Today’s destination, Bora Bora is tied with Turks & Caicos as the number one place I’d like to go for a totally relaxing vacation. All I want to do is stay in one of those huts over the ocean and stare at the sea for an entire week. Okay, maybe eat seafood and have a cocktail or two. But that’s it. Aside from read books. There you go—eat, read, sip cocktails, stare at fishes. I’ll even forego my usual visit of historical sites. Mostly because there doesn’t seem to be any, aside from WWII munitions.

Like Tahiti, Bora Bora is technically part of France. It was an independent kingdom until 1888 when its last queen was forced to abdicate when the island became a French colony. In World War II the USA used the island as a supply base and set up fortifications at strategic points to protect it in case of attack, which thankfully never happened. Today, tourism is what supports the island and its approximately 8800 permanent inhabitants.

There are, as on Tahiti, 4-wheel-drive safaris you can take into the interior of the island and get some amazing panoramic views. When I was researching things to do on the island, I came across this sentence in the interior tour description: “The tour also stops at Matira beach and village of Vaitape, 2 unavoidable places to visit on Bora Bora main island.” I’m not sure “unavoidable” is the word they were looking for, perhaps “unmissable?”

But basically, aside from a day-trip to the interior and scuba diving or snorkeling, there’s not a lot to do except for, you guessed it: eat, read, sip cocktails, and stare at fishes. See why it’s my ideal place for a total relaxation vacation? No guilt when you lie around thinking you should be out sightseeing. Of course it would drive my husband crazy, unless there were a TV station showing non-stop football (soccer) games. He’s not much into the relaxing and reading scene. I may have to go without him.

So, with limited activities, where you stay is of prime importance. Hotels range from approximately $100 a night to $7,000, although to be fair, you get two bedrooms and a private pool for that price. I know which one my budget would demand. But maybe I could write about one of my billionaire heroes sweeping the heroine of his heart off to stay in one of the luxury ones and call it research.

With snow still on the ground and no hint of spring anytime soon in the forecast, if next month’s blog post is a little late, you’ll have to wait until I get back from Bora Bora. Until then, happy reading.

photo credit: ShutterRunner Overwater Bungalows via photopin (license)