Start with the side of the lagoon, then the bungalow. Five of these resorts sit on motus and are reached by boat, while the other two stand at Matira on the main island. That split sets your nightly rate. It also decides whether dinner means a restaurant down the road or your resort’s own table.
Quick answer: Book Westin Bora Bora Resort & Spa. It has more overwater bungalows than any other resort on the island, and the Premium Pool Bungalow adds a private plunge pool if you want one.
At a glance, per night from
Table of Contents
Bora Bora Overwater Bungalow Resorts
Private Lagoonarium
1. The St. Regis Bora Bora Resort
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Location: Motu Ome’e, 20-minute boat transfer from Bora Bora Airport
Best Room: Overwater Deluxe Villa, Island view
Good to Know: Glass floor panels show fish swimming under the villa.
From USD $2,075 – $4,030 per night
Marine Biologist Snorkel Tours
2. Four Seasons Resort Bora Bora
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Location: Motu Tehotu, 15-minute boat transfer from Bora Bora Airport
Best Room: One Bedroom Beach View Over Water Bungalow Suite King Bed
Good to Know: Each overwater bungalow deck has a ladder straight into the lagoon.
From USD $1,795 – $3,180 per night
3. InterContinental Bora Bora Le Moana Resort by IHG
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Location: Matira Point, main island, beside Matira Beach
Guest Reviews: Wonderful, comfy bungalows and great food.
Best Room: 1 King Bed Overwater Bungalow Beach View
From USD $1,235 – $1,680 per night
On-Site Turtle Eco Center
4. Westin Bora Bora Resort & Spa
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Location: Motu Tape, 15 to 20-minute boat transfer from Bora Bora Airport
Guest Reviews: Delicious food and bright blue water at the doorstep.
Best Room: Overwater Bungalow
Good to Know: Infinity pool with a swim-up bar and a waterfall.
From USD $1,860 – $2,500 per night
Solar-Powered Lagoon Catamaran
5. Le Bora Bora by Pearl Resorts
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Location: Motu Tevairoa, 10-minute boat transfer from Bora Bora Airport
Guest Reviews: Gorgeous lagoon and a spectacular location.
Best Room: Overwater Bungalow
From USD $1,650 – $2,915 per night
6. Conrad Bora Bora Nui
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Location: Motu To’opua, 20 to 25-minute boat transfer from Bora Bora Airport
Best Room: Overwater Pool Villa
From USD $2,020 – $3,060 per night
7. Maitai Polynesia Bora Bora
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐
Location: Matira, main island, 10-minute walk to Matira Beach
Guest Reviews: Great location and spotlessly clean, comfortable rooms.
Best Room: Bungalow – Over Water (Adults Only)
Good to Know: A glass coffee table in the bungalow shows fish below.
From USD $855 per night
Motu or Main Island: Where to Sleep
The lagoon holds two kinds of overwater stay. Pick the kind first.
- Motu Resorts: Dinner and the spa stay on the motu with the lagoon, so a day on the main island needs a second boat. The ride from Conrad Bora Bora Nui to the main island is a 10-minute boat ride.
- Matira Point: Restaurants and a shop line the road near the two main-island resorts, so dinner out needs no boat. The public beach next door is where their guests watch the sunset. Overwater rooms at Matira cost less than at the motu resorts on matching dates.
- Sunset Side: The overwater pool villas at Conrad Bora Bora Nui come in Otemanu-view and sunset-view categories. The room name after Overwater Pool Villa decides which one you get.
Book a motu resort for a quieter lagoon, and Matira for restaurants within reach.
Which Bungalow Category to Book
Every resort splits its overwater rooms into categories, and each category changes the view or the pool. Read the room name first.
- Pool Rooms: A plunge pool comes only with the pool categories, which Four Seasons Resort Bora Bora, Westin Bora Bora Resort & Spa, Le Bora Bora by Pearl Resorts and Conrad Bora Bora Nui sell under their own names. A plain overwater bungalow at those resorts has no pool. Look for the word pool in the room name.
- View Category: Room names at The St. Regis Bora Bora Resort, Westin Bora Bora Resort & Spa, Le Bora Bora by Pearl Resorts and InterContinental Bora Bora Le Moana Resort by IHG name Mount Otemanu or the mountain, while Four Seasons Resort Bora Bora sells beach, lagoon and mountain views as three separate suites. Pay for the mountain only if the peak matters to you.
- End of the Pontoon: InterContinental Bora Bora Le Moana Resort by IHG also sells bungalows at the end of its pontoon as a separate category. That room name is an upgrade on the card room for the quietest spot, and the other bungalows sit along the pontoon.
Book the entry bungalow if the lagoon is the point, and add the pool category only for afternoons on the deck.
