Things To Do in Bora Bora

Most shopping here is in Vaitape, where you'll find several souvenir shops and upscale black-pearl dealers. Other boutiques and shops are scattered along the main road, especially in the Matira hotel district.

As on all the outer islands, things are really quiet on Bora Bora after dark (this is, after all, one of the world's most romantic honeymoon hideaways, not a place to practice your dance steps). You might want to listen to a Tahitian band playing at sunset or watch the furious hips in a Tahitian dance show, which all the resorts have at least 1 night a week. The schedules change, so call ahead.

You don't have to stay at Club Med Bora Bora (tel. 60.46.04) to dine there and watch the nightclub show staged by its staff. The full meal, wine, and show together cost about 6,500CFP (US$81/£41). Call for reservations.

I found the food to be overpriced at Monta Restaurant & Lounge Bar, on the site of the Bora Bora Yacht Club north of Vaitape (tel. 67.68.68), but on Saturday night the bar was serving finger food to accompany dancing on its sand floor.

The island's sole nightclub is Le Récife Discothèque, about 1km ( 1/2 mile) north of Vaitape (tel. 67.73.87), which opens only on Fridays and Saturdays at 11pm (that's right, 11pm) and closes at 3am (or later) the following morning. The young local patrons have been known to throw a few fists at that late hour.