Bora Bora cruise port

Where the ship docks

• Vaitape pier · 0 km to the centre

  Tender landing in the village. The handicraft centre and a few shops are within about 50 m. Car and scooter hire, taxis and the local trucks are at the quayside, and the tourist office is at the pier.

Can you walk? Partly, about 5 min. Vaitape is walkable: the post office and cafés are about 5 minutes from the pier along the main road. Matira Beach is about 6 km south, so ride rather than walk.

Tender: There is no cruise dock. Ships of 90 m or more must anchor in designated zones: BO-1 and BO-2 in the Vaitape roadstead, with a back-up zone, BO-3, off Povai Bay for a third ship only in an emergency or bad weather (Arrêté 01774 CM of 2018). Tenders land at a large wooden pier in Vaitape village, and Paul Gauguin Cruises gives the ride as about 5 minutes. Queues on the return are longer than the ride suggests, and swell or wind can slow or stop tenders. The Air Tahiti shuttle boat to the airport leaves from beside the tender berth; do not board it by mistake. Your daily programme gives the last tender.

Getting to town

When to head back

Join the tender queue 120 minutes before all-aboard, so that you are on board 90 minutes before it. Leave Matira 150 minutes before all-aboard. For a 17:30 all-aboard, leave Matira by 15:00 and be in the queue by 15:30.

The tender ride is only about 5 minutes, but passengers return at the same time. Matira adds the second risk: taxis do not patrol the coast road, and the trucks are unpredictable. Fix your return pick-up when you are dropped off, and leave extra time if you are cycling back. On a lagoon tour, tell the operator your all-aboard time and confirm the landing time before you board.

If you are running late: If no taxi appears at Matira, ask a restaurant or hotel to call one. If you may miss the last tender, call the port agent number on your daily programme straight away.

Where people go wrong: Passengers take a taxi to Matira with no return pick-up arranged, then cannot find a ride back in time for the tender queue.

A day in Bora Bora

Assumes the ship anchors at 08:00, first tenders ashore by 08:30 and all-aboard is 17:30 on a weekday.

1. 08:30Tender to Vaitape pier. Look round the handicraft centre and arrange your taxi or bike.
2. 09:00Morning lagoon trip with a local operator or ship tour: coral gardens, rays and a motu.
3. 12:30Back at Vaitape. Lunch of poisson cru at a snack in the village.
4. 13:15Taxi to Matira Beach, about 15 minutes. Arrange the return pick-up as you get out.
5. 13:30Swim at Matira. There is little shade, so bring sun protection.
6. 15:00Leave Matira for Vaitape, 150 minutes before all-aboard.
7. 15:30Join the tender queue, 120 minutes before all-aboard.
8. 16:00Back on board, 90 minutes before all-aboard.

What to see

Beaches

What to eat

• Poisson cru (raw fish in lime and coconut milk) · Snack bars in Vaitape
• Fish and meat chosen from the display, cooked to order · Bloody Mary's, Pofai Bay (closed Sundays)
• Waffles and galettes · Crêperie Bretonne food truck, Matira Beach
• Casual beach lunches · Snack bars at Matira Beach
• Seafood with French technique · Restaurant Saint James, Vaitape waterfront (closed Sundays)

On your own or a ship excursion?

The lagoon is the reason to come, and a boat is the only way to see it properly. A ship tour costs more than a local operator, but it is the safest choice on a short call, because it lands you back at the pier on the ship's schedule. Local operators work well on a long call if they confirm a return at least two and a half hours before all-aboard. Skip the ship's tour for Vaitape and for Matira: both are simple to reach alone. A 4WD tour is the practical way to see the WWII guns, which are hard to find unaided.

Common mistakes

• Walking to Matira.

  It is about 6 km each way. Take a taxi or hire a bike, and keep that time for the beach.

• Taking a taxi with no return arranged.

  Taxis do not patrol the coast road. Fix the pick-up time as you are dropped off, and keep the driver's number.

• Assuming a taxi has a meter.

