Luxtripper Travel Editor
The Maldives is a 10 hour flight from the UK which is a pretty long stretch when you compare it to the Mediterranean resorts. Bora Bora on the other hand takes over a day as there are invariably a couple of stops on the way. Most people have heard of Bora Bora and French Polynesia, but don't actually know where it is without consulting a map. Sitting almost slap bang in the middle of the South Pacific Ocean between Australia and South America it's not a destination for those who aren't fans of spending over 24 hours on a plane, and if this is you the Maldives will be a better choice.
There is little to choose between the resorts in the Maldives, and those on Bora Bora as they both cater to the top end tourist market and boast a plethora of uber luxury resorts between them. With the locations being so remote, and there not being much else to do in the area, these resorts are designed to take care of everything you could possibly need on your holiday of a lifetime, and then some. Whether you stay at the Four Seasons Bora Bora or the Conrad Maldives Rangali Island you know that from the moment you arrive you will live like kings, or queens, for the duration of your stay. From accommodation and food to spas and water sports, the idea is that you should never need to set foot outside of your resort, and both locations tick all the boxes as far as this is concerned.
Another one you can't really call. Those white sands and palm trees are as exquisite in each location, it very much comes down to whether you want a romantic moonlight stroll with the Indian Ocean lapping around your ankles or the South Pacific. Diving and other water sports are widely available at both and whichever you choose you will feel as if you are on your own private desert island paradise.
As we mentioned previously you shouldn’t need to leave your resort but if you do fancy seeing more of the locale the Maldives does have more to offer in terms of sightseeing and photo opportunities. This is very much due to it being an archipelago and there are many off island excursions to enjoy including a unique opportunity to go scuba diving with whale sharks.
Choosing between the Maldives and Bora Bora for scenery is definitely a tough decision . While the water is amazing at both, the colour in the Maldives has to be seen to be believed, photos just don’t do it justice. However, Bora Bora has a backdrop of the most stunning mountains which gradually give way to the glorious beaches so once again its very much personal choice as to which you prefer. You have an equal dose of exotic flora and fauna with those vibrant colours you only get on these wonderful island destinations so it really does come down to whether you prefer the flat but nonetheless beautiful landscape or have a penchant for the dramatic.
While both are quite different experiences, Bora Bora just edges it in terms of it being just a single island with an exquisite backdrop. Maldives may have a shorter transport time and amazing water but the astounding scenery to explore in Bora Bora bumps it very slightly ahead. Far flung holiday destinations to Asia and the like have never been more popular so 10 hours is the norm to many now. It says something for the calibre of both destinations that there is so little separating them.
