Bora Bora Shark and Ray Tours

Almost every lagoon tour in Bora Bora stops at a shallow sandbank where stingrays and blacktip reef sharks gather around the boats. The question is how much else you want around that stop. If the sharks and rays are the point and you have a morning or an afternoon, the 2.5-hour Moana trip on this page is the one to look at first. If you want the stop plus a lunch on a motu, pick a full day. This page sets out the choice, then covers feeding policies and safety.

What Happens at the Shark and Ray Stop

The boat anchors over white sand in clear water. On the Eco Snorkel Cruise with Sharks and Stingrays, the listing describes the water at knee height, with white sand under your feet, and you walk among stingrays and blacktip sharks. You can stand and watch, or put your face in with a mask and snorkel. Reviewers describe both coming very close.

The sharks you will meet here are blacktip reef sharks, the small reef shark with the black fin tips. Sharptooth lemon sharks and whitetip reef sharks are also recorded in the lagoon, though the tour listings describe the blacktips. The rays in the shallows are pink whiprays, a large stingray that likes sandy bottoms. Sharks and rays are protected in French Polynesia, which declared its whole sea area a shark sanctuary in 2006.

Which Shark and Ray Tour Fits Your Day

The Moana Eco Snorkel Cruise is the short, focused option. It runs 2.5 hours, spends about 100 minutes at the shark and ray site and 30 minutes at the Coral Garden, and includes pickup from your accommodation. In September 2026 it started from $113 per person on Viator, with a 4.8 rating from 598 reviews. The same trip is on GetYourGuide as the Eco Shark and Snorkeling Safari, from $108 per person with a 4.7 from 192 reviews. It suits resort guests who want the sharks and rays without giving up a whole day. There is no food on board, only bottled water.

Rohivai’s half-day lagoon safari is a little longer at 4 hours, with 3.5 hours on the water, and adds fresh fruit, drinks and a towel. It started from $113 per person on GetYourGuide, rated 4.9 from 263 reviews. The same trip costs $152 on Viator, so GetYourGuide is the cheaper page for it. Pickup is by boat, from a list of 19 points that includes the main resorts, Matira Beach and the Vaitape quay.

For a full day, the Vavau full-day lagoon cruise runs 6 hours. It visits the stingrays, blacktip sharks and coral gardens, then stops on a small island for a BBQ and salad bar lunch and a beachside performance. It started from $155 per person on Viator, rated 4.8 from 722 reviews, and hotel or port pickup is included. The Lagoon Service full day follows a similar pattern, with lunch on a private motu, from $174 per person and a 5.0 from 1,699 reviews, more reviews than any other lagoon tour on this site. Rohivai’s full-day safari with lunch on a motu is the GetYourGuide choice, from $171 per person with a 4.9 from 838 reviews.

Pick the full day if you want a long lunch on a motu and several snorkel stops. Pick one of the half days if the sharks and rays are what you came for.

Feeding: What Each Listing Says

Some visitors want to watch the animals behave as they would anyway. If that matters to you, read the listing. Moana’s listing says plainly that it does not feed the sharks or rays. Rohivai’s GetYourGuide listings put feeding animals on their list of things not allowed. Our operators compared guide covers the rest. H2O Bora Bora, whose half-day snorkel trip is built around mantas and eagle rays, also says it does not feed or stage encounters.

Not every listing reads that way. The Vavau trip is also sold on GetYourGuide as the Full-Day Lagoon Snorkelling Tour, and that version tells guests to feed the rays. The Viator version does not mention feeding. Ask the operator when you book if you want a clear answer.

Safety: Sharks, Stingrays and Staying on the Boat

Blacktip reef sharks are small and shy, and guides get in the water with guests at these stops. Shark bites are rare in French Polynesia, and the reported cases mostly involve spearfishing or feeding. Keep your hands to yourself, stay close to the group and follow the guide’s lead.

Stingrays are calm, but they carry a barbed spine on the tail. Stings happen when someone treads on a ray, so shuffle your feet over the sand. Do not grab or lift a ray, and watch where you put your feet when the water is churned up.

If you would rather watch from above, you can. The GetYourGuide version of the Lagoon Service day, Full-Day Tour with Islet Lunch and Lagoon Swim, offers the choice of watching the sharks from the boat. Lagoon Service says all its boats have a ladder and a full-length awning.

Kids, Nervous Swimmers and Who Should Sit It Out

The Moana listing’s age bands start at 4, and it describes itself as suitable for all fitness levels. Reviewers mention guides helping weaker swimmers, and the knee-deep stop suits people who do not swim well, since you can stand. The listings say the trips are not recommended for pregnant travellers or people with poor cardiovascular health. None of them promise specific animals: Moana’s GetYourGuide listing says sightings are not guaranteed and a trip without them is not refunded.

Where to Go Next

If you are hoping for mantas as well as sharks, read our manta ray tours page. For the reef side of the day, see Coral Garden snorkeling, or compare half-day lagoon tours. You can also read our breakdown of the Eco Snorkel Cruise. When you are ready, check availability and compare both platforms before you pay.