Vaitape — The Main Town
Vaitape is the only "town" on Bora Bora — a tranquil village with around 5,000 inhabitants on the west coast of the main island. Here you'll find the harbor (arrival of ferries and cruise tenders), the only supermarket, the post office, banks, and a handful of restaurants and boutiques. Vaitape is not a tourist center — it is an authentic Polynesian village that has preserved its character.
Sights in Vaitape
- Alain Gerbault Monument — At the harbor stands the monument to the French sailor Alain Gerbault, who in 1929 was the first Frenchman to cross the Atlantic alone and is buried in Bora Bora. The monument marks the arrival point for all visitors.
- Eglise Protestante — The white Protestant church with its colorful windows is the spiritual center of the village. On Sundays, the locals flock in colorful dresses and flower-adorned hats to the service — a beautiful picture of Polynesian piety.
- Handicrafts & Pearl Boutiques — Bora Bora is famous for Tahiti pearls — the black pearls of the South Pacific. In Vaitape and along the coastal road, you'll find several pearl boutiques where you can buy pearls directly from the producer (from 3,000 XPF / 25€ for a single pearl, jewelry from 10,000 XPF / 84€).
- Local Markets & Roulottes — At the harbor and near the supermarket, you'll find "Roulottes" — mobile food trucks serving Poisson Cru (raw fish in coconut milk), tuna steaks, crepes, and fries for a fraction of the resort prices.
