Bora Bora’s Best Cocktail Bars: Sunset Sips and Island Vibes

In Bora Bora, a sunset cocktail is rarely just a drink. At Aparima Bar in the St Regis resort, a coconut shell arrives carrying the Hina — a mix of fresh coconut water, coconut purée, and vanilla-infused rum — while the lagoon turns orange behind Mount Otemanu. The ritual repeats nightly across the island, but the settings and the drinks themselves differ meaningfully between resort bars and local spots along the Matira strip. This article maps both sides of that divide, covering where to go, what to order, and what each place actually costs in time and money.

Most bars in Bora Bora cluster in the Matira and Vaitape areas, but the geography of the island means a 15-minute drive can separate two very different experiences. Resort bars like Upa Upa Lounge Bar at the Conrad have glass floors for watching fish swim below — a feature no local bar replicates. Independent spots like Fare Manuia, where Matira locals gather around a small pool and a large full-screen TV, close around 10 pm on standard nights. The tradeoff between polished sunset lounges and low-key local hangouts is real, and neither suits every traveller.

Resort Bars vs. Independent Spots: Where to Drink in Bora Bora

The island’s bar scene splits cleanly between resort properties and standalone venues, and the choice affects not just your cocktail but your entire evening logistics.

Resort bars dominate the south and east shores. Upa Upa Lounge Bar at the Conrad sits over the water with a glass floor panel — you watch reef fish pass beneath your feet while drinking. Vaimiti at the Four Seasons runs a daily happy hour from 5–6 pm and serves the mahana, a signature cocktail made with Taha’a vanilla-infused vodka, Cointreau, and pineapple juice from Moorea. Both require either staying at the resort or arranging a dinner reservation to access the property. No walk-ins from the road.

Independent bars are concentrated along the main road in Vaitape and Matira. Fare Manuia draws a local crowd; it has a small pool and a TV that stays on for rugby or football matches. Mai Kai sits under a large high thatched pandanus roof-top structure, with a pool and a free transport shuttle under certain circumstances — worth asking about if you are staying outside walking distance. These spots close earlier than the resorts: Fare Manuia wraps up around 10 pm on quiet nights, while Mai Kai stays open until midnight.

The only nightclub on Bora Bora, The Recif, has operated since 1972. It runs karaoke from 8 pm to midnight, then shifts to a discotheque until 2 am on Wednesdays and Thursdays and until 3 am on Fridays and Saturdays. It sits along the road to Faanui, just before the Bora Bora Yacht Club, with beer on tap and late happy hours. If you want to dance after midnight, The Recif is your only option — and it is only open four nights a week.

Signature Cocktails and Where to Find Them

Some drinks on Bora Bora are worth ordering for the ingredients alone. Others are worth ordering because you cannot get them anywhere else.

Aparima Bar at St Regis: The Hina and the Bora Mary

Located between the main beach and the pool, Aparima Bar serves two signature cocktails that illustrate the range of resort mixology. The Hina combines fresh coconut water, coconut purée, and vanilla-infused rum, served in a coconut shell — a sweet, creamy drink that matches the setting. The Bora Mary replaces the tomato juice of a classic bloody mary with watermelon juice, producing a lighter, fruitier version that works better in humid heat. Both are priced at resort levels — expect $25–30 USD per cocktail — but the setting and service justify the cost for most visitors. The bar opens to the lagoon and catches the last direct sunlight before it dips behind the island.

Restaurant St James: St James Special and the Mushy

Saint James has a white sand floor and is the only bar on Bora Bora where you can feed wild stingrays from the deck. The St James Special uses white and dark rum, lime, vanilla, pineapple, and mango juice — a fruit-forward mix that does not hide the rum. The Mushy is something else entirely: vodka, amaretto, Baileys, vanilla ice cream, and chocolate sauce. It is thick, dessert-like, and served in a tall glass. Open from 8 am to 1 am Monday to Saturday, Saint James works for both early afternoon stops and late-night sessions. The stingrays gather under the deck around feeding time in the late afternoon, which is also when the light is best for photographs.

Planning Your Bar Crawl: Timing, Access, and Costs

Getting between bars in Bora Bora takes longer than most visitors expect, and the happy hour windows are narrow.