  Taxis here are unmetered. Agree the fare before you get in, and carry XPF.

• Booking a full-day lagoon tour on a short call.

  Check that the tour lands you at Vaitape at least 30 minutes before you plan to join the tender queue.

• Trying to pay in euros.

  Paul Gauguin Cruises' port guide says euros are not accepted here and US dollars not everywhere. Use XPF or a major card.

Safety, access and bad weather

Safety

Bora Bora is low risk for crime, and Australian government advice is to exercise normal safety precautions for French Polynesia. The main hazards are sun, the water and the road. Matira has very little shade. Lifeguards are not usually on duty, and tidal currents are common, so ask before swimming outside the shallows, and wear reef shoes for coral and stonefish. Take care cycling, as drivers often do not yield. Medical care away from Papeete is basic, so a serious case means evacuation to Tahiti. Cyclones are possible from November to March. Emergency numbers are 15 (medical), 17 (police) and 18 (fire). Emergency number: 15 (medical), 17 (police), 18 (fire).

Scams to know

• Unmetered taxi fares: taxis here have no meter. Agree the fare first, as Paul Gauguin Cruises and Frommer's both advise.
• Drink spiking: Australian government advice warns of drink spiking and poisoned alcohol in French Polynesia, so drink only branded, sealed drinks.
• Public Wi-Fi: the same advice warns that public Wi-Fi can expose personal data that is later used for scams.

Accessibility

Tenders are the main obstacle: ask the ship whether wheelchair users can transfer on the day, as this depends on the swell. Vaitape's pier and main road are level, and the handicraft centre is very close to the pier. Tahiti Tourisme lists Matira Beach as accessible for wheelchairs with assistance, but sand limits how far you can go. Boat tours may not be accessible: Holland America's motu cruise is marked as not wheelchair accessible. Arrange a suitable vehicle before you sail.

If it rains

The rainy season runs from November to April, and tropical showers usually pass, so hold off changing plans until you see the morning sky. If the weather sets in, lagoon trips and 4WD tours lose most of their value. Stay in Vaitape for the handicraft centre and the shops, then take a long lunch. If tenders are stopped, the ship's programme will tell you; do not go ashore without knowing the last tender.

Crowds

The cap of 1,200 cruise passengers a day keeps ship numbers low, but a single ship can still crowd the pier when tenders start. Take a later tender for Vaitape, or an early one if you want a seat at Matira: one passenger who arrived at about 09:30 got some of the last beach chairs. Vaitape's shops are quietest during the morning, when the tours are on the lagoon. Heiva i Bora Bora in July brings events to Tuvavau square in Vaitape.

Bora Bora cruise port FAQ

Sources

Checked November 2026. Spotted something out of date? Email hello@porttrip.com.

1. DPAM (Polynésie française) – Bora Bora cruise ship anchorage zones (2018)
2. Tahiti Tourisme – Getting to and around Bora Bora
3. Tahiti Tourisme – Things to do in Bora Bora
4. Tahiti Tourisme – Plage de Matira
5. Smartraveller (Australian Government) – French Polynesia
6. Government of Canada – French Polynesia travel advice (October 2026)
7. Paul Gauguin Cruises – Bora Bora port guide (PDF)
8. Paul Gauguin Cruises – Cruises visiting Bora Bora
9. Holland America – Motu Islet Lagoon Cruise and Beach Break
10. Holland America – Catamaran Lagoon Cruise with Sharks, Rays and Beach Barbecue
11. Cruise Industry News – Islands of Tahiti position to small and medium-sized ships (2021)
12. Illawarra Mercury – Cruise boom in French Polynesia (November 2025)
13. Cruise Critic – Bora Bora things to do
14. Cruise Critic boards – Matira Beach, Bora Bora
15. Frommer's – Port report: docking at Bora Bora
16. Ultimate Travel Magazine – Port review: Bora Bora
17. Fodor's – Sights in Bora Bora
18. Air Tahiti Nui – Best restaurants in Bora Bora