Bora Bora was fromed from erupting volcanoes around 7 million years ago. Polynesians first inhabited the island during the 4th century. The island’s orignal Polynesian name was Pora Pora, which means first born.

Bora-Bora was sighted by Dutch admiral Jacob Roggeveen in 1722, visited by Capt. James Cook in 1769 and 1777, and annexed by France in the late 19th century. During WWII the island had an Allied naval base, and the islet of Mute, on the northwest side of Bora-Bora’s reef, was an Allied air base; the airport is still in use.

Since the friendly occupation of the United States several countries have discovered that Bora Bora can be host to an amazing get away. The influx of Japanese and Western European tourists drowned out the culture of Bora Bora for a few decades. There has been a recent revival of Bora Bora’s customs and rituals with hints of European and Japanese culture that makes for an atmosphere that is truly unique.