Getting to Bora Bora and Around the Lagoon
Bora Bora Airport sits on its own motu, so every arrival ends in a boat transfer. Send your flight details to the resort ahead of time.
- Airport on Motu Mute: The airport stands on Motu Mute, a separate motu from the main island. Each resort arranges the boat from the airport dock and needs your flight details. The boat is the only way across.
- Crossing to Vaitape: Vaitape is the main island’s town and the place to start a day trip. Le Bora Bora by Pearl Resorts is a 15-minute boat ride from Vaitape. Plan the return boat when you leave the motu.
- Between Motus: Resorts on separate motus do not connect by land. A visit to another resort for dinner needs a boat from your own, so book dinner and the boat together.
Treat the boat as part of the room and confirm it covers your flight times.
When to Book Bora Bora Overwater Bungalows
The dry season brings the best weather and the highest rates. The rainy season brings showers and lower prices.
- Dry Season: May to October is the dry season and the high season, with August the busiest month. Resorts hold their highest rates in these months.
- Rainy Season: December to March is the rainy season, and resorts drop their rates. January has the fewest visitors of the year.
- Shoulder Months: April and November fall between the rainy and dry seasons. Rates in those months sit below the high season.
- Booking Window: Book dry-season stays well ahead, because the high season fills first. Rainy-season dates need less notice.
Aim for April or November for a lower rate without the full rainy-season weather.
Check the Name Before You Book
Several Bora Bora resorts changed names, and older photos and trip reports use the old ones. A wrong name sends you to the wrong hotel.
- Westin Bora Bora: Westin Bora Bora Resort & Spa is the renovated Le Méridien. Older trip reports and some web addresses use the old name.
- Le Bora Bora: Le Bora Bora by Pearl Resorts was the Bora Bora Pearl Beach Resort & Spa before its renovation. Older photos show the resort as it looked then.
- Conrad and Hilton: Conrad Bora Bora Nui appears as the Hilton Bora Bora Nui Resort & Spa in older reports. Some web addresses carry the Hilton name.
Search by the full current name and check the map pin.
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FAQs
1. What is the difference between an overwater bungalow and an overwater villa in Bora Bora?
Brands use the two words for the same thing, a room on stilts over the lagoon with its own deck. The St. Regis Bora Bora Resort and Conrad Bora Bora Nui call theirs villas, while Four Seasons Resort Bora Bora and Westin Bora Bora Resort & Spa call theirs bungalows. The real differences sit in the category, meaning the size and the view. Compare category names and ignore the bungalow or villa label.
2. Does every Bora Bora overwater bungalow have a plunge pool?
A plunge pool is a separate room category at every resort that sells one. The standard overwater bungalow at Westin Bora Bora Resort & Spa has no pool, while the Premium Pool Bungalow adds one. Four Seasons Resort Bora Bora, Le Bora Bora by Pearl Resorts and Conrad Bora Bora Nui sell their pool rooms under their own names too. Read the room name for the word pool.
3. Which Bora Bora resort has the best Mount Otemanu view?
Five resorts sell a category named for Mount Otemanu or the mountain: The St. Regis Bora Bora Resort, Westin Bora Bora Resort & Spa, Le Bora Bora by Pearl Resorts, InterContinental Bora Bora Le Moana Resort by IHG and Conrad Bora Bora Nui. Four Seasons Resort Bora Bora sells mountain-view suites. The category name is what delivers the view, so a plain bungalow at any of them carries no promise of the mountain.
4. Is a main-island overwater bungalow worth it in Bora Bora?
Yes, when you want a lower bill and restaurants within reach. Maitai Polynesia Bora Bora is a locally run hotel with a relaxed feel. Matira has restaurants and a shop along the road, so dinner out needs no boat. The motu resorts give far more seclusion, and that is the trade.
5. When is the cheapest time to book an overwater bungalow in Bora Bora?
Resort rates drop in the rainy season, from December to March, and January has the fewest visitors. April and November are the shoulder months between the dry-season peak and the rain. A rainy-season trip trades weather for price. The dry season runs from May to October, with August the busiest month.
6. How far ahead should you book an overwater bungalow in Bora Bora?
Book dry-season stays well ahead, because May to October is the high season and rooms go first. Rainy-season dates need less notice. Reserve the bungalow before the flights, since a booked flight with no room on the lagoon leaves you hunting for a different resort. April and November fall between the two.
7. Is an overwater bungalow better than a beach villa in Bora Bora?
Beach villas give more privacy, while an overwater bungalow puts the lagoon at your deck. The St. Regis Bora Bora Resort points guests who want seclusion to a secluded beach villa. At Westin Bora Bora Resort & Spa overwater bungalows far outnumber the beachside ones, so beach rooms are the scarcer category.
