Magic Under the Water

Recommendation from our Host 

We are up early enjoying the view from our deck and Desiree brings a nice breakfast to our porch and then waits with us for our all day Lagoon Tour transportation to pick us up. She is such an awesome host.

Desiree also recommended and booked this tour for us yesterday. And the recommendation is much deserved.

Coral Garden

There are twelve people on today’s boat tour, Besides John and I there are two Americans and everyone else is from France.

This tour company (Bora Lagoon Trips and Lagoonarium) is all family run with mom, cousins, nephews and grandparents running everything. Right from the start, all the talk was light hearted with tongue in cheek jokes. It is hard not to be happy around this family. Click here for a short video.

Max and his 85 year old grandfather play drums and yukelele while the boat captain, Max and grandpa all sing. So much fun.

Our first stop for snorkelling is the Coral Garden. As I jump in, I notice “I Love Bora Bora” written on the lagoon bottom in rocks. We are warned that there is a current. John is concerned as he notices that I am so busy checking out the myriad of fish and coral that I am oblivious to floating away. Max swims up with a life ring on a string and swims me around, pointing out sea horses and a stone fish.

The coral is so bright in places to the extent that some purple and turquoise areas almost seem to be florescent.

Swimming with Sharks

We are back on the boat and heading to our next spot which is the stingray and shark area. These sharks are harmless as long as you are not poking at them. Our guides sing the “Baby Shark” song and as we are about to jump in the water sing “Hey hey hey, Good bye”. Actually Max our guide goes in first. Sharks are everywhere as are friendly stingrays that let us pet them. We are surrounded by schools of Butterfly fish and Picasso Triggerfish. Awesome.

The next spot is where we watch eagle rays in much deeper water. There were ten of them that stay in a group slowly moving along the bottom far below us. So cool.

Max tries a few stops to find Manta Rays but today we have no luck.

We pass much beauty on the shore as well as what we see in the water.

Lunch and Lessons

We head to a motu (coral island) beside a netted in lagoon area where a traditional Polynesian lunch is served.

Max then uses the women in our group to demonstrate how to tie on pareos in different styles. Click here for a video of Max and the Girls performance. 

They also do it for men and give us dancing lessons. Click here to see a short video of John’s dancing endeavours.  Lots of fun. They finish by showing us skills in opening and grating coconuts. Click here for a short video of me grating coconut and making coconut milk.

Lemon Sharks

We end the day by swimming with the lemon sharks in the lagoonarium before going back to our staring point and then driven home.

Such an awesome day. One of the highlights of our whole trip…up there with Hobbiton and Milford Sound.

Quiet Evening

We hang out on our porch for a bit before walking to the nearby Kia Kia Bora Bora Restaurant for dinner. It’s a family run roadside eatery with outdoor tables. I had a tuna salad bowl and John had a Mahi Mahi burger. Yum.