How much is a trip to Bora Bora for a family of 4?
Before we share the cost breakdown of our trip to Bora Bora with kids, we feel it’s important to remind you that travel is personal. Prices will depend on your travel style and what you do on your Bora Bora vacation. You can easily break your travel budget in French Polynesia!
Now, it’s important to note that travel to Bora Bora is expensive. The rumors are true. Bora Bora certainly is not the cheapest destination for a family vacation.
Contrary to what your Google search results might reveal, there are no true Bora Bora all inclusive resorts. Some Bora Bora hotels will include breakfast and transfers; however, not all food and drinks is included.
Additionally, some Bora Bora vacation packages with flights will advertise this package as being all-inclusive. But, again, not all food and drinks are included. We believe this is misleading. If food and drinks are not all included, is it really an all inclusive resort? We don’t think so.
I bring this up because food and accommodations will be the majority of your Bora Bora vacation budget. Breakfasts alone may cost $50 per person. And a cold beer at the pool might cost you $20.
Bora Bora travel tips: What we learned on our trip to French Polynesia
Bora Bora overwater bungalows
Where you stay in Bora Bora will significantly impact the cost of your trip. While the luxurious overwater bungalows in Bora Bora are a bucket-list worthy experience, they are not cheap.
We did not stay in an overwater bungalow, for a few reasons.
First, the price for our family starts at approx. $1,500 per night. That’s a lot of money for one night.
Second, there are limited options available for a family of four. Many of the overwater bungalows are designed for couples on a honeymoon. This means only one king or queen sized bed in the room, not multiple beds.
Now, there are some large villas at the Four Seasons Bora Bora and The St. Regis Bora Bora Resort, but these multi-bedroom overwater bungalows are very expensive. We’re talking $2,000+ per night.
When we did our research on Bora Bora hotels, we found that using 2 x adults and 2 x children gave limited results. We read that several Bora Bora resorts have a policy of no more than 3 people per room.
This was our first time experiencing such a restriction/policy. The obvious question is why?
When we changed the search to 2 x adults plus 1 x child, there were more options available. However, some of the fine print referred back to the max of 3 guests per room. We did not want to take a chance, especially now that our boys are older. Maybe if they were toddlers or infants, but not at ages 11 and 9 years old.
Regardless, the overwater bungalow price was too steep for our budget.
Are there kid-friendly Bora Bora hotels?
Most of the Bora Bora resorts are kid friendly. We did not notice any resorts being advertised as an adults only resort. That said, it’s clear that Bora Bora’s target audience is couples and honeymooners.
As mentioned above, we struggled to find accommodations that fit our family of four. It’s much more common to find accommodations for 2 adults.
We stayed at Hotel Royal Bora Bora, pictured above and below. Breakfast is included, which helps reduce food costs. It’s a family friendly hotel with an outdoor pool, private beach and some games included.
Furthermore, the top Bora Bora luxury resorts are:
Bora Bora travel tips: What we learned on our trip to French Polynesia
What does it cost to travel to Bora Bora with kids?
Okay, let’s get down to the numbers. Below is a breakdown of the costs for our Bora Bora family vacation with flight. We spent 6 nights at Hotel Royal Bora Bora, located on the main island (not a lagoon resort, which are more expensive).
Further down, we share the cost of our entire 14 day trip to French Polynesia. We stayed 4 nights in Tahiti and 4 nights in Moorea (plus the 6 nights in Bora Bora with kids).
Note – prices are converted to our local currency Canadian (CAD). We visited in April 2023.
Price of international flights to Tahiti from Seattle
$750 each = $3,000 for 2 x adults and 2 x children (under 12 years old)
Plus $30 seat selection fee each way = $240
Total cost for flights = $3,240 CAD
We did the direct flight from Seattle, Washington to Papeete, Tahiti on Air Tahiti Nui. Read about this experience here.
You can book Bora Bora vacations from Canada but there are no direct flights. You will likely connect in either Seattle, Los Angeles, San Francisco or Hawaii.
Inter island flights Tahiti to Bora Bora
$387.50 per person for 2 x adults and 2 x children.
Total = $1,550 CAD
We booked return flights on Air Moana. The other popular Bora Bora airline is Air Tahiti.
Some Bora Bora vacation packages will include return flights from Tahiti to Bora Bora.
Where is Bora Bora in relation to Tahiti? It’s about a 45 minute flight or 7+ hour ferry ride.
Hotel in Bora Bora cost per night
We stayed at the Hotel Royal Bora Bora. This hotel does NOT allow 4 people in one room.
Therefore, we were forced to book two standard rooms. Our rooms were located next door to each other, so that was convenient.
Total for 2 rooms x 6 nights = $2,085 CAD
This hotel includes a nice breakfast buffet each morning. We typically ate later (9:00 AM) and took a few snacks for lunch (croissants, muffin, fruit, etc).
Ferry from the Bora Bora airport to the main island is included with airfare.
Transfer from ferry terminal to Hotel Royal Bora Bora is not included (additional charge). We did not book the transfer with the hotel. Instead, we found a shuttle at the ferry terminal. The bus driver had a sign for our hotel, so we approached her.
Transfer price is approx. $30 each way = $60 total
Food cost in Bora Bora
Dining at hotel restaurants is expensive. Because of this, we often skipped lunch. Although, we did eat at restaurants each evening.
