Bora Bora..."the South Pacific at its best"

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Twelve hours after leaving Tahiti, we silently slipped into Bora Bora's port town Vaitape at sunrise, the Viking Sun as well as two other cruise ships. With no large pier, all three ships anchored in the calm waters surrounded by a coral reef, with its small manmade channel as the only opening. The channel was in perfect position for the sun to rise from behind Bora Bora's iconic mountain.

Bora Bora was made famous by James Michener who called it "the South Pacific at its unforgettable best."

Viking had arranged for a boat tour highlighting the main points of the island. After tendering to a small pier, we got in our groups of 12 people and carefully took the big step down into 20-foot open boats with a shade canopy, benches along both sides for passengers. Coco, whose real name was the typical many-syllabled Polynesian name with deep meaning, was behind the wheel as our guide. He introduced himself, gunned the engine, and off we shot racing across the bay along with several other similar boats. The glassy waters were a light blue, thanks to the white coral sands, with an occasional black boulder that the boats would carefully maneuver around. After cruising by Bora Bora's only public beach we took off around the neighboring island to join several other small boats in a spot three feet deep, where 20 sting rays had grouped to feed. Obviously, the rays had done this before. After feeding them some fish, the guides hopped in the water and each picked one up, as we clicked away. Then singing Polynesian love songs of Bora Bora while strumming his ukelele with his "free" hand", he drove us back to town.

The whole island of Bora Bora is only 4 miles by 2 1/2 miles and has a population of about 8000. Vaipate the port town is small...one-story buildings, a handful of tourist shops, a couple convenience stores, two gas stations, and two churches. Off this main road are a few sides streets, a block or two long. Homes were mainly of simple concrete block with corrugated roofs.

Catholic Church in Town

After entering the pretty Catholic Church we decided to head to the beach. While everyone else loaded in buses, taxis, and Le Trucs (Flatbeds with benches for 30 in the back), we decided to walk. We came prepared with sunscreen, hats, water, and off we went. There was no fear of getting lost with only one road around the island. We marched along the road lined at first with houses and then just tropical forest on our left and beautiful water views on our right.

An hour later we were at Bloody Mary's, a famous bar near our destination, to read its "Wall of Fame".  Rejuvenated by music and shade, we continued our journey past the grounds of the failed Sheraton Ritz, only a skeleton of it remaining, surrounded by a concrete wall.

Look who's been to Bloody Mary's

Music at Bloody Mary's

Finally, we made it to the beach, a mile of white sand. The first section was scattered with small anchored boats with locals enjoying its pristine beauty. After a well-deserved bobbing in the 85 degree, clear, light blue waters, we walked further down the beach. Toward the end of the bay was an open pavilion decorated for a birthday party of 30 kids along with tourists trying to avoid too much sun.

The bay was waist deep all the way to the reefs, 500 yards from shore. Because of the reef, the waters were calm and we got out and bopped again for two hours, Carol floated out 200 yards, then swam around the point to see more famous grass hut lodging over the water and catamarans with groups of snorkelers. At that point, the current was so strong that she struggled into land and walked around the point, entering when away from the currents.

Tahiti is considered the heart of French Polynesia, but in our hearts Bora Bora is the true Polynesia...what people dream about when they think of the South Pacific...a paradise.
We celebrated this little piece of heaven after sunset with the foods, music, and dancing under the stars in amazing Viking style.

A yummy start at the Polynesian Buffet

Moonfish purchased by the Chef 

Dinner under the stars with Gary and Nicole