Matira Beach, Bora Bora | Top 100 Bikini Guide
BORA BORA, SOCIETY ISLANDS / FRENCH POLYNESIA
Matira Beach, Bora Bora
| Top 100 Bikini Guide
A morning on Bora Bora’s south shore, with pale sand and a long view across the lagoon.
Plan your beach day ↘TOP 100 BIKINI DESTINATIONS / SOCIETY ISLANDS
Bora Bora,
at the edge of the lagoon.
Matira Beach lies at the southern end of Bora Bora’s main island, where a sweep of pale sand meets the lagoon.
Start near the public picnic area, walk the waterline, and leave the middle of the day for lunch in the shade. Save a boat outing for a separate morning.
ON THE WORLD MAP
In French Polynesia’s Society Islands.
Matira Beach, Bora Bora, Society Islands
01 / GETTING THERE
Start on Motu Mute.
Arrive in Vaitape
The passenger shuttle lands at Vaitape on the main island.
Photo: Balou46 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Display cropGet around Bora Bora
Walk the short stretch around Matira and arrange a taxi for trips into Vaitape. If you rent a bike or car, use signed parking and keep clear of the road shoulder.
On the beach
Tahiti Tourisme lists a picnic park and wheelchair access with assistance. The last stretch is sand. Confirm facilities, currents, and any supervision with local staff on the day. Beach status ↗
02 / BEACH ESSENTIALS
Know before you go.
Matira is a public lagoon beach with a picnic park and a few places to buy food along the road.
01 / HOW TO GET THERE
South from Vaitape
From the Vaitape pier, take a taxi or drive south along the coast road, about 10–20 minutes. Look for public spaces near the beach or legal roadside parking. Local reports describe free spaces that fill on busy days. Exact fill times are unconfirmed. If you fly in, the airport shuttle boat first takes you to Vaitape.
Air Tahiti airport boat information ↗02 / BEACH ACCESS
A short, mostly flat walk
Walk from the roadside or picnic park onto the sand. There is no steep descent or climb back. Tahiti Tourisme lists wheelchair access with assistance, and loose sand makes the last stretch harder for strollers. Land access is independent of the tide, but the lagoon gets shallower at low tide.
03 / THE SAND
Soft white sand
Matira has fine white sand that can warm up at midday. The lagoon has a mostly sandy entry, with some coral rubble and stones away from the main stretch. Sandals help on dry sand and water shoes can help in stony patches. Avoid stepping on live coral.
04 / FOOD & WATER
A few roadside food stops
Look for Snack Matira and other food stops along the coast road. Hours vary, and small vendors may prefer cash. Bring drinking water and a snack from Vaitape if you’re coming early or staying late.
05 / CHAIRS & UMBRELLAS
Bring a towel and shade
There is no dependable chair or umbrella rental on the public stretch. The picnic park offers some shade, but the sand is exposed in places. Bring a hat or portable shade.
06 / RESTROOMS & SHOWERS
Check facilities before settling in
Reports conflict about public toilets and showers near the beach. Plan to use a restroom in Vaitape or at a restaurant where you’re a customer. Public changing rooms, staffed first aid, and lifeguard coverage are unconfirmed.
03 / THE BEACH
A day at Matira Beach.
Start on the sand
The south shore of Bora Bora meets the shallow lagoon.
Photo: Balou46 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Display crop01 / ARRIVE
Start at the public entrance
Take the path by the picnic park before the midday heat.
02 / WATER CHECK
Read the lagoon
Check visibility, currents, and local advice before going in. Keep clear of boat lanes.
03 / WALK
Follow the sand
Walk the waterline and give exposed coral and moored boats space.
04 / LUNCH
Find shade at midday
Bring a picnic or take a table near Matira Point.
Start early, break for lunch, and return for late light on the western side of the point if conditions allow. If rain moves in, take lunch under cover or head back to Vaitape.
NEARBY BEACHES
Four lagoon shores within 8 km.
Motu Tapu lies across the western lagoon, and Motu Tevairoa is to the north-northwest. Motu Tape and Motu Tehotu sit on the eastern reef. Each shore requires arranged access.
Pearl Beach, Motu Tevairoa
A sandy lagoon-facing shore on Motu Tevairoa at Le Bora Bora by Pearl Resorts. Arrange boat access with the resort.
- Best for
- A guest beach day
- Facilities
- Resort facilities serve registered guests. Confirm access before arranging a boat.
- Good to know
- Private resort access. Use the designated guest swim area if open.
Motu Tapu beach
A small sandy islet near the western reef pass. Access is through an organized visit from the resort.
- Best for
- A prearranged island outing
- Facilities
- No public facilities. Ask the operator what is available for your visit.
