In The Loop Travel
  • Home
  • Destinations
    • The Americas
    • Caribbean
    • Mexico
    • Europe
    • Asia/Pacific
    • Africa
  • Fitness
  • Cruising
  • Travel Tips
  • Videos
  • Work With Us
  • My Work
  • About
  • Colorado Craft Brewery Guide
  • Media Kit
  • TBIN Influencer Network

What to Expect in Bora Bora: Pure Excitement!

11/7/2014

4 Comments

 
Picture
By John Roberts

No overwater bungalow for us on this visit to Bora Bora.

Our two-day stop at the little island in French Polynesia was during a voyage with Paul Gauguin Cruises. 

Bora Bora has about 9,000 residents, with about 5,000 native Bora Borans and the rest foreign workers and residents. 

The natural beauty of the region is on full display here, from the smiling people to the lush hills rising rapidly from the coral-ringed clear-blue bay waters.

Yes, the island is known as one of the birthplaces of overwater bungalows, the luxurious accommodations on many a traveler's bucket list, but we would be sticking to active excursions during our far-too-brief stopover. 

We hooked up with Cy, a friendly, funny and knowledgeable guide with Bora Bora Tupuna Safari, for an off-road tour up to a couple of picturesque high points, as well as a pair of gorgeous snorkel stops.

Mount Otemanu dominates the scenery (pictured at top). The unconquered peak (it has never successfully been climbed) looms over the island at more than 2,700 feet, with its craggy black volcanic rock peak in contrast to the blue water and green jungles below. 

We would scale two different peaks in our Land Rover ride, the first to see two U.S. Army guns and a bunker left behind from World War II, when Americans occupied the island. This stop and another similar climb offered incredible 360-degree views of the island.

U.S. artillery gun from World War II on Bora Bora
One of two big guns located at the top of the mountain. The U.S. installed the guns and a bunker when the military occupied Bora Bora in WWII.
Picture
The ride up in the Land Rover, navigated expertly by Cy, who wasn't always actually in the seat behind the wheel (yes, he hopped out to take a pic and let the vehicle drive itself for about 50 yards in the mud ruts), was filled with bumpy excitement. The truck was filled with shrieks and "you've got to be kidding me" exclamations for nearly the entire route.
Picture
Picture
After the off-road adventure, we changed transport, hopping into an outrigger canoe for a ride around the bays and to a couple of prime snorkel spots. We dropped into a lively reef system and saw plenty of colorful fish, cruised around the lagoon and spotted overwater bungalows, of course, before heading back to the ship worn out and buzzing from our awesome excursion.
Picture
Picture
Overwater bungalows in Bora Bora
We caught a glimpse of overwater bugalows. Maybe someday we get a look at them from the inside.
There are so many active things to do on the island. We were happy to get as much in as we did in our short visit. 


Now, YOU deserve a trip to Bora Bora, don't you think?


Thanks for reading, and always travel happy!

JR
Subscribe today to get the latest reviews, tips and tricks to help you have your best adventure ever.

4 Comments

    Categories

    All
    Africa
    AIDA Cruises
    Alaska
    Albatros Expeditions
    Alicante
    AmaWaterways
    Amber Cove
    American Queen Steamboat Company
    American Queen Voyages
    Amsterdam
    Antarctica
    Antigua
    Arctic
    Arizona
    Aruba
    Asia
    Atlas Ocean Voyages
    Australia
    Austria
    Avalon Waterways
    Backroads
    Bahamas
    Barbados
    Barcelona
    Belize
    Blue World Voyages
    Bonaire
    Bora Bora
    Brooklyn
    Budapest
    Burma
    Cabo San Lucas
    Cadiz
    California
    Cambodia
    Cancun
    Caribbean
    Carnival Cruise
    Celebrity Cruises
    Celestyal Cruises
    Christmas Markets
    Cologne
    Colombia
    Colorado
    Corfu
    Costa Rica
    Cozumel
    Craft Beer
    Croatia
    Crystal Cruises
    Cuba
    Curacao
    Dominican Republic
    Dubrovnik
    Egypt
    Emerald Cruises
    Emerald Waterways
    Europe
    Expat Life
    Explora Journeys
    Fathom Travel
    Fitness
    Florida
    Fort Lauderdale
    France
    French Polynesia
    Galapagos
    Galveston
    Germany
    Grand Cayman
    Greece
    Grenada
    Guatemala
    Halifax
    Harmony Of The Seas
    Hawaii
    High Line Park
    Hiking
    Holland America
    Hong Kong
    Houston
    Hungary
    Ibiza
    Iceland
    Isla Mujeres
    Italy
    Jim Thorpe
    Key West
    Kotor
    Labadee
    Lake Minnewaska
    Las Vegas
    Lisbon
    Lithuania
    London
    London Eye
    Maine
    Malaga
    Mexico
    Miami
    Minnesota
    Mississippi River
    Monte Carlo
    Montenegro
    Monterey
    Montreal
    Moorea
    MSC Cruises
    MSC Divina
    Netherlands
    Newfoundland
    New Jersey
    New Orleans
    New York
    New York City
    New Zealand
    North Carolina
    Norway
    Norwegian Cruise Line
    Nuremberg
    Oceania Cruises
    Oregon
    Orlando
    Panama
    Panama Canal
    Passau
    Paul Gauguin
    Paul Gauguin Cruises
    Pennsylvania
    Philadelphia
    Pickleball
    Ponant
    Portugal
    Prague
    Princess Cruises
    Puerto-rico
    Queens
    Regensburg
    Regent Seven Seas
    Rome
    Royal Caribbean
    Saint-Tropez
    San Francisco
    Santorini
    Scenic Cruises
    Scottsdale
    Seabourn
    SeaDream Yacht Club
    Sicily
    Silversea
    Sintra
    Sorrento
    Spain
    Star Clippers
    St. Maarten
    St. Thomas
    Symphony Of The Seas
    Tahiti
    Travel Gear
    Travel Tips
    Tunisia
    Turkey
    Turks And Caicos
    UnCruise
    Un-Cruise Adventures
    UnCruise Adventures
    Universal's Islands Of Adventure
    Uniworld
    Utah
    Utica
    Utica Boilermaker 15K
    Vienna
    Vietnam
    Viking Cruises
    Washington
    Windstar Cruises
    Wisconsin

    Archives

    January 2023
    December 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014

    RSS Feed

Copyright © 2013 | All rights reserved | Ewing, New Jersey.
Contact | About | Media Kit