Days 10-15, Jan 18-23, 2024 Five Sea Days + a Day on Bora Bora, a French Polynesian Island

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On the fifth sea day of this leg, the night before visiting Bora Bora, we were treated to a marvelous 'surf 'n turf" pool-side lobster tail and beef evening meal.
 

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Bora Bora (French: Bora-Bora; Tahitian: Pora Pora) is an island group in the Leeward Islands in the South Pacific. 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 square miles. The main island, located about 125 nautical miles northwest of Papeete, 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 feet. Bora Bora is part of the Commune of Bora-Bora, which also includes the atoll of Tūpai. The main languages spoken in Bora Bora are Tahitian and French. However, due to the high tourist population, many natives of Bora Bora have learned to speak English.  The population is about 5K.

Bora Bora is a major international tourist destination, famous for its seaside (and even offshore) luxury resorts. Its 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.

More info:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bora_Bora

We left the cruise ship to join the rich and famous!

More pictures of the harbor our cruise ship anchored in for the day



Our welcoming committee

With no dock, we "tendered" to and from shore

Welcoming area




Off on a glass bottom boat excursion

Stingray

Black tipped sharks


Another Stingray


Crazy woman on a "swim with the sharks" excursion


An escort keeps track of the surrounding black tip sharks

If you look closely, you can see the black fins above water



On our way for an overnight move to Mo'orea, with population around 20K.






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