Bora Bora receives people from all over the world to its stunning shores each year. Its picturesque beaches are unmatched. Many of these are attached to resorts that are typically found in their own private islets (motu’s).
The beaches are filled with turquoise water that’s relatively calm and shallow. Swimming and snorkeling in them is easy since you rarely have to worry about any currents. Pictures can barely do them justice, and it’s just something you need to experience for yourself to see their true beauty. These are the best beaches in Bora Bora starting with the most popular of them all, Matira Beach.
Matira Beach
Matira Beach is the only public beach in all of Bora Bora, so it’s the place where a lot of locals and tourists come to relax. You can find it on the southern shore of the island and in my opinion, it’s one of Bora Bora’s best attractions. There aren’t any high-end facilities but there are palm trees all across the sand providing shade.
You can do just about any watersport from paddle boarding, kayaking, jet skiing, and wakeboarding. Just borrow gear from your resort or rent from the two nearby gear rental stores. The waters are shallow and calm and it has soft golden sand to lay on with a towel.
You’ll routinely see weddings and other fun events like water races happening here. I’ve been to quite a few weddings since it’s a popular place to have a ceremony. Depending on the time you visit, there may be fire dancing spectacles at night or other cultural activities. Matira is one of the areas we recommend staying in Bora Bora. We always come to Matira Beach during the major holidays since there is always something exciting going on.
If you’re staying at Hotel Matira or InterContinental Le Moana Bora Bora, it’s just a short walk from these accommodations. Finding a place to eat after the beach is easy with all restaurants in the vicinity.
Beach at Conrad Bora Bora Nui
If you’re staying at the Conrad Bora Bora Nui Resort, you can lounge on the white sandy beaches and receive excellent service. You can even order lunch and fruity drinks from the comfort of beach chairs. There are two separate beaches at the Conrad Bora Bora Nui.
One for all guests with access to the lagoon area and located nearest to the pool and adjacent bar. The other beach is reserved for Hilton Diamond members, which is a bit quieter and calmer since not as many guests are able to sit on that side.
Both sides of the beach are on pristine white sand and are groomed daily to ensure that guests have the best experience during the day without any washed-up seaweed. The beaches don’t contain many shells but rather bits of coral that wash up on the shore over time. You’re encouraged to leave the beach exactly as you found it to preserve its natural beauty.
Some of the coral structures are accessible by swimming about 20 feet out into the calm waters and peering down into the schools of fish below. It was one of our favorite things to do when we stayed at the Conrad Bora Bora Nui. Also located on the main portion of the beach is the water activity hub, where you can borrow complimentary equipment. It has everything from paddleboards, kayaks, and snorkeling equipment.
Beach at IGH Le Moana
The beach at IHG Le Moana is incredible. You have good views of Mount Otemanu, and the sand is white and soft. I advise wearing some kind of water shoe because there is occasionally coral that washes up on the sand. The water is crystal clear and you’re able to see fish, crabs, stingrays, and baby black-tip reef sharks from the beach. It’s fun to bring floaties and enjoy floating around in the warm waters.
The resort (read our full review of the IGH Le Moana) also has kayaks and paddle boards available for guests. The beach faces east, so there are beautiful sunrises each morning. If you stay in a beach bungalow, it’s like having your own private beach because there is rarely anyone else on the beach based on our experience. There are palm trees for shade, a hammock, a shower to rinse your feet in the bungalow, beach chairs, and more chairs as well as a small table on the deck.
Beach at InterContinental Thalasso
The beach at the InterContinental Bora Bora Resort & Thalasso Spa is beautiful. You have a direct view of Mt. Otemanu and the pristine lagoon. As the resort is on a motu, this is one of the few beaches you can visit where it never feels crowded.
To get here, just take a 15-minute boat ride from the airport to bring you to their beach bungalows or overwater bungalows. If you’re staying at the IC Thalaso, the resort offers you a free boat pick-up from there, which I recommend you do since in my experience finding a ride from the airport isn’t always the simplest thing to organize.
You can borrow snorkeling gear from them and snorkel right at the beach. You can also use a kayak and stand-up paddle board, which are all complimentary with your stay. There are plenty of chaise lounges and chairs at the beach, and food/drink service is also available. It’s a perfect place to enjoy the beautiful views of the island.
Best of all, there is a unique swing to take your picture on that frames the picturesque Mt. Otemanu (see photo above). The I Love Bora Bora Swing is one of the most photographed places in Bora Bora.
Beach at Le Meriden
The beach at the Le Meridien Bora Bora offers its own exclusive coastline of tropical paradise. If you’re staying at one of the overwater bungalows, this beautiful beach has a magnificent view of Mt Otemanu. Since the beach is part of the resort, it’s on its little own islet.
Like most of the other beaches in Bora Bora, the water is shallow and safe for children to play in. There is no surf so you don’t need to worry about waves. While you can hang out on the sand, the nearby swimming pool is where a lot of tourists like to sit at. There isn’t much marine life in the waters since it’s so shallow, but you can find sea turtles in the Bora Bora Turtle Centre at the resort.
There are beach umbrellas for shade but there are also palm trees visitors use for it. Don’t be surprised if you see some of their employees walking around singing a song with their ukulele. The only downside is that unless you’re staying at the Le Meridien, you probably won’t be able to access it since it’s so far out.
Beach at Four Seasons Resort
Since Four Seasons is undisputedly one of the best resorts in Bora Bora, it’s not that surprising that the beach here is just as impressive. It’s a pretty shallow beach where you can pretty much walk out far into the water before the water even reaches your lower half.
You can stay in a beachfront villa or bungalow on the water with views straight out of paradise. Its sand is some of the softest in French Polynesia, and sometimes we loved just lying right on it. It’s one of the most exotic places ever for a nap! Visitors can eat at the Tere Nui restaurant before or after coming to the beach.
The Four Seasons Resort offers water sports equipment like paddle boards and kayaks. If you’re willing to pay for extra lessons, their instructors can teach you how to kitesurf or sail in a Hobie cat. Like most other beaches in Bora Bora, it’s found on a private islet which requires a boat ride to get here.
Beach At Le Bora Bora
If you booked a bungalow with Le Bora Bora by Pearl Resorts, you get a nice beach bag along with beach towels you can use for a day at the beach. While you may need to rent water equipment prior to coming to other places, this is not the case for the beach at Le Bora Bora.
The beach itself has a wide selection of electric paddleboards and your normal paddleboard, which you can take out into the water. We used an electric paddleboard, which made staying on top of it so much easier, so it’s a good choice if you don’t have much SUP experience or for kids. Close to the beach is Le Bora Bora’s poolside restaurant and bar. Grab a snack or lunch and a tropical drink to make your beach vacation even better.
Since Le Bora Bora is on its own private motu in Motu Tevairoa, you will need to reach this beach by boat, which will only be worth it if you’re accommodations are here. Choose from either overwater bungalows or a beach bungalow. We stayed at the beach bungalow that faced Mount Otemanu, and the views and easy access to other facilities made it worth it for us.
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