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Centuries of isolation and a unique topography make Bora Bora one of the best destinations for divers of all skill levels.There are certain places in the world whose names call forth ethereal images of unspoiled paradise or become imbued with great exotic mystique due to their relative inaccessibility, unique historical significance or legendary beauty. The South Pacific island of Bora Bora, one of Tahiti's Leeward Islands, is one of those places.

Believed to have been settled by Polynesians in the ninth century, Bora Bora existed relatively untouched by the rest of the world until visitors like Captain Cook and, much later, James Michener, began spreading word of her virtues.

The tiny island is an earthly canvas of colorful contrasts. The interior is dominated by two towering black volcanic peaks, Mt. Pahia and Mt. Otemanu, whose sheer faces loom over the dense green jungle and sandy beachfronts below.

Diving In

Just beyond the beach, a shock of calm azure and turquoise water stretches out to form Bora Bora's famed lagoon, which rings the entire island. The lagoon, surrounded by coral reef to the west and by motu, or smaller islands, to the east, offers only one navigable passage to the interior waters. This unique geography makes the island's lagoon one of the best places on the planet for scuba divers and snorkelers to explore, as these protected waters are home to an endless variety of underwater life including rays, eels and an array of fish, corals and several species of shark.

Just outside the protective reef, the depths increase, as do the size and assortment of sea life waiting to be discovered.

The Endless Expanse

From the moment the descent begins into the aquamarine waters around Bora Bora, curious barracuda, schools of colorful fish and outcroppings of coral populate the landscape, and the clear water offers visibility typically exceeding 100 feet. If ever there was a place for uncomplicated diving, this is it, since water temperatures hover near 80 degrees Fahrenheit most of the year, making wetsuits optional for most short dives.

Accompanied only by the sounds of bubbles from the regulator and the distant "crack-cracking" of the reef echoing through the depths, divers will find themselves in the company of eels, octopus and the shellfish that lurk in the reef's crevasses. Around its fringes, massive napoleon fish, lemon and grey sharks and a number of different rays – some mantas with wingspans of more than six feet – may make an appearance among the throngs of fish that flit in all directions.

Divers who visit the island in late summer and early fall are sometimes rewarded with the rare opportunity to swim alongside massive migrating humpback whales. The local dive operators offer a variety of specialty dive options, and can usually cater to those for whom shark-feeding or ray-spotting are absolute necessities.

Regardless of a diver's skill or expectation, an excursion into Bora Bora's surrounding waters offers an unparalleled opportunity to experience the otherworldly landscape thriving beneath the surface, one that teems with vistas and life as worthy of legendary status as the island itself.

Getting There

Travelers may choose to arrive via direct flight from Tahiti's Faaa Airport, or aboard the inter-island ferry. Either option will deposit visitors at Vaitape, Bora Bora's main city.

A wide variety of lodging options are available, from private over-water bungalows at exclusive resorts to shared campsites on the island's interior.

Many dive options exist on the island for certified divers, novices and everyone in between. Many resorts offer diving, either through on-site dive shops, or with one of the island's outfitters, and all offer snorkel gear for exploring the lagoon. Most dive shops offer introductory and refresher dives inside the lagoon, with deeper options outside the protective ring of reef and motu. Consider TOPdive Resort Bora Bora ((689) 60.50.50,) or Nemo World and Bora Diving Center ((689) 67.77.85).

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