Getting Between Bars

Resort bars are not connected by public road in most cases. To visit Manuia Bar or Vaimiti without staying at the hotel, you need either a dinner reservation (which grants gate access) or a boat transfer. The independent bars along the main road in Vaitape and Matira are accessible by rental car, scooter, or taxi. The Bora Bora Yacht Club at the Faanui end of Vaitape, just before the Farepiti cargo wharf, has parking directly opposite — a rare convenience on an island where parking is limited near most waterfront spots.

When to Go

Manuia Bar’s happy hour runs from 4–6 pm, which catches the best sunset light but means you need to arrive by 4 pm to take advantage. Hurricane Bar at the Sofitel Marara starts its happy hour at 5 pm and closes at 11 pm, giving you a tighter window. Vaimiti’s daily happy hour is 5–6 pm — exactly one hour. If you are planning to hit multiple spots, start at Manuia Bar at 4 pm, move to Vaimiti or Hurricane Bar by 5 pm, then head to Saint James or L’Elixir for the later hours.

On the Ground: What to Know Before You Go

The practical details of drinking in Bora Bora are not complicated, but a few things catch first-time visitors off guard.

Transport and Access Rules

Resort bars require either a hotel stay or a confirmed dinner booking. Security at the gate will ask for your reservation name. If you are staying outside the resorts, your best bet for a resort bar experience is to book dinner at the associated restaurant and arrive early for a pre-dinner drink. Independent bars like Fare Manuia and Mai Kai have no gate policy — you walk in off the road. Mai Kai offers a free transport shuttle under certain circumstances, which is worth confirming by phone before heading out.

What to Bring

Most bars are open-air and sand-floored. Sandals or flip-flops are standard; heels will sink. Mosquito repellent becomes necessary after sunset, particularly at spots like L’Elixir and Fare Manuia that are set back from the water among vegetation. A small flashlight or phone light helps for navigating unlit paths back to the road — many independent bars do not have illuminated parking areas.

Bora Bora Cocktail Bars: Your Questions Answered

Which bar has the best sunset view in Bora Bora?

Manuia Bar at Le Bora Bora by Pearl Resorts faces west over the lagoon toward Mount Otemanu, with submerged stools in the pool that let you sit in the water while watching the sunset. The happy hour from 4–6 pm aligns perfectly with golden hour. The tradeoff: it is a resort bar, so you need either a room or a dinner reservation to get past the gate.

Can I visit resort bars without staying at the hotel?

Yes, but only with a confirmed dinner reservation at the resort’s restaurant. Walk-ins for just a drink are not allowed past security. The one exception is if you arrive by boat and dock at the resort’s jetty — some bars, like Upa Upa Lounge Bar at the Conrad, are accessible to boat guests who order food or drinks.

What is the most unusual cocktail on Bora Bora?

The Bora Mary at Aparima Bar replaces tomato juice with watermelon juice, creating a bloody mary variant that is lighter and noticeably sweeter. The Mushy at Saint James — vodka, amaretto, Baileys, vanilla ice cream, and chocolate sauce — is less a cocktail and more a liquid dessert. Neither drink is for purists, but both are specific to these two bars.

Are there any bars where locals actually go?

Fare Manuia in Matira draws a local crowd, with a small pool, a large TV, and a closing time around 10 pm on standard nights. The Bora Bora Yacht Club also sees a mix of locals and visiting sailors, with beer on tap and an open-air deck over the lagoon. Both are more casual and less expensive than resort bars.

Is there a nightclub on Bora Bora?

The Recif is the only nightclub, operating since 1972. It runs karaoke from 8 pm to midnight, then a discotheque from midnight onward. It is open Wednesday and Thursday from 8 pm–2 am, and Friday and Saturday from 8 pm–3 am. On Sunday through Tuesday, there is no nightclub option anywhere on the island.

Bora Bora’s bar scene rewards planning. The resort bars deliver polished sunset experiences with specific signature cocktails, but they require advance bookings and come with higher prices. The independent bars offer easier access, local atmosphere, and earlier closing times — and one of them, Saint James, lets you feed stingrays while you drink. A well-timed evening that starts at Manuia Bar at 4 pm, moves to Saint James by 6 pm, and finishes at L’Elixir or The Recif after 10 pm covers the island’s range without repeating the same kind of spot twice. For more on how Bora Bora’s drinking culture connects to its food traditions, see the deeper look at authentic cocktail culture beyond the resort bars.

Sources and further reading

The best waterside bars in Bora Bora for sundowner cocktails. Super Travelr, 2024.

Best Bora Bora bars — the insider’s guide. Bora Bora Insider, 2024.