Scuba Diving

While snorkeling off the reef face at the Hotel Bora Bora late one afternoon, I was startled to see a large manta ray gliding by virtually overhead, seemingly just a few feet away. It's one of my most indelible Bora Bora moments. You may have one, too, for both divers and snorkelers can swim among the manta rays, eagle rays, sharks, and some 1,000 species of colorful tropical fishes in the lagoon here.

One of the most popular snorkeling sites is over the coral gardens in and near the Bora Bora Lagoonarium. Even novice divers can explore the site known as Anau, in the lagoon between there and Point Haamaire, where manta rays frequently hang out. Divers and snorkelers also share the lagoon off the eastern side of Motu Toopua and the islet next to it, Motu Toopua Iti.

The most easily accessible dive site outside the reef is off Motu Tapu, the islet just south of Teavanui Pass. Two others -- the White Valley, off the airport, and Tupitipiti, on the reef's southeastern corner -- both require lengthy boat rides and can experience strong currents.

Among the best snorkeling spots are the aptly named "Aquarium," off the southern end of Motu Pitiaau, and around Motu Piti Uuuta, home of the Sofitel Motu. These require boat transportation, but you can walk to the outer reef from the southern tip of Point Matira, thus increasing your chances of seeing more fish than if you snorkel off Matira Beach south of the Hotel Bora Bora. Best of all, in my opinion, are the reef faces, above which sit the Hotel Bora Bora's overwater bungalows.

Every resort has snorkeling gear for its guests as well as a scuba-diving program. They all charge about 7,500CFP (US$75) for 30-minute introductory courses or a one-tank lagoon dive. Open-water and night dives cost about 9,000CFP (US$90).

Friendly dive operators Michel and Anne Condesse offer morning, afternoon, and evening dives from their Bora Diving Center, adjacent to Hotel Bora Bora (tel. 67.71.84; fax 67.74.83; www.boradive.com). They provide buoyancy compensators, fins, snorkels, wetsuits, regulators, and all other equipment (be prepared for the metric system; depth and pressure gauges display measurements in meters and kilograms). They also teach PADI certification courses. For non-divers, they offer "Aqua Safari" excursions, which entail walking on the bottom while wearing a diving helmet.

The island's largest dive operator is TOPdive Bora Bora (tel. 60.50.50; fax 60.50.51; www.topdive.com), which has top-of-the line equipment and some of the best dive boats in French Polynesia. Its base is on the northern outskirts of Vaitape.

Like Flying Underwater -- Shining with every hue on the blue end of the color spectrum, Bora Bora's watery playground is one of my favorite snorkeling spots. Hotel Bora Bora has bungalows sitting right on the edge of a reef that drops precipitously to dark depths. I experience the exhilaration of flying when I drift out over that underwater cliff. If you're lucky, a manta ray will gracefully glide by.