Moorea and Bora Bora are two of the most famous islands in French Polynesia, and if you’re planning a trip, you’ve probably wondered which one deserves your time and money. Kevin and I have stayed on both, so I can tell you what I actually think: I loved them for different reasons, and the “right” island depends far more on your budget and travel style than on which one is prettier.
We visited in February 2020, on the same trip, just before the pandemic shut travel down. We stayed at the Hilton Moorea on one leg and the Conrad Bora Bora Nui on another. This isn’t a hotel review, so I’ll keep the resort details short and link to the deeper posts where they exist.
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The short answer
Both islands are worth it, and I loved them both. Here’s how I’d sort it:
- Choose Moorea if you have a smaller budget, or you want more to do, more room for adventure and more flexibility to explore beyond your resort. It’s also much easier to get to from Tahiti, and you can still have the classic Polynesian resort experience if that’s what you’re after.
- Choose Bora Bora if you’re planning a splurge, either for a special occasion or because the luxury and the iconic scenery are the whole point of the trip. It’s considerably more expensive and much more resort-centered, but the lagoon and the views are every bit as spectacular as you’ve heard.
I’m not going to crown a winner, because I don’t think there is one. Moorea is the more practical island and Bora Bora is the more extravagant one, and which of those you need depends on the trip you’re planning.
How this guide is put together: when I say “we” or “I,” that comes from our February 2020 trip. Facts about transportation, activities and seasons come from Tahiti Tourisme, the official tourism site for the islands, and I’ll say so where it matters. Resorts change over time (both of ours were partly under renovation when we visited), so treat my resort notes as a snapshot of 2020 and check current details before you book.
Moorea vs. Bora Bora at a glance
This table sticks to the researched basics from Tahiti Tourisme. My own experience comes right after it.
| Moorea | Bora Bora | |
|---|---|---|
| From Tahiti | Ferry (about 30 minutes) or a short flight | Flight (about 50 minutes direct) |
| Getting around | Rental cars, scooters, bikes, taxis, a public bus | Rentals, taxis, local “trucks” and bicycles on the main island; boats to the resorts on the motus |
| Where to stay | Family-run guesthouses to luxury resorts, plus villas | Overwater resorts and villas, plus guesthouses and rentals |
| Known for | Lagoon snorkeling, hiking, viewpoints, 4×4 tours, whale watching in season | Its lagoon, Mount Otemanu, overwater bungalows, shark and ray snorkeling |
| Season | Dry season May to October; wet season November to April; lower hotel rates and fewer visitors from November to March | |
What I saw on each island
Moorea, February 2020
We stayed in a garden bungalow at the Hilton Moorea, not an overwater one. We took the ferry from Tahiti and then a public bus to Hotel Kaveka, where we stayed our first night, before checking in to the Hilton. February is low season, and it was also construction season for the resorts, so one of the Hilton’s restaurants was being renovated during our stay.
What I remember most is how easy it was to do more than sit at the resort. The concierge arranged a scooter rental, so we could go exploring on our own. The resort also ran a daily boat to a small motu nearby for swimming and snorkeling, which I thought was incredible, and it offered snorkel gear, paddleboards and kayaks for guests at no charge. Moorea is much larger than Bora Bora, and there was more to do and more room to get out and do it.
Bora Bora, February 2020
At the Conrad Bora Bora Nui we booked the lowest room category and were upgraded to a King Deluxe Overwater Villa for our entire stay. I never found out why, and I was thrilled. Like all of the big Bora Bora resorts, the Conrad sits on an outlying motu, so the only way in is by boat (the last leg was a scenic ride of about 15 minutes). I’ve written up the details in my Conrad Bora Bora Nui review.
Bora Bora was considerably more expensive than Moorea, and a much more luxury-oriented experience. It was also substantially more resort-centered. It was much harder to get around, and I felt more or less stuck at the resort. Even so, I thought it was amazing. The lagoon was incredible, and the scenery lived up to the iconic images. We didn’t always have a view of Mount Otemanu from our side of the resort, but the hilly motu was lovely in its own right.
In fairness to the island, feeling stuck was partly the trade-off of staying at a big resort on a motu, not a verdict on Bora Bora as a whole. I’ll come back to that in the getting-around section.
Getting there and between the islands
Both islands are reached from Tahiti, but the trip is very different.
Moorea: Tahiti Tourisme says the ferry from Tahiti is the fastest and cheapest way, a crossing of about half an hour with sailings roughly 10 times a day. You can also fly or take a helicopter, which the site says costs more but can be more convenient. We took the ferry.
Bora Bora: The usual way is to fly. Tahiti Tourisme lists a direct flight of about 50 minutes from Tahiti with Air Tahiti or Air Moana, and a bit longer when there’s a stopover. Ferries do run from Tahiti to Bora Bora, but only a few times a week, and the crossing takes several hours, so most people fly. The airport is on a small motu, so you still have a boat ride to the main island, and the big resorts on their own motus have boat transfers of their own. In 2020 we took the free Air Tahiti shuttle to the main-town dock at Vaitape and then a free boat to the Conrad. That boat ran much less often than the resort’s own boat from the airport, which was a paid transfer. I don’t know whether the free option still exists, so check with your resort before you rely on it. My Bora Bora money-saving tips explain how the transfer options compare.
If you’re doing both islands, build the leg between them from Air Tahiti’s current schedule rather than from any blog, this one included. Routes and times change.
