It is not a surprise that food is very expensive on a tropical island, so here are a few Bora Bora money saving food tips. One US dollar is equal to 94 French Pacific Francs (exchange rate January 2012). You will find that a burger may cost $8 in the United States, will cost 29 francs (CFP) at the hotels in Bora Bora, before the monetary conversion!
As we were informed by one of our tour guides, Bora Bora only gets shipments of food and supplies once, maybe twice a week from the main port islands. As you would imagine, this drives the cost of food very high, especially in a place that is not known for agriculture or raising livestock.
The delicacy that visitors enjoy during their stay come at a cost, but is understandable when you are staying in one of the most stunning places in the world. As we planned our trip and was aware of high food costs, we thought of ways that we could still dine at nice establishments for dinner like Bloody Marys Restaurant, and save some money during the afternoon.
Being a thrifty wife, I bought a week worth of packaged tuna, dried fruit and fruit bars. We bought a bottle of rum at the duty free store at the airport to last our entire trip. We found a small grocery store on the main island a few minutes from our hotel, so we were able to buy water, bread, juice and beer for our room. If you are bold enough to do so, the breakfast buffet has plenty of condiments, yogurt, whole fruit and bread that you could utilize for snack time or lunch.
I took advantage of our stay in our overwater bungalow, and transformed our room into a mini kitchen to make our lunch. Where we were able to enjoy picnics on our deck and enjoy the serenity. These small tricks helped us to a lot of money!
Quick Tip – Currency- French Pacific Francs (XPF or CFP)
1 Euro = 119.33 XPF*
1 US Dollar = 94 Pacific Franc*
*Based on January 2012 rates. Please check to see the current rate at your time of travel.
Quick Tip – Pick up some liquor from the duty free store at the airport and buy juices and sodas from local stores on the island. This way you can have fun mixing your own drinks, enjoying the views from your room and spending a lot less money on your bar tab at pricey restaurants or hotel bars!
