Not all overwater bungalows are equal. Learn how to pick the right category, location, and resort for your Bora Bora stay.
The overwater bungalow was practically invented for French Polynesia, and staying in one is the signature Bora Bora experience. But categories, views, and locations vary widely, and the right choice depends on what you value most.
Understand the categories
Resorts typically tier their overwater bungalows by location: lagoon-view units closest to shore, premium units in deeper, clearer water, and end-of-pontoon villas with the most privacy and the best snorkeling right off the deck. Prices climb steeply with each tier.
View matters
Decide whether you want to wake up to the iconic silhouette of Mount Otemanu or to the open lagoon and sunset. Otemanu-facing bungalows are among the most photographed rooms on earth and command a premium.
Match the resort to your style
- Honeymooners gravitate to resorts with adults-oriented calm and glass-floor bungalows.
- Snorkelers should prioritize house reefs with healthy coral and easy deck access.
- Value seekers can find garden or beach bungalows that still include full resort perks at a fraction of the overwater rate.
Whatever you choose, request a bungalow away from the main pontoon walkway for extra quiet.
Bora Bora overwater bungalows compared by resort
Every open resort below has overwater rooms, but sizes, pools and views differ a lot. Details come from each resort's published room categories; starting prices are approximate nightly rates as of October 2026 and change with the season.
| Resort | Setting | What stands out overwater | Overwater from |
|---|
| Four Seasons | Motu Tehotu, facing Mount Otemanu | Suites of about 100 m² (1,080 sq ft), all with glass floor panels; plunge-pool categories available | About $2,500 |
| St. Regis | Private motu in the lagoon | Glass-panel floors; Otemanu-view categories; only a handful of villas have private pools | About $4,000 |
| Conrad Bora Bora Nui | Motu To'opua, southwest; reopened 1 May 2026 | Overwater pool villas, including Otemanu-view and sunset-view categories | About $2,500 |
| The Westin | Motu facing Mount Otemanu | 128 overwater units: bungalows of about 441 sq ft and villas of about 613 sq ft with plunge pools, listed with glass floor panels | About $1,000 |
| InterContinental Le Moana | Matira Point, main island | Bungalows of about 387 sq ft with an illuminated glass coffee table; Otemanu-view and end-of-pontoon categories | About $700 |
| Le Bora Bora by Pearl Resorts | Motu Tevairoa, west | Bungalows of about 441 sq ft with a glass coffee table; Otemanu-view bungalows and pool overwater villas | About $800 |
| Maitai Polynesia | Near Matira, main island | Simpler bungalows of about 322 sq ft, including end-of-pontoon units | About €800 |
Glass floors in Bora Bora overwater bungalows
"Glass floor" means different things at different resorts. Four Seasons, St. Regis and The Westin describe a glass panel set into the floor, so you can watch fish swim below your room. Le Moana and Le Bora Bora by Pearl Resorts use a glass-topped coffee table instead, which gives the same view in a smaller frame. If the glass is important to you, ask which one your category has. Enjoy the show, but don't drop food through it: feeding fish, sharks and rays is illegal in French Polynesia.
Otemanu view or sunset view?
Mount Otemanu sits in the middle of the main island, so whether you see it depends on which side of the lagoon your resort is on and which way your deck faces. Resorts on the eastern motu look back across the lagoon to the peak, and most resorts sell Otemanu-view rooms as a separate, pricier category. Sunsets happen on the western side, over the outer reef; the Conrad, on the southwest, sells sunset-view villas. You rarely get both from one deck, so choose the one you'll spend more time looking at.
Questions to ask before you book
- Does this category have a private plunge pool, a glass floor or just a glass table?
- How far is it from the restaurants and pool? Long pontoons mean privacy but also a long walk.
- Is there a ladder straight into water deep enough to swim and snorkel?
- Are boat transfers included, and are taxes included in the quoted rate?
- What is the occupancy limit? Some smaller bungalows take only two adults, or one adult and one child.
For a wider look at the experience itself, see our overwater bungalow guide. A bit of history: the first overwater bungalows in French Polynesia were built on neighboring Raiatea in 1967, long before they became Bora Bora's signature.
