4 Best Sights in Bora Bora with Maupiti, French Polynesia

Aloe. Aloe, a popular Internet café in Vaitape, has four PCs and printers, scanners, a webcam, and choice of French or English keyboards. Half-hour Internet use costs around 1,000 CFP. 67–78–88.

Anau is almost directly opposite Vaitape on the east coast, although you have to go around the island to get there. Here you'll get a glimpse of authentic Polynesian life. There's one small church with a steeple and a few shops. The lagoon is very narrow at this section, as Motu Piti Anau is only a mile away. There's a great view of Mt. Otemanu from the town.

This village, perched on Faanui Bay, is about 5 km (3 mi) north of Vaitape. It has a lovely pastel pink church in the shadow of a mountain. This area was once the stronghold of the former ruling family, the Pomare, which explains the presence of several marae not too far away. There are a few shops and stalls with brightly colored pareos (sarongs) fluttering in the breeze. Nearby are the remains of the former U.S. naval base, built in 1942.

On the west coast, this is Bora Bora's main town and will be the first port of call for those staying on the main island. It has a marina and public wharf (where transfer boats come and go), a tourist office, police station, three banks, two gas stations, a post office with public phones, pharmacy, and a medical center. Boutiques and eateries are strung along the one main road, which doesn't have a name. Near the police station (the Gendarmerie) is the grave of French yachtsman Alain Gerbault, who single-handedly sailed his yacht around the world in 1923–29, and lived here in the 1930s. There are also a bus stop, taxis, a cyber café, and two charming churches (Catholic and Protestant) painted in pastels with red roofs and steeples.