Bora Bora by Sky & Sea: Helicopter and Diving Vacation Tour

Before breakfast, you spend time watching the tropical fish swimming beneath the glass floor panel in your overwater bungalow. You listen to the soothing, rhythmic sounds of the water brushing against the wooden posts supporting your opulent suite. After the meal, you board a traditional outrigger canoe to reach a celebrated snorkeling spot on the lagoon. Your introduction to the captivating life in the waters of Bora Bora features blacktip reef sharks and manta rays. Your heart pounds loudly in your chest from the thrill of swimming with the dramatic and large sea life.

You can see the black tips of the sharks’ dorsal fins peeking out of the water. You jump into the shallow lagoon. The sharks and rays ignore you completely and continue to swim close to the boat. The crystal clear water shimmers with hints of indigo and turquoise with visibility of more than 20 feet ahead. You float along the surface allowing the saltwater to keep you afloat. The sharks can grow up to five feet long and the manta rays can have wingspans reaching 23 feet wide.

Their bodies ripple in the current, endlessly moving. You return to shore, brush the salt crystals from your shoulders, and board the waiting helicopter when you are ready. Your day of introductions to the island continues with a fabulous helicopter tour offering a photographic panorama of Bora Bora from above. Your captain provides you with the best angles from which to capture paradise, with a view above the nearly 2,400-foot tall peak of Mount Otemanu and the bleached white sands fringing the rainforest.

Delight in the luscious scent of coconut milk and decadent coffee at breakfast. The fruits dangling from the treetops around the island remind you of the time you spent in the air the previous day. The helicopter ride made you feel like you were soaring over the lavish beauty of French Polynesia. You recapture that feeling after the meal by boarding a speedboat on the lagoon. The fresh sea breeze washes over the hull and carries the misting water onto your cheeks.

Your guide secures you to the parasail and you gently ascend more than 30 feet into the air. You marvel at the serene sound of the wind rippling the fabric of the parasail. The breeze carries the subtle semi-sweet aroma of the water. You bask in the tranquil ambiance and stunning view of the cobalt South Pacific Sea and thatched-roof overwater bungalows near the shores of the lagoon. Your guide reels you back down to the boat, bringing the sensation of flying to an end.

Your day of exploration continues at the Vaitape marina. You board a boat bound for the South Pacific Sea in search of migrating whales returning from the Antarctic. You can see the outline of the island of Raiatea to the east. Your captain offers insight into the migration patterns of humpback whales. A large fin emerges from the water and reaches into the sky, highlighting the whale’s marvelous size, which can grow up 52 feet long.

You wake up early to the aromas of passion fruit and lychee. After a small breakfast, your private transfer escorts you to a centrally located dive center at the heart of the lagoon. You board the boat and set out to the first of three dive sites for unique interactions with Bora Bora’s biodiversity. The water shines royal blue. The seafloor sinks to a depth of 120 feet. The sunlight pierces the surface more than 200 feet deep. The coral overtakes the plateau in ridges and mounds. Giant barracuda pass beside you, causing a noticeable jet stream to rub against your wetsuit. Eels poke their heads out of small caves framed by coral branches.

A stunning tuna scurries away upon your arrival. Your guide makes the sign for turtle and points to a section of the sandbank. The green sea turtle grows up to nearly four feet long and has a short, unhooked beak. They can weigh almost 700 pounds. They use their fins like wings to cut through the current and glide through the water. They have a charm and elegance beneath the sea that contrasts their slow movements on land. You return to the boat and make your way to the next dive site, wondering how it could ever compare to the marvels you just witnessed.

The island of Taha’a is located off the coast of Raiatea, nearly 20 miles away from the shores of Bora Bora. After breakfast, you board a private helicopter at your resort’s landing pad. The propellers roar to life and you ascend into the sky, watching the basalt peak of Mount Otemanu become a distant silhouette. Seclude Taha’a overlooks a lagoon shared with the larger island of Raiatea. Low hills, vibrant rainforest, and fringing coconut palms hide thriving plantations and pearl farms.

