Wondering how much will a trip to Bora Bora cost? Our guide covers prices for flights, accommodation, and more. Find out everything you need to know🌴
Bora Bora is often named one of the most luxurious travel destinations in the world, renowned for its turquoise lagoons, overwater bungalows, and ultra-luxury resorts. But with room rates upwards of $1000 per night at high-end hotels, many travelers wonder – is Bora Bora really that expensive?
The answer, perhaps surprisingly, is no – travel to Bora Bora not have to break the bank. While luxury vacations on the island can certainly get very expensive, there are ways to visit Bora Bora on nearly any budget.
How Much Does it Cost to Visit Bora Bora?
A trip to Bora Bora can cost anywhere from $100 to $10,000 per day, depending greatly on your accommodation choice, activities, and dining preferences. Here is a general breakdown of costs:
Flights to Bora Bora
Roundtrip flights to Bora Bora from major US cities generally range from $1200-$2000. From Europe or Australia, expect to pay $1500-$2500. Once in Tahiti, short 30-45 minute inter-island flights to Bora Bora run around $200-$300 roundtrip.
Accommodation in Bora Bora
This is where costs in Bora Bora vary greatly. Luxury overwater bungalow resorts charge $800-$1500 per night, while more affordable hotels and guesthouses can be found for $100-$300 per night. Even camping on the island is possible for around $50 per night.
Food Costs
Dining at high-end resort restaurants will run you $40-$100+ per meal, while casual local cafes and snack stands charge $15-$25 per meal. Groceries for self-catering are available for very reasonable prices.
Activities in Bora Bora
Like dining and hotels, Bora Bora activities can also match your budget. Luxury options like private boat charters and seaplane tours cost several hundred dollars, while hiking, snorkeling the lagoon, and cycling around the island are free. Group boat tours and 4×4 safaris offer a middle ground at $75-$150 per person.
So while it is certainly possible to spend over $1000 per day visiting Bora Bora if staying in an exclusive overwater villa, dining at 5-star resort restaurants, and booking private tours, costs can also be as low as $100 per day by staying in a budget guesthouse, eating affordably, and enjoying the island’s natural beauty.
Why is Bora Bora Considered So Expensive?
Many factors contribute to Bora Bora’s luxury reputation and high prices, especially at upscale hotels. As a remote tropical island located over 2500 miles from any major landmass, everything has to be imported – from construction materials to build resorts to ingredients for gourmet cuisine. Delivering goods and supplies is challenging and costly.
Its distance from major tourism markets like the United States and Europe also impacts expenses. Long flights mean higher airfare for visitors and extra transportation fees for goods.
The high demand for overwater bungalow accommodations also raises Bora Bora resort prices. These iconic stilted villas with glass floor panels peeking into vibrant turquoise waters below are extremely popular, especially for honeymooners, yet supply is low. Only a small number of resorts offer overwater bungalows due to construction limits, allowing them to charge premium rates.
The exclusivity and low volume of visitors able to reach this remote Pacific paradise allows luxury prices to remain high while lower-cost alternatives stay largely under the radar abroad. However, these more affordable options certainly exist.
How to Visit Bora Bora on a Budget Finding affordable flights
Getting to Bora Bora will likely be your biggest upfront cost. But even airfare to this exotic isle need not be overly expensive if booking strategically.
● Use flight search engines like Skyscanner, Google Flights, and Scott’s Cheap Flights to track airfares and find deals. Sign up for fare alerts on your chosen travel dates.
● Be flexible with your dates if possible to score the lowest fares. Traveling during shoulder season also saves money.
● Use flight miles and points for free or discounted tickets if you have a travel rewards credit card. Miles expire so put them towards those once-in-a-lifetime bucket list trips like Bora Bora!
Choosing budget-friendly ways to stay in Bora Bora
Luxury resorts with iconic overwater bungalows dominate many imaginations and photographs of Bora Bora, but more affordable accommodation options do exist on the main island.
● Guesthouses like the Raihei Lodge and Sunset Hill Lodge offer private double rooms from around $100 per night.
● There is even a hostel – Vahine Paradise Hostel – with dorm beds from just $30 per night.
● Check vacation rental sites like Airbnb for privately-owned studios and apartments at lower rates than hotels.
● Booking for longer stays often leads to discounted nightly rates; consider staying in one place for a week.
Saving on food costs
One way to control expenses in an expensive destination like Bora Bora is choosing more cost-effective dining options.
● Stay at guesthouses and Airbnbs with kitchen access to prepare your own meals. Stock up on groceries for breakfasts and lunches.
● Choose local cafes, food trucks, and beach shack restaurants for delicious budget-friendly meals instead of resort restaurants.
● Book affordable lunch tours; many luxury dinner cruises and tours include meals in their rates, essentially giving you gourmet dining at lunch for fraction of the price.
Finding free activities plus budget-friendly tours
While luxe activities like seaplane tours and private yacht charters come with sky-high price tags, there are also plenty of cheaper and even free things to do in Bora Bora!
● Snorkel right from the beaches and coastline – no expensive boat tour required! The lagoon is full of colorful fish and sea creatures.
● Hike through Bora Bora’s interior across the extinct volcano Mount Otemanu or along the coast.
