There are many out there longing for the day that they can head out to the French Polynesian island of Bora Bora, and to be honest, who wouldn’t. With it’s perfect crystal clear blue oceans, amazing little beach villas and just all around beautiful tropical island scenery, it’s no wonder it ranks time and time again amongst the world’s number one dream travel locations.
Where the problem then comes is when you start to crunch the numbers. To say Bora Bora is expensive is something of an understatement, with the average weeklong trip to the island costing visitors around £10,000. Accommodation alone can reach well in excess of £1,500 a night, and that’s not even necessarily for the fanciest options.
So if the cost of a trip to Bora Bora has started to dash your dreams a little, we’re here to tell you it’s not all doom and gloom. You can in fact take a trip to Bora Bora on the cheap (relatively speaking), and we’re here to tell you how.
What is the Cheapest Time to Go to Bora Bora?
One of the best ways to save some money on your trip to Bora Bora is to time it right. The low travel season runs from November to March, which coincides with the rainy season and makes it a slightly less desirable time to visit. You’ll find the costs of flights and accommodation are typically at their lowest during these months, although when Christmas and New Years roll around you’ll see them take a huge leap again.
Typically these low season rates can continue into April and May, and many consider this the best time of all to visit. Not only will you still be able to take advantage of low-season rates for hotels and flights, but you’ll also get some of the best weather, too.
The peak travel time in Bora Bora falls from June to August, along with the Christmas period, so this will be the time to avoid if you’re looking to save some money.
How Can I Get to Bora Bora for Cheap?
Depending on where you’re going, the flight can often be the most expensive part of any trip, and with Bora Bora so far away in the middle of the South Pacific, that will definitely be the case here. Don’t be put off though, as you don’t have to pay above the odds to get there.
Flight costs will be down during the aforementioned low travel season, and there are many great websites and apps you can take advantage of when looking to score cheap flights during these months. You’re probably already well aware, but if not, then there’s no better than Skyscanner and Secret Flying when looking to score cheap flights.
With Skyscanner, you can search over the period you want to travel to find the cheapest flights. In addition, you can also save your route to be alerted to any price changes as and when they occur. With Secret Flying on the other hand, you’ll be presented with all sorts of deals, although you’ll be restricted to certain times of the year, depending on what’s available. If you’re lucky though, you could stand to save incredible sums of money on your flights.
It’s worth remembering to not be so rigid when it comes to your departure airport. If you’re looking to get a good deal, it’s always worth checking for flights that depart from airports in other parts of the country too, and try messing around with different layover locations if you need to stop somewhere. Sometimes you may even find a return ticket is significantly cheaper than a one-way ticket, so get creative. You never know what secrets you may find.
Is Bora Bora the Most Expensive Vacation?
We wouldn’t be here if we didn’t already know that Bora Bora is an expensive destination to visit, but while it’s not actually the most expensive vacation destination in the world—that title goes to Oslo—Bora Bora is nevertheless still one of the most expensive travel destinations on the planet, so even if you’re doing it on the cheap, make sure you’re prepared.
Thanks to it being one of the most luxurious and stunning islands the whole world has to offer, Bora Bora has etched itself a place on the map as one of the most expensive locations to visit in the world, and it’s definitely somewhere that most of us wish we could see at least once in our lifetimes.
The whole vibe of the island is nothing but luxury, and most who visit are therefore prepared to spend big. The cheapest nightly rate you’ll typically find at the island’s hotels is around £650, although the average tends to be around £1,000 a night. These rates obviously go down in the low travel season, as previously mentioned above.
Is There Anywhere to Stay for Cheap in Bora Bora?
There are a limited number of hotels in Bora Bora (which helps to keep the prices high), and while it’ll therefore be difficult to find a good deal, it’s not impossible.
Instead of staying at one of Bora Bora’s luxury hotels for example, there are a number of shared pension-style places you can stay at that’ll range from around £150 to £250 a night. Places such as these are essentially more like hostels than a hotel, so if this isn’t your style then a small room in a more mid-ranged resort complex will set you back somewhere between £250 and £400 a night. Even the most basic room over the water won’t cost anything less than £400 a night, and the same goes for the more upmarket hotels.
Those into Couchsurfing will find a number of hosts on Bora Bora, so that’s definitely worth looking into if you really want to save. Alternatively, you can also find small, grass-roofed bungalows around the island that tend to cost a bit less than £80 a night, although small is definitely the operative word here, and they won’t give you much protection from the elements. Those travelling with families may want to skip this option.
By contrast, a luxury suite with glass bottom floors sitting out on the ocean will set guests back at least £800 a night, so take from that what you will.
How Much is Food in Bora Bora?
All of the food in Bora Bora tends to be imported, and comes quite a distance. Therefore, prices can tend to get a little loftier than in other destinations.
You’ll typically find a more upscale dining experience will set you back around £120 to £160 per person, although somewhere more casual will likely cost you around £30. You can cut costs though by visiting any of the local grocery stores, where anyone doing Bora Bora on a budget will find the prices much more agreeable.
There are also a number of food trucks—known locally as roulettes—which you might want to keep an eye out for. This is where the locals tend to eat, and you can find the standard burgers, sandwiches, fries and the like for around £8 a meal. You’ll also be able to find some other restaurants dotted around offering similar types of food. These will also usually be around this price range.
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