Bora Bora is a volcanic island in the Society Islands archipelago of French Polynesia.  Click here to see the map.

The island is actually a volcanic caldera, and its stunningly beautiful lagoon is protected from the outside waters and has an amazing variety of marine life with some excellent snorkelling and diving sites.  Perfect natural conditions, created by plentiful and regular growth of marine plankton, attract the mantas into the waters of the lagoon, as well as outside in the open sea.  Various other ray species such as leopard, bat, eagle and stingrays are also common.  Although not as huge as the mantas, there is nothing quite like seeing a school of bat rays silently glide by.

Diving is excellent year round. The rainy season lasts from December until February, and typically involves rain in the morning with sun in the afternoon.

Few visit Bora Bora for the historic relics. However, if you have seen enough of the lagoon, you might want to take a peek at the few WWII remains and the archeological Polynesian relics.

• The Lagoonarium - an enclosed breeding sanctuary and outdoor aquarium for the fish and marine life of the lagoon. This is great for snorkellers and swimmers, However, scuba divers might prefer seeing them in open water.
• Passe Teavanui where the open sea passes into the lagoon - a fantactic dive with a good chance of seeing Black Tip Reef and Lemon sharks.

• Everything in Bora Bora (catering and activities) ranges from "expensive" to "unbelieveably expensive".
• The Lagoonarium doesn't include Manta Rays and Humpback whales as it is illegal for them to be in captivity. 
• If you're looking for peace and quiet, Bora Bora may not be the best choice in the French Polynesia. It is over-commercialised, over-populated and, subsequently, over polluted.