White sand islets lead into the turquoise waters and the rare flower of Tiare Apetahi blooms in the highlands. The helicopter lands at the resort, where the concierge greets you upon your arrival. The wind from the helicopter returns to the refreshing sea breeze. The scent of vanilla emanates from the plantations at the heart of the island. Take some time to embrace the beauty of your overwater bungalow and the serene charms on the island’s shores. You follow your guide, who eagerly leads you on a fabulous tour of the island, following the elegant aroma of hibiscus and vanilla.

Visit with a small family-owned and operated plantation near Ha’amene Bay. Follow your guide through the trees, where the vanilla thrives in the tropical climate. Your guide cuts away the bark, causing the fortified sent of vanilla to drift into the air. You learn about the traditional methods in which the crop is grown and harvested before viewing the drying rooms where the strength of the enticing scent originates. Continue to the white-sand beaches of Apu Bay to visit an active pearl farm.

The morning breeze carries the scent of vanilla blending with the aroma of the sea. You can hear the waves lapping against the post of the overwater bungalows and along the stretches of white sand coastline. The day is yours to embrace the beauty of Taha’a and neighboring Raiatea at your preferred pace, circling the island on a bicycle or taking a dip in the crystal clear lagoon with a snorkel. After breakfast, you make the short boat ride to Raiatea, the second largest of the French Polynesian islands with an area of nearly 65 square miles. The rainforest overtakes the ridges and coral gardens decorate the shallow lagoon. You meet your guide at the marina and venture inland to follow the trail of the Three Waterfalls.

The peak of Mount Tefatua reaches a height of 3,335 feet and looms over the island from every angle. The elusive and rare Tiare Apetahi flower grows near the summit. The five pearlescent petals close each night and reopen at daybreak with a slight cracking sound. The rainforest canopy creates pockets of rich shade, eventually leading to the first of the waterfalls. You hear a rhythmic subtle splash before finding the small falls behind the trees. The water gently courses over the rocks gliding down the smoothed basalt cliff and through the boulders rising out of the river. You continue to the final waterfall, where the tall cascade splashes into a rippling turquoise pool.

The turtles in the turtle preserve at Ha’amene feed in the returning light of the morning. The fish market in the village of Patio brims with activity as the fishermen display mahi-mahi and large snapper. The luscious scent of vanilla accentuates the flavor of your banana pancakes at breakfast. After the meal, you meet the helicopter on the private helipad at the resort. The wind caused by the propellers rushes against the coconut palms and underbrush. You relish the scenic flight back to Bora Bora, finding the gem-like colors of the verdant rainforest and turquoise lagoon inspiring. You land amongst the familiar landscape of your resort overlooking the waters of Bora Bora and return to the comforts of your overwater bungalow.

You venture to the shores to meet your guide before stepping into an open-air 4x4 jeep. Follow the dirt roads inland to explore the rugged beauty of the rainforest. Jasmine grows along the underbrush and fills the air with the fragrant spice. Fire gingers blossom with vibrant red petals. You reach a World War II defensive gun overlooking the lagoon and looking out to the silhouette of Raiatea. The US Navy provided the artillery to protect the islands of French Polynesia from the Japanese. The trees frame the artillery and the stunning panorama of the white sands and sparkling indigo waters.

At breakfast, you take your time with the citrus flavors of freshly squeezed orange juice and juicy mango. The sunlight washes over the calm lagoon with the waters lapping against the white sand. The basalt peak of Mount Otemanu watches over the island. You think back to the stunning stone altar you discovered the previous day, embodying the Polynesian heritage of the island with more than 1,000 years of history. Your private transfer greets you at the hotel when you’re ready and escorts you to Bora Bora Airport for your flight home, taking you back into the sky for one last view of the island.