----a hybrid between a bus and truck – for our “circle tour” around the one road that follows the beautiful white beaches around the island. Stopping for photographs at numerous spots we found one more picturesque than the next. We saw the remains of the US’s encampment built during the Second World War. We enjoyed a demonstration of the tie-dyed Pareo’s (the simple rectangles of colorful cloth worn by both men and women). Equally interesting were the family graves…small, but elaborate tombs for deceased relatives in the front yards of the small open houses of the locals…each grave with its over-the-top flower displays fancier than the last. Finally, just before we neared the dock to catch our tender back to the ship, we stopped for a drink at the famous Bloody Mary Bar…the originator of the drink, I am not sure???…but they sure tasted good after a hot and humid drive around this fantastic tropical island. And like the church steeple, when I think of Bora Bora, I will think of Bloody Mary’s. After all it is the only restaurant where I have been asked to check my shoes at the door so I could enjoy the sand floors…..oh to live in the South Pacific!
February 3, 2007
Bora Bora….I just love saying it…B O R A B O R A! What a special place!
If you were to start with a blank page and were challenged to design the perfect South Pacific Tropical Island, no doubt, the results would resemble Bora Bora.
Situated in the Leeward group of the Society Islands of French Polynesia, an overseas territory of France, Bora Bora may be best known for being the first resort island to build those over-the-water bungalows at the Hotel Bora Bora. And indeed, it was one of those memorable hotels with those small pointed thatched roof “rooms” perched on stilts above crystal clear turquoise-colored water….water teeming with all manner of brightly colored tropical fish. that first caught my eye when I opened my curtains as we slowly made our way into the Rade de Vaitape…the large sheltered harbor just off shore from Vaitape, Bora Bora’s “capital” city. Vaitape’s picturesque church also caught my eye. This small Protestant church stands proudly surrounded by swaying palm trees with a background of Mt. Otemanu, one of two dormant volcanoes that formed the island millions of years ago. The soft pink exterior of this charming building is a perfect compliment to the rich greens of the magnificent foliage all around. The distinctive steeple of dark cinnamon-colored tile looking like an inverted ice cream cone “dripping” crisp white Victorian detail off the eaves will always come into my mind when I think of Bora Bora.
The “large” central island of Bora Bora with one road that encircles the entire island is surrounded beyond the harbor by a series of small very narrow “Motus”. These Motus act as barrier islands, thus forming the calm and picturesque harbor or lagoon. And, it is on these Motus that most of the exotic stilt bungalows stand like flocks of birds prancing in shallow water…so picturesque. After a short ferry ride across the main harbor to Toopuai Motu and the Bora Bora Lagoon Resort, we meandered across a tall stilt bridge to the hotel. All along this picturesque bridge we found baskets of day-old bread which we feed to the throngs of eagerly awaiting colorful fish below.
Entering the luscious hotel lobby to the sounds of native drums, beautiful smiling women, bedecked with fragrant leis and head wreaths, offered us tall cool cocktails of exotic tropical juices….mmmmm!!! As we feasted on a delicious meal of local fish and vegetables more honey-toned women with shiny black hair and scantily clad bodies entertained us with an unforgettable hula. Making our way back to the ferry, the skies opened up and we were instantaneously drenched with a quick down pour….a storm that left just as quickly as it had arrived.
Once back on the “big” island, we boarded LeTruck----a hybrid between a bus and truck – for our “circle tour” around the one road that follows the beautiful white beaches around the island. Stopping for photographs at numerous spots we found one more picturesque than the next. We saw the remains of the US’s encampment built during the Second World War. We enjoyed a demonstration of the tie-dyed Pareo’s (the simple rectangles of colorful cloth worn by both men and women). Equally interesting were the family graves…small, but elaborate tombs for deceased relatives in the front yards of the small open houses of the locals…each grave with its over-the-top flower displays fancier than the last. Finally, just before we neared the dock to catch our tender back to the ship, we stopped for a drink at the famous Bloody Mary Bar…the originator of the drink, I am not sure???…but they sure tasted good after a hot and humid drive around this fantastic tropical island. And like the church steeple, when I think of Bora Bora, I will think of Bloody Mary’s. After all it is the only restaurant where I have been asked to check my shoes at the door so I could enjoy the sand floors…..oh to live in the South Pacific!
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