Tahiti - Bora Bora

Honeymooners and romantics from around the world have laid claim to this island where the castle-like Mount Otemanu pierces the sky. Lush tropical slopes and valleys blossom with hibiscus while palm-covered motus circle the lagoon like a delicate necklace. Perfect white-sand beaches give way to emerald waters where impossibly colored fish animate the coral gardens.

Simply said, the most beautiful island in the world. Bora Bora, with a lagoon resembling an artist's palette of blues and greens, is love at first sight.

Undoubtedly the most famous island in Polynesia, Bora Bora is surprisingly small. But what this tiny gem lacks in size, it makes up for in beauty. Approach it from the air or sea, and you are greeted with a captivating vision... a coral reef dotted with emerald islets encircles the main island like a string of luscious pearls. At the center of this dramatic setting the chisel-like bulk of Mount Otemanu rises sharply out of the gentle lagoon, a palette of unimaginable blues and turquoises. Underwater coral formations teem with countless brightly-colored fish, while a pod of playful dolphins breaks the shimmering surface, and an outrigger canoe glides lazily by.

In this vast lagoon there is only one navigable pass, facing the principal village of Vaitape, with its eclectic mix of Polynesian, French and American culture. More than 5,000 American G.I.s were stationed on Bora Bora during World War II, leaving behind them an airport, still in use today, and inspiring the romantic musical South Pacific.

Life here is casual, relaxing, blissful. A place of dramatic beauty, warm waters, and gentle climate, Bora Bora is an enchanting island which bestows upon visitors a sense of peace--a special gift to take home with them from the Polynesian gods.