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Getting around
Moorea: Tahiti Tourisme lists rental cars (at the airport and the ferry terminal), scooters, bikes and e-bikes, taxis, and a bus, which it describes as not particularly efficient. We took the public bus from the ferry to Hotel Kaveka, where we stayed our first night, and we rented a scooter to explore. So Moorea has a little bit of public transportation, and plenty of easy ways to explore on your own.
Bora Bora: On the main island, Tahiti Tourisme lists car and scooter rentals, taxis, local buses (called “trucks”) and bicycles. The big resorts, however, are on outlying motus and depend on boats to get you anywhere. Putting that together with my experience, here’s my read on why the two islands felt so different: a resort stay on Moorea sits on the main island and connects easily to the rest of it, while a resort stay on a Bora Bora motu means a boat for nearly everything. If getting around matters to you and you’re set on Bora Bora, staying on the main island is the option to look into. We only stayed at the Conrad on Bora Bora, so I can’t tell you how staying on the main island works day to day.
Where to stay and how the budgets compare
Moorea: Tahiti Tourisme describes a wide range, from small family-run guesthouses to luxury hotels with overwater or garden bungalows, plus private villas, and says the small family-run hotels and vacation rentals are the most affordable. In my view, that’s what makes Moorea far more approachable: it has many more price options than Bora Bora if you’re on a smaller budget, while still offering the full Polynesian resort experience if you want it. Our own stay was at a resort, so the guesthouse end of that range comes from the research, not from personal experience.
Bora Bora: This is where the overwater villas and luxury resorts are, and it was considerably more expensive in our experience. Tahiti Tourisme also lists guesthouses, bed and breakfasts and vacation rentals, so cheaper options do exist. But if you’re staying at one of the big resorts, plan for it to be a splurge, including the meals. At the Conrad, the restaurants other than the sushi lounge were a little too upscale for our budget. For ways to bring the cost down, see my Bora Bora money-saving tips.
I’m leaving nightly rates out on purpose. They swing a lot with the season and they change, so check current prices for your dates.
Affiliate note: these are affiliate links. If you book through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Compare hotels in Moorea | Compare hotels in Bora Bora
What to do
Moorea: Tahiti Tourisme‘s list includes snorkeling in the lagoon (including with blacktip reef sharks and stingrays in the shallows), hikes, the Belvedere lookout over Cook’s Bay and Opunohu Bay, ATV and 4×4 tours through pineapple plantations, jet skis, scuba diving, cultural shows and, from roughly July or August through November, whale watching. In my experience Moorea had noticeably more to do and more room for adventure, and I could step outside the resort and go do it.
Bora Bora: The draw here is the lagoon and the scenery, with Mount Otemanu rising 727 meters above the water. Tahiti Tourisme lists lagoon tours, shark and ray snorkeling safaris, Matira Beach, jet skis, scuba diving, ATV tours, helicopter flights, sunset cruises and canoe breakfasts. For me, the highlights were the lagoon and the views.
Putting it together: if your ideal trip is a full itinerary of things to do and places to explore, Moorea is the better fit. If your ideal trip is a beautiful place to relax, with the iconic view as the main event, Bora Bora delivers that.
Affiliate note: these are affiliate links. If you book through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Browse Moorea tours and activities on GetYourGuide | Browse Bora Bora tours and activities
When to go
Tahiti Tourisme describes a dry season from May to October and a wetter, more humid season from November to April. High season runs from June to September, with higher prices for flights and accommodation, and low season from November to March brings lower hotel rates and fewer visitors. We went in February, in the low season, to take advantage of fewer crowds and lower prices, and it was humid. Humpback whales visit from roughly July or August through November, which matters if whale watching is on your list.
Can you do both?
Yes. We did, on the same trip, and Tahiti Tourisme lists multi-island packages that pair Moorea with Bora Bora. If you have the time and the budget, seeing both is a great way to appreciate how different they are.
If money is a constraint, my take is that the Moorea part of the trip is where you’ll find the most flexibility, and Bora Bora is the place to plan your splurge, even a short one. That’s my reading of how the two islands compare, not a rule.
Frequently asked questions
Which is cheaper, Moorea or Bora Bora?
Moorea. In my experience Bora Bora was considerably more expensive, and Moorea has many more price options. Tahiti Tourisme also lists small family-run hotels and vacation rentals as its most affordable lodging.
Which has more to do?
Moorea, in my experience. It’s a much larger island and it was easy to get out and explore. Bora Bora has a long list of tours and water activities, but I found it more resort-centered.
Is Bora Bora worth the splurge?
For me, yes, for a special occasion or when the luxury and iconic scenery are a major part of the trip. The lagoon and the views were amazing. If you’re watching your budget or want an active trip, Moorea may serve you better.
Do I need a rental car or scooter on Moorea?
You don’t need one to get from the ferry to your hotel, since we took a public bus. But having a scooter made it easy for us to explore. Tahiti Tourisme also lists cars, bikes, e-bikes and taxis.
Final thoughts
I loved both islands, for different reasons. Moorea was easier to reach, easier to explore and easier on the budget, and it still gave us the Polynesian resort experience. Bora Bora was the splurge, and the lagoon and scenery made it worth it. Which one is right for you comes down to your budget, your appetite for activities, and whether the luxury itself is the point of the trip.
Read next: Conrad Bora Bora Nui: A Review and Money-Saving Tips for Your Trip to Bora Bora.
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