One of the advantages to staying at Hotel Royal Bora Bora is that there are a few small grocery stores within a short walking distance. Guests staying at the big luxury resorts on the lagoon do not have this option.
Alcohol is also expensive. Most products need to be shipped to the islands, which increases prices. We purchased beer, wine, water, snacks and pastries at the grocery store. This helped reduce our food costs significantly. A 6 pack of beer from the store is priced similar to a large draft beer at the hotel pool.
- ‘Ori ‘Ori Restaurant at Hotel Royal Bora Bora x 2 dinners = total $350
- Tama’a Maitai restaurant (Maitai Polynesia Bora Bora) = $120
- The Lucky House x 2 dinners = total $192
- Grocery store total = $240
Total food cost in Bora Bora = $902 CAD for 6 days
Cost of Bora Bora activities
We went on a Snorkeling with Sharks and Stingrays tour in Bora Bora. We booked this tour through Viator before arriving in French Polynesia.
This excursion is approximately 4 hours, including pick-up at our hotel. We swam with several black tip reef sharks and sting rays on this tour. We even saw a huge manta ray!
Watch this short video from our snorkeling tour. It’s a great way to experience Bora Bora with kids.
We spent $393 for the snorkeling tour.
We also rented kayaks and went to the coral gardens. However, the hotel did not charge us for the use of the kayaks.
Some Bora Bora family vacation packages will include activities at the resort, like stand-up paddle boarding, snorkeling equipment and kayaks.
Related – Swimming with Sharks and Stingrays in Moorea
Total Bora Bora trip cost for family of four
We spent $4,990 on hotel, food, alcohol, transportation and activities.
We also spent about $300 on taxis, souvenirs and miscellaneous items.
In addition, the cost of international flights from Seattle to Tahiti is $3,240.
Therefore, the total cost to go to Bora Bora for a week = $8,530
Reminder – we visited in April, which is considered the shoulder season. We found a good deal on the international flights from Seattle to Tahiti. The cost of Bora Bora vacation will vary depending on several factors, including the Bora Bora resort price per night.
What is the cost for a trip to French Polynesia?
In addition to spending 6 nights in Bora Bora with kids, we also spent 4 nights in Tahiti and 4 nights in Moorea.
In total, we spent 14 nights in French Polynesia. Although, it was only supposed to be 13 nights, but out flight was cancelled (read about what happened here).
Cost for trip to Tahiti
We stayed 4 nights at Te Moana Tahiti Resort. This resort has 1 bedroom suites that fit our family comfortable. See more photos here.
Total hotel cost = $1,035 CAD
Related post – Where to stay in Tahiti? Review of Te Moana Tahiti Resort
We ate at the hotel restaurant on our final evening. This was a splurge because it was our last night on vacation. Total cost = $215 CAD.
We also visited nearby food trucks a couple times and paid with cash. The cost was approx. = $150 CAD.
Because our hotel did not include breakfast, we went to a nearby grocery store and purchased breakfast and lunch items. This includes snacks, drinks and water. We spent approx. = $200 CAD.
Transportation costs to and from the airport, plus a taxi to the Moorea ferry terminal = $160 CAD.
Therefore, the total cost for 4 nights in Tahiti = $1,760 CAD
Do you have questions about visiting Bora Bora with kids? Leave us a comment below.
Cost of trip to Moorea, French Polynesia
We stayed 4 nights at Manava Beach Resort. We chose this Moorea beach resort because it offers rooms that accommodate 2 adult and 2 kids.
Equally important, this resort has a private plunge pool in the garden suite, a large outdoor pool and a fantastic location directly on the ocean.
The suite has 1 x king bed, plus 1 x single bed and they set-up an additional roll away bed.
Total hotel cost for 4 nights = $2,420 CAD.
What does it cost for a 4 night trip to Moorea?
We took the fast ferry from Tahiti to Moorea. Price for 2 x adults and 2 x children = $53
We had snacks and drinks while waiting for the ferry. Total = $30.
Hotel transfers are not included. It cost $30 each trip. Total = $60.
Similarly, we purchased items at the grocery store, including alcohol, soda, water, bread, cereal and snacks. Total cost for groceries = $200
We ate at the hotel restaurant one evening and once for lunch. Total = $218
Additionally, we visited Moorea Beach Club for dinner one evening. Total cost = $120
We also dined at Manuia Grill across the street from the hotel. Total cost = $87
We spent the day at Coco Beach Moorea
- Food and drinks at the restaurant = $106
- Boat transfer is $6 per person. Total = $24
- Roundtrip transportation to and from our hotel to the boat launch = $50
We also went on a 4 X 4 jeep tour to Magic Mountain and Belvedere Lookout. Total cost = $220
Full day tour snorkeling with sharks and rays including lunch. Read about it here. Total cost = $451
Therefore, the total cost for 4 nights in Moorea = $3,933
What did it cost us to visit Tahiti, Moorea and Bora Bora?
In conclusion, the total cost of our 14 night trip to French Polynesia = $14,163 CAD
Obviously, this is not a cheap family vacation. Visiting Bora Bora is a bucket-list trip that was on our travel wish list for many years.
Although it is expensive, we believe it’s worth it.
Will we return to French Polynesia?
Maybe. We had a great trip. BUT, there are so many other islands in the South Pacific that we’d like to visit before returning to Bora Bora, Tahiti or Moorea.
Read more blog posts from French Polynesia:
Are you planning to visit Bora Bora with kids?
Leave a comment below if you have questions.