Bora Bora · Month comparison
December vs May
May ranks #1 overall vs December at #12. Dry season begins — the lagoon turns its iconic turquoise, temperatures are pleasant, and the humpback whale season opens.
December
#12 of 12 months
Worth considering
Wet season and Christmas — heavy rain and cyclone risk, Christmas demand spike, but warmest water and manta ray season.
- ↑Christmas and New Year create a demand spike that pushes Bora Bora December prices toward peak levels despite the wet season — for those committed to a December visit, booking 3–4 months in advance is essential; the festive atmosphere in the resorts (Polynesian dance performances, special beach dinners, New Year's Eve fireworks over the lagoon) is genuinely distinctive
- ↑Water temperature peaks in December at 29–30°C — the warmest swimming and snorkelling conditions of the year; the lagoon's tropical fish are most active in the warmest months, and the December-start manta ray season is in full swing
May
#1 of 12 months
Best match
Dry season begins — the lagoon turns its iconic turquoise, temperatures are pleasant, and the humpback whale season opens.
- ↑May marks the beginning of Bora Bora's dry season: rainfall drops to 90mm, the trade winds arrive from the southeast bringing clear skies and a comfortable breeze that takes the edge off the tropical heat, and the lagoon achieves the vivid turquoise colour that defines Bora Bora in the global imagination — the combination of the coral sand motu, the turquoise lagoon, and Mount Otemanu in clear sky is at its best from May onwards
- ↑Humpback whale season fully opens in May — whales arrive from their Antarctic feeding grounds and use French Polynesia's warm waters for breeding and calving; boat tours from the Bora Bora pier offer encounters (the whales approach the boats out of curiosity), and snorkelling alongside a 15-metre humpback is among the most singular wildlife experiences available in the Pacific
| Factor | December | May |
|---|---|---|
| Weather score | 3 | 8 |
| Value score | 6 | 7 |
| Crowd score | 5 | 6 |
| Events score | 5 | 6 |
| Atmosphere | 7 | 9 |
| Avg high temp | 30°C | 28°C |
| Monthly rain | 235mm | 90mm |
| Daily sunshine | 6.5hrs | 8.5hrs |
December trade-offs
- ↓December is deep wet season — 235mm of rain and the heaviest tropical downpours of the year; the turquoise lagoon colour that defines Bora Bora is suppressed on overcast days, and consecutive fully grey days are possible
- ↓Christmas week prices are premium despite the wet season: the December 23 – January 2 period sees pricing similar to July at the main resort properties; the value rationale of visiting in the wet season is largely eliminated during Christmas week
- ↓Cyclone risk is at its maximum in December–January; adequate travel insurance and buffer flights before critical international connections are essential
May trade-offs
- ↓Some residual rainfall remains in May (90mm) — the dry season in Bora Bora is never bone-dry; brief tropical showers are still possible daily, though they typically last 30 minutes and are followed by sunshine
- ↓Crowds begin building in May as European visitors target the shoulder season and Tahiti-based tour packages ramp up; the best overwater bungalow categories fill up 3–4 months in advance for May stays
- ↓Temperatures drop slightly from the wet season highs — 28°C days with the trade wind chill create what is subjectively the most comfortable temperature range of the year, but those who equate tropical with very hot may find May slightly cool for extended lagoon swimming
Scores compare months within Bora Bora. Climate data: Open Meteo ERA5 30-year normals (1991–2020). Methodology →