Bora Bora Itineraries: Multi-Day Yacht Charter Routes

Bora Bora’s lagoon is one of those rare places where three days feels like a lifetime and a lifetime wouldn’t be enough. The itineraries below are designed to be combined: the 3-day route covers the lagoon in depth, while the 4-day route extends south to Taha’a and Raiatea, covering different ground entirely. Together they form a 7-day voyage through the western Society Islands without repeating a single anchorage. Every itinerary is fully customisable by your Boatcrowd charter specialist and onboard captain.

3-Day Bora Bora Yacht Charter Itinerary: The Lagoon in Depth

Day 1: Arrival and Matira Point to the Western Motus

Board your yacht in the lagoon after a launch transfer from Bora Bora’s airport on Motu Mute (roughly 15 minutes). After a welcome briefing and a champagne toast on the flybridge – with Mount Otemanu rising dramatically to the west – cruise south to Matira Point. Wade into the luminous shallows (barely knee-deep at low tide) on this famous spit of white sand, then snorkel along the coral shelf where parrotfish, surgeonfish and small blacktip reef sharks patrol. After a chef-prepared lunch on the aft deck (poisson cru, grilled tuna and tropical fruit), cruise west around the southern barrier reef to anchor off a private motu on the western side. As the sun drops behind the motus and Otemanu’s spire darkens to a silhouette against the fiery sky, your chef serves dinner on the upper deck: grilled mahi-mahi with vanilla béarnaise, roasted breadfruit and a glass of something chilled.

Day 2: Coral Gardens, Manta Rays and Motu Tapu

After breakfast, cruise east to the Coral Gardens near Motu Piti Uu Uta. The shallow reef (2–4 metres) is teeming with life: Napoleon wrasse, giant clams, triggerfish, moray eels and dense schools of Moorish idols drifting through staghorn coral. Spend the morning snorkelling at your own pace – the water is warm, calm and visibility often exceeds 30 metres. In the late morning, reposition to the manta ray cleaning station near Anau, where manta rays with wingspans up to 4 metres glide in from the open ocean. Swimming alongside these gentle giants is one of the defining experiences of any Bora Bora charter. After lunch on board, cruise south-west to Motu Tapu – a small, picture-perfect islet with stunning views across the lagoon to Otemanu. Your crew sets up a private motu picnic: grilled lobster tails, Polynesian salad, champagne and white sand between your toes. Watch the sunset from the motu before returning to the yacht for a nightcap under the stars.

Day 3: Northern Lagoon and Teavanui Pass

Spend the morning exploring the quieter northern reaches of the lagoon, where the motus are uninhabited and the water is an almost surreal shade of pale turquoise over white sand. Paddleboard, kayak and swim in water so clear you can see your shadow on the sea floor in 5 metres of depth. If conditions allow, your captain positions the yacht near the Teavanui Pass for a drift snorkel along the outer edge of the reef, where the current attracts grey reef sharks, barracuda and schools of pelagic fish. After a farewell brunch on the flybridge – fresh crêpes, tropical fruit and strong Tahitian coffee, with Otemanu framed against a blue Pacific sky – transfer to the airport launch for your departure, or continue on to the 4-day itinerary.

4-Day Bora Bora Yacht Charter Itinerary: Bora Bora, Taha’a and Raiatea

Day 1: Bora Bora – Eastern Lagoon and Sunset Cruise

Board your yacht in the lagoon and spend the first day exploring the eastern shore – the side most charter guests never see. Cruise along the reef between the motus that house the island’s luxury resorts, then continue north past Motu Toopua (a dramatic islet rising steeply from the lagoon) to the quieter waters off the north-eastern reef. Snorkel the less-visited coral formations here, where the fish life is abundant and undisturbed. In the afternoon, your captain positions the yacht in the centre of the lagoon for a 360-degree panorama: Otemanu to the north-west, the motus circling the horizon, the turquoise water stretching to the reef in every direction. As evening falls, cruise slowly west for a sunset spectacle from the flybridge.

Day 2: Bora Bora to Taha’a – Pearl Farm and Vanilla Plantation

Depart Bora Bora through the Teavanui Pass and cruise south-east to Taha’a – roughly 30 nautical miles, under two hours at cruising speed. Enter the shared Raiatea–Taha’a lagoon and anchor off Taha’a’s western coast. The contrast with Bora Bora is immediate: Taha’a is quieter, greener, more intimate. Visit a black-pearl farm to learn the grafting process (each oyster takes 18 months to produce a finished pearl), then tender ashore to a family-run vanilla plantation where the fragrance of curing beans fills the air. After lunch at anchor, snorkel the coral gardens off Motu Tautau. Anchor overnight in a sheltered motu bay with no other vessels in sight.

Day 3: Taha’a to Raiatea – UNESCO Temple and River Cruise

A short morning cruise across the shared lagoon to Raiatea (15 minutes). Cruise south to the Taputapuatea marae, the UNESCO World Heritage Site that was the spiritual heart of Polynesian civilisation – the launching point from which ancient navigators set out to settle Hawaii, New Zealand, Easter Island and the Cook Islands. Walk the vast stone platform overlooking the lagoon and contemplate one of the greatest feats of open-ocean navigation in human history. After lunch on board, take a tender excursion up the Faaroa River – the only navigable river in French Polynesia – through a narrow corridor of tropical forest and giant ferns. Anchor overnight in Uturoa’s calm harbour.

Day 4: Raiatea – Lagoon Exploration and Farewell

Spend the morning exploring Raiatea’s barrier-reef motus by tender and paddleboard – white sand, turquoise shallows, excellent snorkelling and absolute seclusion. Your chef prepares a farewell Polynesian feast on a motu beach: grilled fish, poisson cru, taro, breadfruit and plantain, all prepared in the traditional manner. After lunch, cruise back to Uturoa for disembarkation, with connections to Papeete by domestic flight (45 minutes), or continue onward to Huahine for an extended Society Islands voyage.

Guests can combine the 3-day Bora Bora lagoon itinerary with the 4-day Bora Bora–Taha’a–Raiatea route for a full 7-day western Society Islands charter, covering the world’s most beautiful lagoon, Polynesia’s most sacred temple and the fragrant Vanilla Island without repeating a single stop.