Serving as an incredibly popular island for honeymoons and the romantically inclined among North Americans, Bora Bora has both its high season and the largest crowds during the months of June and July. However, for those with a choice of when to go there are probably better times of year, depending on your goals. We'll discuss this all, below.
As with all other tropical islands, Bora Bora has two seasons rather than the usual four that a lot of the world is used to. There’s a rainy season and a dry season. With Bora Bora located a tad south of the equator, the “summer” is from December through February while the “winter” runs from the month of June and into August.
However, as you can see on our main weather in Bora Bora by month article, the temperatures are pretty much the same throughout the whole year, with rainfall pretty consistent as well, at least compared to many other islands in the South Pacific.
The rainy season runs more or less from mid November through mid April, but cloud bursts are certainly possible any time of the year.
As far as cooler temperatures are concerned, the best weather with lower humidity ranges, runs from May through August, but most hotels raise their rates only from the month of June through October. Again, you’ll want to note that this is partly due to the number of weddings and honeymoons during this period. Meaning that if you do decide to travel to the island during June or July you’ll be seeing a fair amount of newlyweds.
With this, all the resorts, including those with overwater bungalows in Bora Bora, have their peak rates during this part of the year. Fortunately, most of these are only 10% or 20% more than their low-season rates, so there isn’t a huge swing, at least at some places.
Those who love scuba diving and snorkeling will find that Bora Bora is considered a hot spot, and if these water sports are big motivators for you, it’s another reason to come between the months of April and November. The heavier rains that are present during the rest of the year tend to upset the clear water, which can be averting for some. This makes visibility less ideal for small periods of time, however there’s still plenty of great diving weather all year.
From November through March, the weather is a notably hotter while the humidity is notably higher. This is true for the entire day. With that said, guests will find that the one thing that is most noticeable and dramatic, is the rainfall. Like what you’ll find to be true for most tropical places, the rain in Bora Bora tends to come in dramatic bursts, oftentimes lasting only about 30 to 60 minutes, and then clearing right back up to how it was just an hour prior. This sometimes happens overnight, but it’s also a fairly common occurrence in the late afternoon.
If you come from December through March you might have overcast skies for several hours each day, though it’s rare for guests to experience longer periods of bad weather. Also, when the summer clouds move in quickly you can get some of the most stunning sunsets you’ll ever see in your life, meaning you’ll want to make sure you bring your camera with you.
With all of the above advice in mind, the best time to go to Bora Bora in the end, is during either April or May. You’ll get the low-season hotel rates alongside the best weather and some great scuba diving opportunities. It’s just a matter of fewer people in North America taking vacations during these months, so demand is lower, and because of that, the resorts are happy to offer great rates to encourage visitors.