If you do not keep up with France itself, maybe you’ve heard of some of the French territories.
For example, in the past month, you may have heard about New Caledonia’s recent vote on independence. New Caledonia is located east of Australia and is a French overseas territory. While the President of New Caledonia is pro-independence, the entire territory is not. Half of the residents seem to be pro-independence, while the other half wants to remain part of France. This is shocking, however, because in the early December referendum, 97% of votes were against independence. Yet, many people argue that this referendum was not accurate, as there was only a 43% voter turnout prompted by a boycott from the Kanak population. Residents wanted the vote postponed due to a major Covid outbreak. Despite this, French President Emmanuel Macron still celebrated the result, saying “Tonight France is more beautiful because New Caledonia has decided to stay part of it” (France 24). Check out this New York Times article on the referendum for more information.
Don’t know New Caledonia? Well, perhaps you’ve heard of another French territory: Bora Bora. Not as politically charged, Bora Bora is a part of the Society islands of French Polynesia. French Polynesia is broken up into 5 archipelagoes (groups of islands): the Society Islands, Tuamotu, Gambier Islands, Marquesas Islands and Tubuai Islands. The capital of French Polynesia, Papeete, is located on Tahiti, one of the Society Islands.
To break it down even further, the Society Islands are classified into two groups, the Îles du Vent (Windward islands) and the Îles Sous le Vent (Leeward islands). As for the ones you may know, the Îles du Vent includes Tahiti and Moorea (shoutout to my good friend Moorea Walker named after this island), while the Îles Sous le Vent includes Bora Bora and Raiatea.
Bora Bora is one of the most popular tourist destinations, known for its luxurious, white beaches and overwater bungalows. It was formed more than 7 million years ago by a volcano, and now is surrounded by a coral reef, also known as an atoll. According to JetSet Christina, a trip to Bora Bora can cost anywhere between $13,000-$40,000 for two people.
I first learned about Bora Bora in 2015 watching one of my favorite YouTubers Aspyn Ovard. She traveled there twice with her now-husband doing travel videos and working with Tarte, a beauty company that sponsored one of her trips. Below is one of her videos made while there.
BORA BORA OVERWATER BUNGALOW TOUR!
The island is the perfect travel destination for everyone, having activities on land and water, as well as the perfect spots for relaxation. It takes about 9-15 hours to get there from the U.S., and closer to 24 hours from Europe (so major jet lag!!) This means it is well worth the stay to get over the time difference:)
Bora Bora covers 12 square miles and has a population of a little over 10,000. The primary languages are French and Tahitian, but English is also spoken due to major tourism. Tourism is Bora Bora’s primary source for the economy, thus contributing to the French economy overall. The high season is between June-August, so prices and crowds are highest then.
Even with insane costs and significant travel time, Bora Bora is definitely one of my dream travel destinations. The views, beaches and idealizations of the island make it seem so exciting. Plus, it’s French, so tant mieux! 😉
What’s your dream travel destination?
Julia's Journey in Paris 
Bora Bora and Tahiti have always been at the top of my list. In college, my friends and I said we would go for New Years 1999/2000, but instead, you were born! 🙂
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