Bora Bora · Month comparison

February vs May

May ranks #1 overall vs February at #9. Dry season begins — the lagoon turns its iconic turquoise, temperatures are pleasant, and the humpback whale season opens.

Bora Bora February — overwater bungalows on stilts above the clear lagoon with the volcanic Mount Otemanu in soft tropical light

February

#9 of 12 months

Worth considering

Still wet season — but slightly less rain than January and the best-value overwater bungalow rates of the year.

  • ↑February offers the best-value overwater bungalow access in the Bora Bora calendar: the combination of low season pricing and the off-peak visitor volume means last-minute deals at the resort properties are possible; the lagoon is unchanged
  • ↑Valentine's Day creates a short demand spike but the overall February volume remains well below the dry season; a February 14 overwater bungalow package at the St. Regis or Conrad costs US$800–1,200 per night versus US$1,800–2,500 in July
Bora Bora May — the full turquoise lagoon with coral motus and Mount Otemanu rising from the Pacific at the start of dry season

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
FactorFebruaryMay
Weather score
3
8
Value score
8
7
Crowd score
8
6
Events score
4
6
Atmosphere
7
9
Avg high temp30°C28°C
Monthly rain250mm90mm
Daily sunshine7hrs8.5hrs

February trade-offs

  • ↓February rainfall remains very high at 250mm — similar wet season pattern to January; extended sunny periods alternate with heavy downpours
  • ↓The famous Bora Bora "overwater bungalow shot" (bungalow over turquoise water with Mount Otemanu behind) requires specific lighting conditions — overcast wet season skies can suppress the turquoise colour that makes this image iconic; photography-focused visits should target June–September
  • ↓Snorkelling and water sports can be disrupted by heavy rain events — not by the rain itself (you're wet anyway) but by the runoff that temporarily reduces lagoon clarity near river mouths

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
See all 12 months for Bora Bora →February in detail →May in detail →
Scores compare months within Bora Bora. Climate data: Open Meteo ERA5 30-year normals (1991–2020). Methodology →