Bora Bora’s bar scene clusters around the Matira and Vaitape areas, but the most distinctive drinking experiences happen where coconut water—and coconut milk—become the foundation of a cocktail. On the island that supplies fresh coconut oil to its top restaurants, the humble nut isn’t a garnish; it’s the main ingredient. This article covers the bars and restaurants where coconut-based drinks are the draw, from resort lounges to local hangouts, and explains what makes each worth a stop.
At Lagoon Restaurant, seasonal ingredients include Tahitian coconut, and dishes such as red tuna with coconut and fresh coconut milk showcase the island’s core produce.
For pure coconut water straight from the husk, no bar menu will beat what you can find roadside near Matira Beach, but for coconut as a cocktail ingredient—creamed, grilled, or muddled—head to Lagoon Restaurant at St. Regis or the Hurricane Bar at Sofitel Marara. Both offer overwater settings, but neither is cheap, and you’ll want to confirm hours outside resort dining windows.
Navigating Bora Bora’s Bar Layout: Matira, Vaitape, and the Resort Ring
The island’s main road forms a rough loop, with most bars concentrated in the south near Matira Beach and the commercial hub of Vaitape on the western side. Drive times between the two are roughly 20 minutes by car or scooter. Hurricane Bar at Sofitel Marara sits on the eastern shore, overlooking a large infinity pool and the lagoon. It opens from 10:00 am to 11:00 pm, with a happy hour at 5 pm. The bar’s connection to the 1979 film Hurricane—the Sofitel was originally built to house the cast and crew—gives it a backstory few other island bars can match.
Fare Manuia, where Matira locals gather, has pub rather than bar prices and closes around 10 pm except for major international sporting events. It’s the most affordable option on this list, but its compact drinks area and large TV screen mean it feels more like a sports bar than a tropical cocktail lounge. Saint James, open 8 am to 1 am Monday to Saturday, is the only bar where you can feed wild stingrays from the deck—a novelty that makes up for its white sand floor and water-level seating.
The Main Stops: Where Coconut Water and Cocktails Converge
Lagoon Restaurant at St. Regis Bora Bora
The glass floor panels at Lagoon Restaurant reveal sharks and tropical fish swimming beneath your table while you drink. The restaurant pairs overwater views of Mount Otemanu with a menu that highlights local products from across French Polynesia. Coconut appears in several forms: red tuna with coconut and fresh coconut milk, seared lagoon fish with black rice and coriander, and dishes that use fresh coconut oil sourced from Julie Hooa of Bora Bora. The wine program is exceptional, but for coconut-based drinks, order the cocktail that incorporates Tahitian coconut milk—it’s the closest you’ll get to drinking the island’s agriculture. Reservations are essential, and the price point is high enough that this is a splurge, not a casual stop.
Bloody Mary’s and Its Coconut Bar
Bloody Mary’s is Bora Bora’s most famous bar, with an honor board at the entrance listing the celebrities who have visited. The bar itself is crafted entirely from coconut: the bar top, the bar stools made from trunks of coconut trees, and the structure made from local timbers with a thatched pandanus roof. The white sand floor extends from the restaurant into the bar area. The atmosphere is relaxed and casual, and the prices are reasonable by resort standards. The moorings and prominent jetty make it accessible for those arriving by boat. The coconut-based cocktails are straightforward—muddled coconut with rum or vodka—but the setting, with the sand underfoot and the lagoon visible through the open sides, is what justifies the visit. The restaurant itself is good but secondary to the bar experience.
The Westin Bora Bora’s Maere
Maere, whose name translates to “surprise” in Tahitian, rotates between three menus nightly—Anau, Penza, and Macao—and each meal begins with an array of small bites. The Anau menu is the one to choose for coconut-focused dishes: Tahitian blue shrimp with lime and fresh coconut milk appears alongside dried swordfish with exotic fruit caviar. The Macao menu draws from Asian street markets and includes lacquered mahi mahi with kimchi. Drinks are not the focus here—the wine list is extensive, and cocktails are secondary to the multi-course tasting experience—but the coconut milk in the shrimp dish is reason enough to book. Reservations are required, and the vegetarian menu is available upon request.
Practical Planning for Coconut Bar Hopping
Most bars are concentrated on the western and southern sides of the island, making a single loop possible by rental car or scooter. The exception is the Sofitel Marara on the east shore, which adds about 15 minutes of driving from Vaitape. Saint James is the only bar open from 8 am, useful for an early coconut water stop, while L’Elixir runs latest, often until 1 am.
| Bar | Coconut Focus | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Lagoon Restaurant | Coconut milk in cocktails and dishes | Splurge with overwater views |
| Bloody Mary’s | Coconut wood bar and simple coconut cocktails | Casual, famous, sandy-floor atmosphere |
| Hurricane Bar | Coconut-based poolside cocktails | Happy hour at 5 pm, lagoon views |
| L’Elixir | Wide selection including coconut options | Late-night, live music, local crowd |
| Saint James | Standard cocktails, stingray feeding | Novelty, early opening, low prices |
Resort bars like Lagoon Restaurant and Hurricane Bar enforce dress codes—no swimwear after 6 pm, and closed-toe shoes may be required for men at dinner service. L’Elixir and Bloody Mary’s are more relaxed, but Bloody Mary’s fills quickly after 7 pm when yacht guests come ashore.
