Bora Bora Yacht Club

Tahiti Tourisme presents the club as a gateway for travellers arriving from across the Pacific, a few minutes from Vaitape, and lists it as open every day. Diners staying elsewhere on the main island can use the club’s free shuttle in the evening, from 5pm.

Start with a cocktail at sunset, then move on to dinner from a menu inspired by French and Polynesian cooking, as Air Tahiti Nui’s guide puts it. A crew who moored off the club in recent seasons ate in the restaurant and called the food excellent.

Anchoring is not allowed in much of Bora Bora’s lagoon, and the buoys off the club are run by the island’s mooring service, which is separate from the club. Pick up a vacant buoy, then take the tender to the club’s dock. For a small fee, the club offers dinghy dockage, showers, toilets, laundry and rubbish disposal, and the fee is taken off your bill if you eat in the restaurant. Vaitape’s shops and quay are about 1.3 km to the south.

Tahiti Tourisme gives the hours as 10.30am to 11pm every day but marks them as unconfirmed, so call ahead, especially to book dinner. Cards, including American Express, and cash are accepted.