● Watch the epic Bora Bora sunset from a public beach with snacks and drinks from the local convenience store.
● Explore WWII cannons, temples, WWII relics, and pearl and vanilla plantations on cultural walking tours.
● Take group tours of the lagoon, coral gardens, shark and stingray encounters, or whale watching excursions for under $100.
Planning a Trip to Bora Bora
For those dreaming of visiting Bora Bora, the first step is planning your trip. As a remote South Pacific island, getting to Bora Bora requires multiple flights even from Los Angeles or Honolulu, which contributes to its sense of extreme remoteness and luxury reputation. However, regularly monitoring flight deals websites and remaining flexible with travel dates when possible can yield much more affordable airfare to French Polynesia.
Once arriving into Papeete, Tahiti, brief 30-45 minute inter-island jaunts then deliver you to the Bora Bora airport or motu for around $250 roundtrip.
Accommodation: The Iconic Overwater Bungalows
One glimpse at glossy social media posts showcasing $1500 per night glass-floored overwater bungalow resorts dangling dramatically above luminous lagoons suggests budget travel has no place on this exclusive island. Yet comfortable guesthouses like Raihei Lodge start around just $100 per night. Even Vahine Paradise Hostel offers dorm beds for under $30! Choosing one of these options over an ultra-luxury hotel immediately knocks at least $1000 off accommodation costs per day. Those on tighter budgets can also reduce expenses by booking an Airbnb rental property and preparing some of their own meals.
Visiting Bora Bora on Any Budget
While rack rates at high-end resorts and dining exclusively at hotel restaurants causes costs to balloon quickly, strategically mixing high-end indulgences with budget-friendly choices allows you to experience Bora Bora without breaking the bank. Excluding airfare, budget-conscious travelers can enjoy a week in Bora Bora for approximately $1000 per person.
Opting for guesthouse lodging at $100 per night, preparing some breakfasts and lunches yourself while mixing cheap snack bars and food trucks for $15 meals with nice $50 dinners, and enjoying plenty of free beach and lagoon time still leaves room in the budget for a few paid lagoon tours at around $75 per person. This totals under $150 per day.
So while Bora Bora enjoys a luxury destination reputation, a trip here can fit a variety of travel budgets by following some money-saving strategies.
So Is Bora Bora Really That Expensive?
Bora Bora’s reputation as one of the world’s most lavish tropical island getaways is indeed earned thanks to its stunning beauty paired with ultra-luxury resorts, sparkling sapphire lagoons begging to be explored on extravagant private yacht adventures, and picturesque overwater bungalows with price tags to match.
However, paradise does not have to break the bank. Beyond the glossy travel magazine covers showcasing $1000 per night hotel rooms, there is still beauty, charm, adventure, and even savings to be found on this alluring Polynesian island. For travelers willing to divert from luxury cliches, affordable Bora Bora trips allow you to experience this bucket-list locale for a fraction of the stereotypical cost.
Bora Bora’s reputation as one of the most luxurious travel destinations in the world is well-earned thanks to its turquoise lagoons, iconic overwater bungalows, and ultra-luxury hotels. But does visiting this tropical paradise have to cost as much as the glossy magazine covers make it appear? Not necessarily! While luxury vacations in Bora Bora can certainly add up to $10,000 per week, budget-friendly options also exist if you know where to look, from guesthouses under $100 per night to affordable cafes and tours.
How much does it cost to visit Bora Bora? A trip can theoretically cost anywhere from $100 to $10,000+ per day depending greatly on your lodging, dining, and activity choices. Flights generally run $1200-$2500+ roundtrip from the US, Europe or Australia. Luxury overwater bungalow resorts charge upwards of $1000 per night, while more affordable hotels and Airbnbs can be booked from around $100 per night. Most island activities like hiking, snorkeling, and cycling are very budget-friendly or even free, while private boat charters and seaplane tours cost several hundred dollars or more.
While rack rates at high-end resorts and dining at hotel restaurants causes costs to balloon quickly, sticking to more reasonably-priced accommodation, looking for deals on tours and excursions, choosing local cafes and food trucks over resort restaurants, and taking advantage of free activities allows you to experience Bora Bora’s beauty and adventure at a fraction of the price usually assumed necessary.
The remote South Pacific locale and logistics of construction and transporting supplies 1,500 miles from Tahiti certainly drives up base costs. The limited number of overwater bungalows paired with high demand pushes luxury hotel rates sky-high. But the average tourist need not pay these premiums (unless of course they wish to!). Affordable guesthouses, vacation rentals, and even a hostel provide comfortable housing alternatives starting around just $30 a night.
So while the glossiest lifestyle publications showcase $1000 per night villas and $500 multi-course French dinners, budget-minded travelers can immerse themselves in turquoise lagoons, black sand beaches, jungle-shrouded mountain peaks, and local culture in Bora Bora for far less. The natural beauty and tropical island vibes don’t increase with the numbers on a hotel or restaurant bill. By mixing high-end indulgences with budget-friendly choices, getting to Bora Bora is more affordable than its luxury reputation suggests if you travel strategically. Paradise, it turns out, can fit a variety of budgets with some effort and research into flight deals, alternative accommodation options, free activities, and reasonably-priced food and tours.