2024 WORLD CRUISE
2024 WORLD CRUISE – BROADEN YOUR HORIZONS
SILVERSEA Silver Whisperer – January 15 – May 26.
132 Nights. 66 Ports, 15 Countries.
Friday, February 3, 2023 – Photo of the Day – Bora Bora, French Polynesia
Where in the World Are We?
Bora Bora is an island group in the Leeward Islands. The Leeward Islands comprise the western part of the Society Islands of French Polynesia, which is an overseas collectivity of the French Republic in the Pacific Ocean. Bora Bora has a total land area of 12 sq mi. The main island, located about 125 nautical miles northwest of Papeete, Tahiti is surrounded by a lagoon and a barrier reef.
In the center of the island are the remnants of an extinct volcano, rising to two peaks, Mount Pahia, and Mount Otemanu; the highest point is at 2,385 ft. Bora Bora is part of the Commune of Bora-Bora, which also includes the atoll of Tūpai. The languages spoken in Bora Bora are Tahitian and French. However, due to the high tourism population, many natives of Bora Bora have learned to speak English.
Bora Bora is a major international tourist destination, famous for its seaside and offshore luxury resorts. The major settlement, Vaitape, is on the western side of the main island, opposite the main channel leading into the lagoon. Produce of the island is mostly limited to what can be obtained from the sea and from the plentiful coconut trees, which were historically of economic importance for the production of copra.
Today’s Excursion – BORA BORA ISLAND TOUR BY “LE TRUCK”
We explored the island paradise of Bora Bora in a casual, alfresco style on this scenic orientation tour aboard a bus where they forgot to include windows. We saw the sights clearly, felt the tropical breeze in our hair, and were enlightened about Bora Bora life by our local guide.
The island is famed for its glamorous, romance-soaked resorts but driving through the Fa’anui district we also passed small villages and fields that offer a glimpse into the rustic everyday textures of Bora Bora. We witnessed how the popular wraparound skirt known as a pareo is made, learned about the terrestrial tupa crabs that skitter among the vegetation near the water’s edge, tasted locally grown fruits and saw coastal defense sites left behind by the U.S. military after WWII.
We ascend to a lookout point for postcard-worthy views of jaggedly lush Mount Otemanu, Bora Bora’s highest volcanic peak, and browsed the crafts at a local market. Skirting along the East Coast, we passed by several of those bucket-list resorts before stopping in for views and a photo op par excellence at Matira Point, home to the main island’s most stunning stretch of beach.
A final highlight was stopping at Bora Bora’s most famous bar, Bloody Mary’s.
