TRIP REPORT PHOTOS
We start with a view of Mount Otemanu as seen from Haamaire Bay. The first three pictures were all taken from this spot:
The red circle shows the location of the cave high on Mount Otemanu:
Mount Otemanu is a truly stunning peak. From this angle, the cave (which is located below the ridgeline saddle just left of center) looks impossible to reach by foot:
Driving a short distance to the south along the coastal road, we found another viewpoint from the road portion of Fitiiu Point overlooking Vairou Bay. The next four pictures were taken from this spot:
These pictures, which highlight both Mount Otemanu and the cave, were taken in the early evening on the day before our hike:
The summit of Mount Otemanu visible on the right is the highest point on Bora Bora at 2,385 feet in elevation:
This zoomed picture of the cave entrance was actually taken from the coastal road. It definitely built up our anticipation for the hike the next day:
Our hike to the Cave of Mount Otemanu started at 6:30am the next day by crossing over this area of private property to enter the jungle:
Spotting some bamboo culms growing on the early part of the trail:
A fairly well-worn path is easy to follow as it winds through the trees:
The dividing point between sun and shade. This was the last shade we would see for a while:
Looking back at Fitiiu Point at the tip of Vairou Bay once we entered the meadows portion of the hike:
Early morning sunshine on Bora Bora's beautiful lagoon:
The path continues by passing through some tall grasses:
Checking out some of the unique trees while climbing through the meadows:
Looking to the southeast at the overwater bungalows of the Intercontinental Bora Bora Resort with the island of Tahaa in the background:
The low saddle seen in the distance is the hiking crossover route between Anau and Faanui:
An excellent overview of Vairou Bay showing a couple of long docks extending out into the lagoon:
With very few trees in this area (except for the distinct palm tree in the distance), we had a clear view looking up toward the jagged peaks of Mount Otemanu:
As you can see, hiking to the summit of Mount Otemanu is an impossible task in view of the vertical cliffs all around:
Zooming in on the mysterious cave that we were hiking toward:
Our next objective in the hike was reaching the rock pinnacle seen in the left foreground:
Looking back at the hiking path cut through the brush and grasses of the meadow area:
The path continues winding toward the base of the rock pinnacle:
Off in the distance on the right side, you can see Mount Mataihua, which is the fourth highest peak on the island at 1,030 feet in elevation:
Another look at Vairou Bay with Haamaire Bay visible in the background behind the small peninsula:
Our hikers have now reached the base of the rock pinnacle spotted earlier:
Behind the pinnacle, there turned out to be a lengthy high rock wall on the right side:
Notice the vivid red and orange-colored patterns along the rock wall:
Looking up, note the great height of the rock wall above us:
The Cave of Mount Otemanu looks much closer now that we have climbed halfway up the mountain:
Green plants growing out of a large boulder which came to a resting spot next to the trail:
The next two pictures show some brush obstacles along the trail as we had to climb under, over, and around branches:
Approaching the base of the cliffs. Beginning here, caution is in order due to potential rockfall from above:
Mount Mataihua barely visible off in the distance above the treetops:
A faintly visible trail follows the base of the cliffs and occasionally weaves away from the base, as seen in the next two pictures:
Using assistance ropes to climb up the very slippery cliff face gully:
Continuing along the base of the cliffs with some easier terrain:
The brush tends to get overgrown quickly but this trail seems to get a fair amount of use (probably at least 1-2 groups per week), which helps to keep the path clear:
We turned a corner and were stunned by this view looking up at the face of Mount Otemanu:
We were now well above the height of distant Mount Mataihua and the nearby Anau Ridges:
Zooming in on the some of the sailboats out in the lagoon:
The Cave of Mount Otemanu becomes visible above us along with some very high vertical cliffs:
The final path to the cave combines very steep terrain with a series of mandatory rope climbs:
Keep in mind that these assistance ropes are paid for and maintained by hiking guides, so that is another reason to support them by hiring a guide for the hike:
Looking back down a very steep spot of climbing. It was a good thing we had dry weather:
The path transitions from a rock surface to loose dirt:
Last section of climbing with the rounded cave entrance in sight:
From this angle, the cave looks dark and foreboding:
To the right of the cave entrance, a towering vertical rock face rises up to the summit of Mount Otemanu:
The ground surface just outside the cave (and inside as well) turned into very fine dirt, almost like a powder:
Front and center outside of the Cave of Mount Otemanu:
There are very few places in the world which have a view as beautiful as this one of Bora Bora's lagoon and motus:
That's us happy to have arrived at the cave entrance after a long and challenging ascent of over two hours:
A short distance into the cave, this is the view looking back out:
Checking out the cubbyhole-like burrrows inside the cave. Nearly every burrow we looked into had nesting Wedge-tailed Shearwater seabirds:
Wedge-tailed Shearwaters can have a light or dark coloring to them. The Bora Bora cave colony seemed to be mostly dark-morphed in color:
The flash of our cameras probably disturbed the nesting seabirds more than we should have. Unfortunately, I didn't realize this until after I got home and did extensive research:
A pair of Wedge-tailed Shearwaters no doubt incubating an egg in their burrow:
Looking out of the cave from an area that was closer to the back of it:
A picture of Josh and I standing at the front of the cave taken from the far back wall:
Two pictures of me taken inside the Cave of Mount Otemanu showing how deep and high the interior is:
Except for near the back wall, the floor of the cave has steep terrain:
Looking out past the roof of the cave at the blue sky and a few stray clouds on a beautiful day in Bora Bora:
The right side entrance of the cave has some rock shelves which can be climbed up with caution:
The rock shelves provide a perfect spot to sit down and enjoy the majestic views of Bora Bora's northern and eastern sides:
One of the best views is simply looking at the inland areas of Anau and Mount Mataihua:
Another majestic view shows the land peninsula leading to Fitiiu Point, Vairou Bay, the lagoon, and the corner of Motu Tofari, which is the far eastern tip of Bora Bora:
A close-up of the overwater bungalows of the St. Regis Bora Bora Resort:
Looking down at the village of Anau, where we started our journey earlier this morning:
Josh set up this profile shot of me standing at the cave entrance:
Heading back down, we had spectacular views of the islands of Tahaa (left) and Raiatea (right):
Panoramic showing Bora Bora's eastern side lagoon and motus taken during the hike back (click to enlarge):
The next two pictures show alternate vantage points looking back up the mountain slopes during the hike down:
One final view looking back at Mount Otemanu as we reached the meadows on our hike down:
The bonus pictures begin with this Tahitian Blue Moon butterfly which we spotted on a short hike to one of the cannon overlook points:
The best side hike that we did was to the "Tree of Life" Banyan tree, which is hidden away somewhere between Faanui and the slopes of Mount Ohue:
This is a single Banyan tree. The aerial prop roots become secondary trunks which help support the branches:
This location was difficult to find. It actually took us two separate hikes to find the "Tree of Life" Banyan tree:
One more picture with the "Tree of Life" Banyan tree:
I also must include a few bonus pictures taken while snorkeling on Bora Bora. We spotted this group of 19 Spotted Eagle Rays. All are at least partially visible in this picture:
The spots are faintly visible on top of the Spotted Eagle Rays:
A single Spotted Eagle Ray gliding through the water of Bora Bora's lagoon:
Getting swarmed by Scissortail sergeant tropical fish:
An abundance of Scissortail sergeants swimming all around us:
Good picture of a Pacific double-saddle butterflyfish:
Finding a great spot in the lagoon for swimming with tropical fish of many varieties:
Swimming out in the open ocean just beyond the reef with Blacktip reef sharks:
Nothing really prepares you for having sharks circling around you in the ocean:
Soon there were two Blacktip reef sharks circling around us:
And then a third shark arrived. Being that this was out in the ocean, there were very few fish, mainly just the sharks:
An adult female humpback whale with her newborn (or calf) swam into Bora Bora's lagoon:
The whales were swimming back and forth between the ocean and lagoon while breaching at times:
A humpback whale spouting water with Mount Ohue and Mount Pahia in the background:
The highlight of our entire trip took place when we got in the water to swim and snorkel with Humpback whales in Bora Bora. This is a newborn whale (or calf) which is estimated to be a few weeks old and already over 1 ton in weight:
Check out the Humpback whale's flippers, flukes (or tail), and the distinct throat grooves:
The body of the whale already has some markings on it, perhaps from predators or even an adult male Humpback trying to push the calf away from the mother:
Humpback whale calf swimming to the surface after diving to drink milk from the mother resting far below:
My final picture from Bora Bora shows the contrast between the rough open ocean and calm lagoon. Mount Pahia and Mount Otemanu are in the background:
