The Maldives or Bora Bora – which is better?

They are both beautiful destinations, but there's a lot to think about when deciding which one to visit.

The Maldives and Bora Bora are two of the world’s most sought-after island paradises. Both are famed for overwater bungalows, turquoise lagoons, and unparalleled luxury. But if you’re planning a honeymoon or bucket-list trip, which destination should you choose?

At Out Of Office, it’s a question we hear all the time from our clients. The truth is, both the Maldives and Bora Bora deliver unforgettable experiences – but in very different ways. From accessibility and island culture to food, activities, and LGBTQ+ friendliness, here’s how they compare.

Accessibility: Maldives vs Bora Bora

Read more: Seaplanes in the Maldives

The first thing to bear in mind is where you are traveling from. The Maldives is more readily accessible from Europe than Bora Bora is, but if you are based in the United States then Bora Bora is by far the best option.

The travel time to the Maldives from London is around 10 hours on a direct flight. Of course, lots of people pair Sri Lanka and the Maldives and so will fly via Colombo. Contrast this with the flight time to Bora Bora from London which can be anything upwards of 24 hours. From London to Bora Bora involves flying via Los Angeles, then onward to Tahiti before finally getting a short flight to Bora Bora.

The travel time to Bora Bora from the USA is around 10 hours – nine to get from Los Angeles to Papeete and then the onward flight to Bora Bora. Compare this with the flight time from the USA to the Maldives which is at least 27 hours. From LAX, you take a 16-hour flight to Dubai where you will change for an onward flight to the Maldives.

So if it’s accessibility you’re thinking about then the Maldives is easier to get to from Europe and the best option is a vacation in Bora Bora in a water bungalow from the United States.

Island Experiences Compared

The Maldives’ islands are coral-based and sit just 1–2 meters above sea level, with no mountains or hills. They are surrounded by coral reefs and shallow turquoise lagoons, perfect for water-based activities. As part of French Polynesia, Bora Bora is larger and more diverse than most Maldivian islands, with villages, restaurants, and multiple resorts on the same island. Bora Bora has a dramatic mountainous landscape, with Mount Otemanu (727 meters) as its central peak. The island is covered in tropical vegetation, with trails for hiking and stunning views from higher altitudes.

Many of our clients will pair Bora Bora with another island in the area. Renowned for its coral-fringed lagoons, we often recommend that pairing Bora Bora with Moorea and Tahiti is an ideal combination. The properties on Tahiti tend to not be quite as luxurious as those on Bora Bora.

Scuba diving in Bora Bora is perhaps some of the best in the world and it also has at its heart Mount Otemanu, a dormant volcano. Bora Bora is different from the Maldives in that it’s one island with multiple resorts. It means that although you are staying at one property, you can explore the island further, visiting other properties and dining elsewhere. You can be quite active in Bora Bora, discovering the island on a guided hike or a safari by jeep. Bora Bora water sports are popular too – jetskiing, paddle boarding, fishing, snorkeling and diving are all available and for those feeling that little bit more adventurous, you can turn your hand to shark feeding or swimming with stingray. Read more on why you should visit French Polynesia.

We Suggest…

French Polynesia: The Out Of Office Collection

French Polynesia Tailor-made Vacation

French Polynesia remains one of the most extraordinary luxury destinations on earth. More than a hundred islands spread across the South Pacific, each with its own character, connected by short flights and the kind of lagoon water that makes everywhere else feel like a consolation prize. Marlon Brando discovered it filming Mutiny on the Bounty in the 1960s and liked it enough to buy an island.

7 days tailor-made from $7,730 per person View trip

When it comes to the Maldives, you’ll be spoiled for choice. With over 1,000 coral islands, the country is made up of 26 distinct atolls – which are rings of coral islands. For that private island feel, then the Maldives is probably the ticket. Most Maldives resorts are based on their own individual island, each complete with their own iconic beaches. You don’t have to go very far in the Maldives to find that beautiful sandy beach you’ve seen in the brochures.

Switching off and doing nothing is one of the most popular choices for clients traveling to the Maldives. You could quite easily be lying on the beach at your resort and not see another soul for an hour. Most resorts have multiple beaches and private areas. When thinking about things to do in the Maldives, dolphin watching, scuba diving and other water sports are popular choices.

If scenery is on your wish list then you may wish to consider that Bora Bora has its mountain at its center so you will find jagged rocks and a stunning view. In the Maldives, the low-lying islands mean that there’s little scenery or forests to explore.

Comparing Hotels in Bora Bora and Maldives

An overwater bungalow at Le Meridien in Bora Bora

View Our Top Bora Bora Hotels

In both Bora Bora and the Maldives, overwater bungalows are the dream. They understandably come with a price tag but to travel to either of these destinations and not experience that dream would be a shame. We often recommend to our clients traveling to the Maldives or Bora Bora that you should combine room categories.

For example, if traveling for seven nights, we’d suggest staying five in a beach room before spending a further two in an overwater bungalow. Clearly, if your idea of luxury is nothing but an overwater bungalow in the Maldives or an overwater bungalow in Bora Bora, then you should absolutely stick to that dream. It’s often very hard to book multiple room categories online and so that’s where we can take care of those arrangements.

Both destinations involve onward travel after your international flight. In the Maldives, your resort transfer will be either by seaplane or speedboat depending on location. In French Polynesia, you’ll connect from Papeete’s Faa’a International Airport to Bora Bora on a short domestic flight operated by Air Tahiti, the inter-island carrier.

In Bora Bora, the influence is French and so you’ll find lovely cuisine and restaurants. In the Maldives, the cuisine is varied but expect to find an Indian and Asian influence.

When it comes to privacy, you may find that the Maldives offer slightly more – this is based on the fact that each resort is fairly isolated but also on the fact that the properties have been built with privacy in mind.

The construction of overwater bungalows in the Maldives compared to Bora Bora is also different. In the Maldives, you’ll find more modern design, while in Bora Bora, authenticity and rustic tradition are front and center.

We Suggest…

The Maldives: The Out Of Office Collection

Tailor-made Vacation

Few destinations do luxury quite like the Maldives. Spread across more than a thousand coral islands in the Indian Ocean, this is a place built almost entirely around the art of doing nothing particularly well: overwater villas, house reefs at your doorstep, and the kind of stillness that genuinely resets you. It's one of our most-requested destinations, and it's not hard to understand why. The Maldives is a resort destination in the purest sense.

7 days tailor-made from $5,815 per person View trip

Gay Friendliness

View Our Top Luxury Maldives Hotels

At Out Of Office, we’ve successfully sent LGBTQ+ clients to both resorts. When it comes to choosing a destination based solely on its gay friendliness, then Bora Bora and French Polynesia win hands down.

That’s because the LGBTQ+ laws in Bora Bora are much more relaxed than the very strict laws in the Maldives. Same-sex couples can get married in French Polynesia and also have a wonderful beach ceremony – the actual marriage takes place at the City hall, but you can finish off the nuptials with a traditional Polynesian ceremony complete with leis on the beach.

In terms of checking into resorts, you’ll have no problems enjoying a gay honeymoon in Bora Bora. The laws are favorable and gay marriage has been legal in Bora Bora and its neighboring islands since 2013.

The Maldives can be slightly more complicated when it comes to LGBTQ+ travel, but that should not necessarily deter you. While same-sex relations are illegal under Maldivian law, the reality on the resort islands is often very different. The luxury resorts we work with regularly welcome same-sex couples and extend honeymoon benefits regardless of who you married. Staff in these international resorts are professional and used to hosting guests from around the world, and LGBTQ+ couples are generally treated with the same warmth and hospitality as any other travelers. On rare occasions small misunderstandings can happen. For example housekeeping may separate twin beds during turn-down service. This is usually simply standard procedure rather than anything intentional.

We understand that some clients do not wish to travel to a destination where it’s illegal to be gay or lesbian and so in those cases we would say that Bora Bora and French Polynesia is your best option. But for those of you who are willing to travel to destinations where the law and the reality are slightly ambiguous, then the Maldives is a great option.

No matter which destination you choose to travel to, both the Maldives and Bora Bora really are bucket list experiences and our team are on hand to help you choose the best one based on your own personal requirements.

We believe in opening the world to all and have successfully sent thousands of couples on trips to both destinations. Have a read of our Trustpilot reviews and then get in touch with one of our Maldives or Bora Bora luxury travel experts today.