Matira Beach sits at the southern tip of Bora Bora's main island in French Polynesia, and it's the island's only genuinely public beach — most of the shoreline elsewhere belongs to private resorts or sits on offshore motu islets. The white-sand stretch runs for around two kilometres along the lagoon, with the peak of Mount Otemanu rising inland behind it.
The lagoon in front of Matira stays shallow with a sandy bottom for a good distance out, which is why you can wade dozens of metres without losing your footing — a trait that makes it popular with families. Locals sometimes call it "the Aquarium": swim just a few metres in and it's common to see butterflyfish, parrotfish, surgeonfish and small schools of fry, especially around the rocky outcrops at either end of the beach — the central, sandy-bottomed stretch has less marine life than those rockier edges. Operators near the beach rent stand-up paddleboards, kayaks and jet skis for exploring further out into the lagoon.
Matira is about a 20-minute drive or bike ride south of Vaitape, Bora Bora's main town, along the single signposted coastal road. Bicycles, scooters and cars can all be rented in Vaitape, and anyone staying at a hotel on the island's southern tip, such as the Maitai Bora Bora, can simply walk over. Free, informal parking spots are available near the beach, notably close to the InterContinental Le Moana Resort. Access is free and the beach has no fixed opening hours. To avoid the busiest stretch, which tends to fill up near the main entrance, it's worth stopping 500 metres to a kilometre before the central area — the water there is just as good for swimming, with far fewer people.
Bora Bora lies roughly 260 km northwest of Tahiti in the Society Islands and has a population of just over 10,600 (2017 census). The island has been inhabited by Polynesian peoples since around the 3rd century CE and remained an independent kingdom until 1888, when France annexed it. The climate is tropical, with a dry season from June to October and a rainy season, sometimes bringing storms, from November to April. Air access runs through Bora Bora Airport on Motu Mute, served by several daily Air Tahiti flights from Tahiti.
Several of Bora Bora's best-known resorts sit a short distance from the Matira area, including properties with the overwater bungalows the island is famous for — the Four Seasons Resort Bora Bora, InterContinental Le Moana Resort and St. Regis Bora Bora Resort are among the most-cited. Worth noting: most of those overwater bungalows are actually built on separate motu islets, reached by courtesy boat, rather than directly on the public sand at Matira itself. A handful of informal snack stands and food trucks near the beach offer a quick meal without a trip back to Vaitape.
For another public beach in the Society Islands, Temae Beach on the neighbouring island of Moorea is worth knowing about — though it sits over 200 km from Bora Bora, on the other side of the archipelago. More on the wider area is on the Society Islands region page.
No. Access is free and the beach is open 24 hours a day, with no gates or ticket.
Bicycles and scooters can be rented in Vaitape, and the ride south along the coastal road takes about 20 minutes. Some hotels at the island's southern tip are within easy walking distance.
Yes, there are free, informal parking spots near the beach, notably close to the InterContinental Le Moana Resort.
Real historical monthly sea temperature averages.
