Pearl of Pacific – Bora Bora in Society Islands, South Pacific

Bora Bora or Borabora, as it is sometimes spelled, is a tiny island in the heart of the Pacific Ocean that resembles a translucent jewel of viridian and turquoise. This is due to an enclosure of sparkling coral reefs containing a lagoon and a former volcano.

The Setting of the Rodgers and Hammerstein Musical

The appearance of Bora Bora would suggest an island of quintessential paradise. Located within the Society Islands 165 miles (266 km) north west of Tahiti, it is best known for the setting of films, most notably South Pacific (Metro-Goldwyn-Mayor, 1958). It all began with American author James Michener who based his collection of short stories Tales of the South Pacific (1947 Pulitzer Prize winner, republished by Fawcett Books, 1994) and the fictional Bali Hai upon Bora Bora. It was made into a film under the scores of Rodgers and Hammerstein, which has made the island world famous.

Bora Bora is accessible by boat only at one point through the reef islands known as motus that barricade the island. Alternatively, it can be accessed by air via a wartime airstrip at Motu Mute that leads to Viatepe, the main village. The main island of Bora Bora sprouts three peaks over an area of 15 square miles (39 square kilometres). Mount Otemanu is the highest at 2,370 feet (725 metres) followed by Mount Pahia at 2,165 feet (660 metres) and finally Mount Hue 2,031 feet (619 metres). The two reef islands that almost surround Bora Bora are known as Toopua and Toopuaiti.

Volcanic Islands of French Polynesia

Bora Bora is all that remains of an old and eroded caldera rim of a huge volcano that had risen from the seabed three million years ago. The island continues to sink, whilst the coral reefs that surround them continue to grow. Over millions of years, a multitude of small creatures known as polyps had secreted a calcium deposit which they inhabit. This substance hardens into coral. Eventually the islands will disappear beneath the waves, leaving an ever-growing coral reef enclosing a lagoon. Such a structure is known as an atoll (“Bora Bora Science Report”, Online resource Planetary Coral Reef Foundation, PCRF, viewed June 10 2009).

Bora Bora, Bola Bola or Pora Pora?

James Roggeveen was the first European to visit the island in 1722. In 1777, Captain James Cook followed suit. He recorded the island’s name as “Bola Bola” but since the natives could not pronounce their “Ls” or their “Bs,” this was not entirely correct. In fact, “Pori Pori” meaning “first born” was probably more accurate. In 1895, the island became part of French Polynesia. (Discovering the Wonders of our World, Noel Buchanan et al, Reader’s Digest, 1993)

In the 1920’s the island was hurled into the modern age when it became the setting for a silent film called Tabu. In World War Two, it was used as a naval base. The island saw no combat, but some of the 6,000 men who were stationed there refused to go home, as they loved the island so much. Indeed the film South Pacific tells the story of the island’s experiences from the viewpoint of a naval lieutenant.

Borabora, an Idyllic Setting

Bora Bora is a jewel of an island located within the Society Islands to the lee of French Polynesia. It consists of the remnants of an old caldera rim, which is still sinking. But the coral reef that surrounds the islands and which contains the lagoon is still growing. One day, Bora Bora will sink beneath the waves and all that will remain is the necklace of reef. Such a structure is known as an atoll. At present Bora Bora is an idyllic island, but was once the setting for numerous films and was also as a naval base during the Second World War. Presently it is becoming more popular with tourists and is the next most popular destination within the area after Tahiti.