- Good to know
- Private access. Keep clear of the pass and follow the operator’s instructions.
Motu Tape beach
A sandy, lagoon-facing shore inside the Westin resort grounds. The archive photo shows the same beach when the property was Le Méridien.
- Best for
- A guest lagoon stop
- Facilities
- Ask the resort about guest facilities and current supervision.
- Good to know
- Arrange transfer with the resort. Keep away from landing pontoons.
Motu Tehotu beach
A pale lagoon shore on the eastern reef, reached through the Four Seasons resort’s boat transfers.
- Best for
- A guest beach day
- Facilities
- Confirm guest facilities and beach access when booking.
- Good to know
- Private resort access. Ask about currents and marked swim areas.
Distances are straight-line from Matira Beach. Facilities change by season, so check on the day.
04 / MUST-SEE PLACES
Three ways to see Bora Bora.
01 / VAITAPE
Vaitape waterfront
Take a short walk around the ferry quay and pick up picnic supplies in the village.
Official Bora Bora island map ↗02 / POINTE FITIU’U
Site Ha’amaire
Visit the old hillside defense sites with a local guide. Ask about access and the condition of the paths before setting out.
Official Site Ha’amaire visitor information ↗03 / BORA BORA LAGOON
Bora Bora coral gardens
Go with an operator who can choose a suitable site for the day’s visibility and currents. Keep fins and feet clear of coral.
Tahiti Tourisme lagoon activities ↗EXPLORE THE AREA
Matira Beach and Bora Bora.
Find the Matira peninsula on the main island’s south coast, Vaitape on the west, and the reef islets across the lagoon.
Open the interactive map ↗BEYOND THE BEACH
Life around the lagoon.
The road around Bora Bora passes bays, boat landings, and the lower slopes of the island’s ridge.
Below Mount Otemanu
Red kayaks sit at the lagoon’s edge below the island’s volcanic ridge.
Photo: Athos33320 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Display crop
The old defense sites
A coastal gun overlooks the lagoon passage it was installed to protect.
Photo: LecomteB · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Display crop
A canoe under the palms
Outrigger canoes are part of daily life and racing on Bora Bora.
Photo: Reutova · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Display crop
Hitiaa Bay
The coast folds into bays along the road around Bora Bora.
Photo: Sergio Calleja (Life is a trip) · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Display crop05 / SIX HOTELS
Find your base.
VAITAPE
Sunset Hill Lodge
$ Budget · about XPF 14,100–21,000 per night
Self-catering rooms with terraces near Vaitape’s shops and quay, roughly 8 km by road from Matira Beach. Ask about the slope and stairs before booking.
Sunset Hill Lodge official site ↗POVAI BAY
Tiki Ora Lodge
$ Budget · about XPF 15,500–22,100 per night
Studios with kitchenettes and a saltwater pool between Vaitape and Matira, roughly 4 km by road from the beach. Ask about bike rentals.
Tiki Ora Lodge official site ↗MATIRA POINT
Village Temanuata
$$ Mid-Range · about XPF 27,000–32,000 per night
Garden and lagoon-side bungalows a short walk from the public beach. Ask which room categories face the water.
Village Temanuata official site ↗FAATAHI
Bora Bora Holiday’s Lodge
$$ Mid-Range · about XPF 25,500–34,500 per night
A hillside guesthouse with a garden and pools, roughly 10 km by road from Matira. The band covers superior rooms and garden studios.
Bora Bora Holiday’s Lodge official site ↗MOTU TAPE
The Westin Bora Bora Resort & Spa
$$$ Upscale · about XPF 133,070–152,560 per night
Beach villas and overwater bungalows across the eastern lagoon, about 6 km straight-line from Matira. Arrange both airport and main-island transfers.
The Westin Bora Bora Resort & Spa official site ↗MOTU OME’E
The St. Regis Bora Bora Resort
$$$$ Luxury · about XPF 226,530–294,980 per night
Beach and overwater villas with access to the resort lagoonarium, about 8 km straight-line from Matira. Confirm boat transfers when reserving.
The St. Regis Bora Bora Resort official site ↗
WHEN TO GO
Choose the day you want.
The cooler, drier season generally runs from May to October. The warmer months bring more frequent rain. Check the forecast and ask locally about conditions and supervision before getting in the lagoon. Climate normals ↗
06 / FOOD, LANGUAGE & LOCAL LIFE
From sand to table.
Baguettes in Vaitape
A bakery stop is an easy addition to a lagoon picnic.
Photo: Peter Gill / UK · CC BY 3.0 · Display cropWhat to order
Try poisson cru, fish dressed with lime and coconut milk, or lagoon fish with vanilla sauce. Pick up a baguette and fruit if you’re taking lunch to the picnic area.
