Bora Bora, the iconic volcanic island of French Polynesia, rises from a turquoise lagoon ringed by motus and sheltered by a fringing reef of exceptional clarity. At 125,000 euros per week, charter yachts of 40 to 50 metres operate in these waters, crewed by six or seven and carrying the watersports programmes suited to a lagoon of this quality. The interior of Bora Bora’s lagoon is shallow and brilliantly coloured, ideal for paddleboarding, snorkelling and diving on coral gardens that host blacktip reef sharks, manta rays and tropical fish of extraordinary variety. Beyond the lagoon, the outer reef passages connect to Raiatea, Tahaa and Huahine, extending the itinerary through the Leeward Islands of French Polynesia. The advance provisioning allowance adds roughly 37,500 euros to the weekly base rate, covering fuel, food and marina fees for the period. The South Pacific cruising season runs from May to November, avoiding the cyclone period from December through April. Provisioning is handled through Raiatea, the services hub for the Leeward Islands. Guests of eight to ten find that the combination of the lagoon’s beauty and a well-crewed yacht of this size delivers an experience of sustained quality that is difficult to replicate on land.
