Matira Beach

Ideal stay

4-5 nights

The vibe

Turquoise, languid, quietly glamorous

From our guides

1. 01

   Matira Point snorkelling

   Shallow water off the point's tip is home to blacktip reef sharks and stingrays that glide close to swimmers without concern.

2. 02

   Mount Otemanu views

   Bora Bora's extinct volcanic peak dominates every view from the beach, especially dramatic in the last light before sunset.

3. 03

   Lagoon boat tours

   Half-day trips circle the island's coral gardens, stopping to snorkel with rays and reef sharks in waist-deep water.

4. 04

   Vaitape village

   Bora Bora's small main settlement has a market, shops and the ferry dock, a low-key contrast to the island's luxury resorts.

5. 05

   Sunset over the lagoon

   The west-facing beach gives an uninterrupted view as the sky turns over the outer reef, best watched with a drink in hand.

6. 06

   Coral gardens near the motu

   Shallow reef patches near the outer islets offer some of the calmest, most colourful snorkelling on the island.

1. Fly to

   Motu Mute (BOB)

   Nearest airport to Matira Beach, about 10km away as the crow flies.

2. Then

   To Matira

   Bora Bora's airport (BOB) sits on its own motu, so arrival is by boat: a free shuttle to Vaitape takes about 15 minutes, then 10 to 15 minutes by road or hotel boat to Matira Point.

3. On the ground

   Getting around

   Matira is the one long public beach and everything along it is walkable; bicycles, scooters and a small hire car are the usual way to loop the island's single coast road.

Public transport: Minimal: an occasional island bus and hotel shuttles, so most people walk, cycle or take a boat.

Overwater and beach villas at the luxury end, family-run pensions and guesthouses on the main island, plus a few rental houses. Nothing resembling a budget hotel chain.

• Best base overall

  Matira Point

  Walking distance to the only proper public beach, plus shops, snack trucks and boat operators. It is the busiest corner of the island, and the beach fills where the road meets the sand.

  Find stays in Matira Point →
• Best value

  Vaitape

  The main village and ferry arrival point, with pensions, a supermarket and no beach to speak of. Cheapest option by far, and the bus or a scooter gets you to Matira in minutes.

  Find stays in Vaitape →
• Best for couples

  Motu islets across the lagoon

  The overwater resorts sit on the outer sand islets with the classic view back to Mount Otemanu. Every trip to the main island is a boat transfer on the resort's timetable.

  Find stays in Motu islets across the lagoon →
• Quietest

  Anau and the east coast

  Family pensions on the far shore with lagoon access, rays offshore and almost no traffic. Restaurants are scarce, so half-board or self-catering is close to essential.

  Find stays in Anau and the east coast →

Worth knowing before you book: Peak season from June to September books out a year ahead at the resorts, and pensions want confirmation of your inter-island flight before they hold a room.

Getting there

Bora Bora's airport sits on its own motu, reached from the main island by a short boat transfer arranged through your accommodation.

Timing

May to October is the dry season, with calmer seas and clearer water; November to April brings more rain and humidity.

Budget travellers

A guesthouse near Matira gives lagoon access at a fraction of an overwater bungalow's price, with the beach itself free to use.

Sun protection

Shade is limited on the beach itself, and the equatorial sun is strong even on overcast days, so reapply sunscreen often.

Getting around

The island has one coastal road; bicycles, scooters and small rental cars are the easiest ways to get between the beach and the village.