Local habits
Say hello when you arrive, ask before photographing people, and cover up when you leave the sand for a meal.
A LITTLE FRENCH
Useful on the beach and in town.
- Bonjour
- Hello
- L’addition, s’il vous plaît
- The check, please
- Merci
- Thank you
- Au revoir
- Goodbye
SIX RESTAURANTS
Where to eat.
VAITAPE
Snack Chez Lolo
$ Budget · about XPF 1,000–1,600 per person
Choose a grilled tuna plate or a pizza near the quay. Check the shorter weekend hours before going.
Snack Chez Lolo official site ↗FAANUI
Snack Hoimai
$ Budget · about XPF 600–1,900 per person
Pick up a panini, poisson cru with coconut milk, or a shrimp wok. Check pickup times and order ahead.
Snack Hoimai official site ↗MATIRA
Haere Mai
$$ Mid-Range · about XPF 3,100–3,450 per person
Try lagoon fish with mango or opah with vanilla sauce. Ask the hotel about dinner service and reservations.
Haere Mai official site ↗MOTU TEHOTU
Faré Hoa
$$ Mid-Range · about XPF 2,500–3,600 per person
Choose a vegetable wrap or tuna burger for lunch. Confirm visitor access and the resort boat before making the trip.
Faré Hoa official site ↗MOTU TEVAIROA
Miki Miki
$$$ Upscale · about XPF 5,400–6,200 per person
Try the tuna steak and a Polynesian coffee dessert. Confirm lunch hours, visitor access, and your return boat.
Miki Miki official site ↗POVAI BAY
La Villa Mahana
$$$$ Luxury · about XPF 10,800–17,900 per person
Reserve a table for a vegetarian or Epicurien tasting menu. Confirm dinner days and return transport when booking.
La Villa Mahana official site ↗SOCIETY ISLANDS AFTER DARK
Three bars.
Vini Vini Bar
A drink on the terrace at Le Moana, close to Matira Point. Vini Vini Bar ↗
Uaina Bar
A wine lounge with a view toward Mount Otemanu. Ask the resort about reservations and boat access. Uaina Bar at Le Bora Bora ↗
Upa Upa Lounge Bar
An overwater lounge on Motu To’opua. Confirm opening days and arrange your boat before going. Upa Upa Lounge Bar ↗
Base a main-island evening around Matira if you’re staying nearby. For a motu visit, confirm your return boat before leaving, or arrange a pickup with your lodging.
BORA BORA EVENT CALENDAR & MONEY
Plan around the celebrations.
Heiva i Bora Bora
The last completed program ran June 26–August 2, 2026, at Place Tuvava’u in Vaitape. The competitions concluded July 19. Check the municipality for the next program.
Heiva i Bora Bora official site ↗TALIFIT Race
The eighth edition took place April 6–11, 2026, with outrigger races based at Matira Beach. Check the organizer for the next program and registration.
TALIFIT Race ↗Currency / CFP franc
The CFP franc is written XPF and often shown as F CFP. Carry some cash for snacks and small purchases, and check whether the venue takes cards before ordering.
Institut d’émission d’outre-mer ↗07 / WHAT TO WEAR
Pack for sun and the crossing.
THE MATIRA KIT
Swim.
Walk.
Stay out.
On the sand
Wear the Bora Bora Ripple bikini with a light linen shirt, a brimmed hat, and a refillable water bottle.
On the walk back
Bring sandals for the hot pavement and a dry pouch for the boat. Pack sun protection and give coral plenty of room.
In town
A light dress or a loose shirt works for dinner. Bring a layer if your return is by boat.
BEFORE YOU LEAVE
Good to know.
Which airport should I use?
Fly to Bora Bora Airport (BOB) on Motu Mute. Air Tahiti’s passenger shuttle crosses to Vaitape. Ask your resort about a separate transfer if you’re staying on a motu.
Is it good for swimming?
The water can be shallow by the beach. Ask about currents and visibility, stay out of boat lanes, follow local instructions, and respect the marked Popora rāhui boundary.
Is the beach step-free?
Tahiti Tourisme lists wheelchair access with assistance. The final approach includes sand. Ask about the route at the picnic park before visiting.
Can I visit other beaches without a resort booking?
Matira is public. Most resort beaches require guest status or advance permission. Ask an operator where a boat outing can legally land.
How do I get back from dinner on a motu?
Arrange a return boat with the restaurant or your lodging before you go. Confirm the pickup point on the main island.
FOG & FOUNDRY / SWIM
Blue at the waterline.
An ocean-blue bandeau bikini set with a ripple print drawn from the lagoon’s changing shades.
Explore the Bora Bora Ripple bikini ↗
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