Food & Drink

The cuisine of Bora Bora is simple, fresh, and sea-inspired — fish, coconut milk, and tropical fruits form the foundation. Added to this is the French influence: baguettes, patisserie, cheese, and wine are as common on Bora Bora as coconuts.

Must-Try Dishes

• Poisson Cru (Ia Ota) — THE Polynesian national dish: raw tuna marinated in lime juice and mixed with coconut milk, tomatoes, cucumber, onions, and sometimes ginger. Fresh, light, and incredibly aromatic. Served everywhere — from street food to fine dining. A must-try!
• Ma'a Tahiti — The traditional Polynesian feast: pork, chicken, fish, and taro, cooked for hours in an earth oven (Ahima'a) under hot stones and banana leaves. The flavors are smoky, tender, and unique. Offered at special occasions and in some resorts as a "traditional Polynesian dinner."
• Chevrettes — Freshwater shrimp from the rivers of the larger islands, grilled or in coconut milk curry. A Polynesian delicacy.
• Firi Firi — Polynesian donuts: fluffy, slightly sweet yeast rings, freshly fried and served with coffee for breakfast. Addictive.
• Baguette & Croissant — A nod to France: The bakeries on Bora Bora produce excellent baguettes and croissants. The French breakfast in paradise is a brilliant combination.

Restaurants & Dining Out

• Resort Restaurants: High-quality cuisine, often with an international flair and local ingredients. Prices: main course 3,000–8,000 XPF (€25–67). The quality is consistently high, but expensive.
• Local Restaurants (Vaitape): Significantly cheaper: lunch 1,200–2,000 XPF (€10–17). Aloe Cafe, Snack Matira, and other small restaurants offer authentic cuisine.
• Roulottes (Food Trucks): Mobile food stalls at the port of Vaitape: Poisson Cru, crêpes, grilled fish, fries. The cheapest dining option on the island — a complete lunch from 800 XPF (€7).

Hinano — The Beer of Paradise

Hinano is THE Polynesian beer — a light, refreshing lager, brewed in Tahiti since 1955. The bottle with the iconic Tahitian woman in a pareo is a collector's item. Hinano tastes best ice-cold after a day in the lagoon. In the supermarket: approx. 300 XPF (€2.50), in the restaurant: 500–800 XPF (€4–7).

Cocktails & Rum

• Tahiti Vanilla Rum — Tahitian vanilla (Vanilla tahitensis) is the most aromatic in the world — and when infused in local rum, it creates a liqueur that is addictive. Enjoyed neat, on ice, or as a base for cocktails.
• Mai Tai — The Tiki classic is as essential to a Bora Bora sunset as palm trees are to the beach. Each resort has its own version — rum, lime, orgeat (almond syrup), Curaçao, and often fresh passion fruit.
• Fruit Cocktails — Freshly pressed tropical juices (pineapple, mango, passion fruit, guava) are the base for countless cocktails and mocktails.

Non-Alcoholic

• Coconut Water — Drunk straight from the fresh coconut on the beach. Refreshing, natural, and available everywhere.
• Fresh Fruit Juices — Pineapple, mango, papaya — the tropical fruits on Bora Bora are intensely aromatic. Freshly pressed, they are a delight.
• Eau Royale — Polynesian mineral water from the island of Tahiti. Imported water is expensive — tap water on Bora Bora is generally safe, though not always ideal in taste. Resorts provide filtered water.