At Le Bora Bora, part of Pearl Resorts of Tahiti, guests will encounter leaves of the local pandanus tree, bamboo, coconut fiber, tapa bark, and mother-of-pearl. The use of these materials is a key component of the resort's sustainable development doctrine, visible throughout the overwater bungalows.

Best for a Sense of Place

Few can compete with the spa at the Intercontinental Bora Bora Resort & Thalasso Spa, which spans more than 43,000 square feet and uses water from the Pacific for its specialty, hydrotherapy. The 88 overwater villas and suites boast glass-bottomed coffee tables that give a peek into the treasures of the ocean below.

Best for Spa Lovers

On a small island in Le Tikehau, part of the Tuamotu archipelago northeast of Tahiti, many of the beaches have pink sand — and, with a population of 400, relative solitude. Le Tikehau resort has overwater bungalows with lustrous wood floors, and a beach villa with its own private pool on its own stretch of pink sand paradise.

Best for Beach Bums

The Four Seasons Resort Bora Bora has a lagoon safari, where visitors learn about the Napolean wrasse, rays, tiger sharks, Galapagos sharks, pink whipray, and octopus that curls and glides around the coral. The resort also has 108 overwater rooms — 27 of them with their own private plunge pool suspended above the lagoon.

Best for Marine Life

Among the four restaurants and two bars at the St. Regis Bora Bora Resort is the Lagoon Restaurant, with glass-paneled floors, and a menu designed by star Alsatian chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten. The resort also features the Italian Fra Niente, and the open-air restaurant Te Pahu, where Polynesian dishes are offered.

Best for Foodies