Bora Bora

One extinct volcano, one barrier reef, and a lagoon between them that is the reason the whole thing is famous. The main island is small and steep and does not have much sand of its own; almost every beach worth the name is on a motu, one of the low sand islets on the reef ring, and that is where the resorts are.

It is a single lagoon and a single product, executed better than anywhere else and priced to match. Anyone telling you it is overrated is usually comparing it to somewhere that costs a quarter as much, which is a fair point about value and not about the water.

Getting there

Reached by domestic flight from Tahiti, the territory's only international gateway, and then by boat. The transfer is part of the journey rather than an add-on.

Entry

French Polynesia is a French overseas collectivity. French and EU citizens need no visa, and many other nationalities are exempt for tourist stays under three months. A valid passport is required in every case; check the French visa site for a specific nationality.