BORA BORA PEARL BEACH RESORT
Sit on the white sand of this outer-reef islet resort and you get perhaps Bora Bora's most spectacular views of Mount Otemanu. The thatched, bamboo bungalows and atmosphere are authentically Polynesian and the spa, afloat in lily ponds, offers traditional massages. Garden bungalows offer private courtyards with splash pools. In overwater bungalows, feed the fish through a trapdoor. The resort's underwater snorkel route, complete with sign panels, guides you through beautiful coral. From 34,000 French Pacific Francs (XPF) ($408).
HILTON BORA BORA NUI RESORT & SPA
Singers warble as you check in here, perhaps to distract you as you hand over your credit card. Still, this resort is better value than most on this wincingly expensive island, although it faces west, away from those spectacular lagoon views. It does, however, have a top beach and great snorkelling, with shoals of yellow trumpet fish. All-suite accommodation is spacious, with extravagant marble bathrooms. The two-level infinity pool is enormous and you can scrabble your toes in sand as you tuck into the breakfast buffet. From XPF 26,250.
See 3.hilton.com.
LE MERIDIEN BORA BORA
Although not as luxurious as some resorts, Le Meridien stands out for its location. It feels remote, perched on a large island at the southern end of Bora Bora's lagoon. Overwater bungalows have glass floors that mesmerise with glimpses of passing tropical fish. The resort also has its own mini-lagoon. Just wade into the shallow water and swim among hawksbill turtles. An educational program teaches guests more about these increasingly endangered creatures. At sunset, sit at the Miki Miki Bar and find the perfect cocktail spot. From XPF 48,000.
FOUR SEASONS RESORT BORA BORA
This large newcomer on the Bora Bora scene (it opened in 2008) has all the style and service you expect of Four Seasons, from the moment you're offered a drink and cold towel on arrival to the watermelon sorbet that turns up poolside just as you're getting overheated. The beach is raked to perfection. The bungalows are vast. For the ultimate treat, the double spa suite has glass panels to admire the marine life as you're rubbed into a state of bliss with warm seashells. From XPF 99,000.
SOFITEL BORA BORA MARARA BEACH RESORT
Overwater bungalows are the romantic option here but even the garden bungalows are glorious, set in gardens lush with bougainvillea and hibiscus. The resort has lagoon tours for spotting sharks and rays but all you have to do is wade in from the white-sand beach or drop off the end of your overwater terrace to find Nemo and his kaleidoscopic friends. The resort is on Bora Bora's main island, rather than its fringing reef: convenient to shops and restaurants but not quite the castaway experience. From XPF 33,300.
See sofitel.com.
LE MOANA BORA BORA
The whole of Bora Bora dazzles, but this InterContinental resort might have bagged pole position on Matira Beach on the island's southern tip. Nearly all its accommodations are over water. There are all sorts of resort indulgences: breakfast delivered by traditional canoe to your bungalow, a private lunch table set in the lagoon and sunset cruises on an outrigger. Listen for the blowing of a conch shell that invites you to happy hour at the poolside bar, although in Bora Bora, any hour is happy. From XPF 42,800, including breakfast.
See intercontinental.com.
