Lonely Planet™ · Thorn Tree Forum · 2020 |

# Bora Bora &lt;33 Country forums / Pacific Islands & Papua New Guinea / Tahiti & French Polynesia
skydivingval 09:05 UTC 21 Mar 2007 | Hi everyone! I need help! Advice! After I study abroad in New Zealand (2008) I am going to hit up Bora Bora before I travel back home to New York. This is a once in a lifetime trip for me as a scholarship will be paying for New Zealand and saving money for Bora Bora. It has been a dream of mine to visit Bora Bora and now that it is possible I would like to make the most out of my trip as I will probally never get the opportunity to do so. Also any info on how to buy a black pearl and know its worth and not get robbed!? So, kindly suggest any hotel, or snorkling place you rented from and any info at all please! Here is what i would like to do: Spend at least one day in an over water bungelow Snorkle Buy a black pearl. ( can i just swim to the bottom and open up an oyster?) Venture the lagoon See anything cool Anyone ever just buy a one way ticket there and stay on the island? Can you do that? Stay and work for a hotel or something? Thank you in advance for any hellp! you can email me personally also: skydivingval@gmail.com |
skydivingval 18:23 UTC 21 Mar 2007 | awesome. thank you for your advice! | 1
silvanocat 22:01 UTC 21 Mar 2007 | This is the official Tahitian government pearl information site. I suggest bringing your own snorkel. The higher end places will provide fins. The snorkeling behind the Softiel motu is incredible. I would suggest that you start by reading up on Bora Bora in a guidebook (try Jan Prince's Tahiti and French Polynesia). Two excellent Web sites for Tahiti information are Tahiti Guide and TahitiTraveler (no relation to poster #1). I would also suggest reading the forums over at Tahiti Explorer (do a search on pearls, there have been a lot of post about purchasing them). | 2
skydivingval 20:58 UTC 23 Mar 2007 | yay!!!!! Thank you!!!!!!! | 3
ejpiii 09:42 UTC 25 Mar 2007 | You hace a great plan. If you need someone to tote your bags, I'm strong, dumb, too old for you by a factor of about 5, speak almost no french and have been there before. Almost all the black pearls are cultured by the islanders. Most of the islands have people who raise a few and will sell them direct for a fraction of what they cost, even in Papeete. I bought a pair on Maupiti that were later appraised in NY at ~ 20 times what I paid for them. Since you are there I'd do the whole FP thing if it possible. How often in your life will you have this chance? Spend several weeks. Do one or more of the "main" islands like Bora Bora or Moorea, but also do something really off the track like the Gambiers or the Marquises. Definitely "run the pass" snorkelling or diving in one of the Tuamotu atolls. What happens is you swim out or get dropped into the ocean just as the tide gets ready to sweep INTO the lagoon-I tried it both ways-great either way! You will find yourself swimming with 3 or 4 types of sharks, fish of every kind, color, size and shape and rays galore. It is THE single best snorkelling experience of my life, and I've been snorkelling since I was 6, having grown up-partially-in Hawaii. Hiking in the riain forests of Bora Bora is almost unreal. The colors of the water on every island is difficult to believe. And the people are the nicest in the world. Ed | 4
bulabear 16:59 UTC 25 Mar 2007 | I ususally have nothing to do with this branch and I have no idea about it - but your post is one of the nicest, easiest, most uncomplicatest post I have read since a long time on TT.(Just please, don't open an oyster!). Have a rough outline for you trip, but keep your ears open and wide, you might find a lot of insider tips either on this forum or while being in Bora Bora (for how long? as longer your time there as more locals you get to know and as more of the countries secrets you will be able to discover). All the best | 5
jo_a 16:14 UTC 16 Apr 2007 | Hi all, I am planing also my honeymoon to Bora Bora, but I need to find out wheather October is rainy or not. I really dont want to be caught by cloudy sky or rainy days. Does anyone been there on October? Is it good season? Please advise Best regards Johny | 6
ejpiii 06:15 UTC 24 Apr 2007 | Take a look at any of the big weather sites for averages. Places like weather.com and wunderground.com There are a few others that may have better data on the South Pacific. Ed | 7