Getting Around
Rental cars are available at the airport and in Vaitape, but scooter rentals are more common and easier to park at beachside bars. Taxis are expensive—expect $20–$30 for a 20-minute ride. The island’s single main road is narrow and unlit in sections, so plan bar hops before dark. Public transport is limited to a few bus runs between Vaitape and Matira.
The best time for coconut water is during the dry season, May through October, when the fruit is at its peak. Wet-season coconuts are still drinkable but can be less sweet. Afternoon thunderstorms are common November to April, and many bars with open sides—Bloody Mary’s and Saint James—offer less shelter during downpours.
On the Ground: What to Know Before You Order
The Coconut Water Economy
Fresh coconuts sold roadside near Matira Beach cost around 300–500 CFP ($3–$5). Bar versions, muddled with alcohol, run $15–$25. The difference is the experience, not the quality of the water itself. Local terminology for coconut-based drinks varies: “miti hue” refers to coconut milk, while “taioro” is a fermented coconut condiment rarely found in bar drinks but occasionally used in resort cocktail garnishes.
Dress and Etiquette
Tipping is not expected in French Polynesia; service charges are included. At resort bars, smart casual is the minimum—collared shirts and closed shoes for men after sunset. Bloody Mary’s and Saint James accept bare feet on the sand floor, but the sand gets gritty after dark. L’Elixir’s slightly sophisticated feel means patrons tend to dress up, though no formal code is enforced.
At Hurricane Bar, the 5 pm happy hour is the only time coconut cocktails are discounted. Order a “Coco Loco”—rum, coconut cream, and fresh coconut water—before the 6 pm dinner rush when bar service slows.
Camera and Gear Considerations
The lighting at L’Elixir is dim and warm, which flatters faces but challenges phone cameras. A compact action camera with good low-light performance, like the DJI Osmo Action 6 Bundle, handles the transition from sunset overwater shots to dark bar interiors without washing out the coconut wood textures. The stabilization is useful for footage shot from a moving scooter between bars.
- Hit Bloody Mary’s before 6 pm for a seat at the coconut bar—after that, yacht crowds claim the stools.
- Order coconut-based cocktails at Lagoon Restaurant for the freshest coconut milk on the island; the restaurant sources directly from local producers.
- Skip Hurricane Bar’s food; the cocktails at happy hour are the reason to go.
Visitor Questions About Coconut Water Bars in Bora Bora
Which bar in Bora Bora has the best coconut cocktails?
Lagoon Restaurant at St. Regis uses fresh Tahitian coconut milk sourced directly from local producers like Julie Hooa. The red tuna with coconut and coconut milk dish is the menu highlight, but the cocktail program mirrors that quality. Expect to pay resort prices—around $25 per drink.
If you want a more affordable option, Hurricane Bar’s happy hour at 5 pm serves a “Coco Loco” for roughly half that. The quality difference is noticeable—Lagoon Restaurant’s coconut milk is thicker and less sweet—but both are valid depending on your budget and tolerance for resort formality.
Can you get fresh coconut water in Bora Bora outside of bars?
Yes. Roadside stalls near Matira Beach sell whole coconuts for 300–500 CFP. The vendors will chop the top and hand you a straw. It’s the cheapest coconut water on the island and often sweeter than what bars serve, because the fruit is harvested that morning rather than refrigerated overnight.
The tradeoff: you drink standing up or on a nearby bench, with no lagoon view. Budget-focused travelers often prefer this option and save the resort bars for evening cocktails rather than daytime hydration.
What is the dress code at Bloody Mary’s bar?
Bloody Mary’s is casual—bare feet on the white sand floor are fine, and swimwear is acceptable during the day. After 7 pm, the restaurant section requires cover-ups, but the bar area remains relaxed. The coconut bar stools and thatched roof give it a beach-shack feel that discourages formal wear.
The tension: the sand floor gets gritty and damp after dark when the tide comes in. Locals wear sandals to the bar and kick them off at the entrance. Visitors who go barefoot often end up with sand in their drinks within an hour.
Is there a bar in Bora Bora where you can feed stingrays while drinking?
Saint James, open 8 am to 1 am Monday to Saturday, is the only bar where you can feed wild stingrays from the deck. Workers provide scraps, and the rays congregate within minutes. The cocktails are standard—no coconut specialization—but the novelty is unmatched.
The limitation: the stingray feeding attracts crowds, especially during late afternoon. The deck gets slippery, and the smell of fish scraps lingers. It’s a memorable stop, not a place to settle in for multiple rounds.
Which bar stays open latest in Bora Bora?
L’Elixir, open until 1 am at the earliest, is the latest option. It has a great sound system, live entertainment, and a wide selection of drinks. The crowd is mostly local upwardly mobile residents, which gives it a different energy than the tourist-heavy resort bars.
The catch: L’Elixir doesn’t open until late afternoon (between 3 and 5 pm), so it’s useless for daytime coconut water. It’s also the most expensive non-resort bar on the island—cocktails run $18–$22, comparable to resort prices without the overwater views.
Sources and Further Reading
4 Unforgettable Fine Dining Experiences in Bora Bora. Forbes, 2026.
Best Bora Bora Bars. Bora Bora Insider.
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