Bora Bora Outrigger Canoe Tours

Plenty of Bora Bora lagoon tours show a canoe in their photos, but only a few say in the listing that you will ride in one. This page sticks to those. It explains what an outrigger canoe changes about the day, then helps you choose between an adults-only full day, a longer day with a motu picnic and workshops, and a four-hour half day.

Which Tours Use an Outrigger Canoe

Going by what each listing says, three tours on this site put you in a traditional canoe.

• Moana’s outrigger canoe cruise with BBQ island lunch describes “an authentic Polynesian outrigger canoe”. It lasts 6 hours, is sold to adults 18 and over, and takes a maximum of six couples. In September 2026 it started from $282 per person, with a 4.9 rating from 202 Viator reviews.
• Onoku’s full-day lagoon tour with a motu picnic tells you to “board a traditional canoe” and lists a traditional canoe ride among its inclusions. It runs 6 hours 30 minutes, from $151 per person on GetYourGuide, rated 5.0 from 9 reviews.
• Lagoon Service’s half-day cruise does not name the boat on Viator, but the same trip on GetYourGuide says you hop aboard “a traditional motorized outrigger”. It lasts 4 hours, from $136 per person on Viator or $133 on GetYourGuide, rated 5.0 from 202 Viator reviews and 4.9 from 100 on GetYourGuide.

Two smaller listings mention a canoe too. The Keishi Tour half day uses “a traditional motorized outrigger canoe” for 4 hours, from $140 per person (5.0 from 13 reviews). The Bora Bora Cultural Lagoon Tours shared day runs from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and includes an “initiation to the Polynesian canoe”, the only listing here that mentions trying the canoe yourself. It started from $283 per person, rated 5.0 from 48 reviews.

One trip to be careful with: Moana’s 2.5-hour eco snorkel cruise comes from the same operator as the canoe day, but the GetYourGuide version describes a motorboat. Book it for the sharks and coral.

What a Va’a Is

Va’a is the Tahitian word for a canoe. The traditional design pairs a narrow main hull with an outrigger float, the ama, joined to it by two wooden struts. The float is what keeps the slim hull steady. Canoes were once carved from a single tree trunk. Racing canoes today are light fibreglass.

Paddling va’a is the national sport of French Polynesia, and its best-known race ends on Bora Bora. The Hawaiki Nui Va’a, a three-day race for six-person canoes, crosses open sea from Huahine through Raiatea and Taha’a and finishes each year at Matira Beach. That is the “Bora Bora outrigger race” people search for. It is a race to watch from the beach, separate from any lagoon tour.

The canoes on these tours are larger and motorised. A captain drives, and you sit back and swim at the stops. If you want to hold a paddle, the cultural day’s canoe initiation is the listing to look at.

Canoe or Modern Boat: What Changes on the Day

The lagoon itself does not change. Stops on the canoe trips are the same kind found on every lagoon tour: shallow sand where stingrays and blacktip reef sharks gather, a coral garden full of tropical fish, and on the full days, lunch on a motu. Sightings are never promised. Moana’s listing says outright that marine animals live freely and there is no refund if none appear.

What changes is the boat and the size of the group. Lagoon Service’s GetYourGuide listing for its full day says its boats all have a ladder, cushioned benches, a non-slip floor and an awning the length of the boat. On the half day you can stay on board and watch the sharks from the outrigger if you would rather not swim. The Moana canoe carries six couples at most, and one reviewer counted eight people on the boat in total.

A few limits come from the listings. Onoku’s canoe day is not suitable for non-swimmers or people prone to seasickness. Lagoon Service’s half day is not recommended if you are pregnant, have a spinal injury or have poor cardiovascular health. Moana lists its canoe day as suitable for all fitness levels.

The Adults-Only Canoe Day

The Moana canoe day sells one ticket type, adults aged 18 to 99. If you are travelling with teenagers, this is not your trip. Hotel pickup and drop-off, a local guide, equipment and lunch are included. Gratuities are not.

The day is a loop of about 26 miles around the lagoon with several swim and snorkel stops, including the coral gardens, then a barbecue lunch on a private motu. The operator says it does not feed the sharks or stingrays. Pickups start before the listed time, so contact the operator to confirm yours. It suits couples who want a slower, quieter full day and are happy to pay about $100 more per person than the shared full days on this site.

Choosing Between the Three

For couples who want the whole day in a canoe with a small group, book the Moana outrigger canoe cruise.

For more culture on the motu, the Onoku canoe day adds a hand-dyed pareo workshop, a coconut show, a visit to the outer reef with views of Taha’a and Raiatea, and a handicraft boutique after the picnic. The listing sets no adults-only rule. Free pickup is at 9:00 a.m. from the beach in front of Tiare Market, and hotels not on its list are not covered. Nine reviews is a small sample, so weigh that.

For families or anyone short on time, the Lagoon Service half day takes children from age 4, with infants on an adult’s lap. Its three stops cover stingrays, a coral garden and blacktip and lemon sharks, then coconut bread and fruit on a sandbank. There is no lunch.

Where to Go Next

If lunch on an islet matters most, compare every option on lagoon tours with motu lunch. For a shorter outing, see half-day lagoon tours, or step back to the best Bora Bora lagoon tours. Read our breakdown of the Moana outrigger canoe day, or check availability for your dates.