Looking for a tropical getaway with amazing snorkeling and overwater bungalow accommodations, but can't decide between Maldives or Bora Bora? This is a question I am asked frequently, and honestly, you cannot go wrong with either place! There are few idyllic locations in the world that will emote such a sense of awe and indulgence. To give proper perspective, imagine closing your eyes while breathing in the crisp morning air, a gentle breeze teases them open so they can be presented to the everchanging hues of turquoise waters surrounding your overwater bungalow-- all within your secluded private resort and island. Although the experiences at Bora Bora and Maldives can check many things off your bucket list, each location may serve a better fit for the time of year you may be planning to travel, how secluded you may want to be, and how many hours in transit you can accept. These factors and many more may tip the scale in favor of one location versus the other.

1. Location

If you live in the U.S., Bora Bora is about 10 hours away from LAX. Maldives, however, is at least 25 hours away and possibly longer depending on the location of your layover. Usually, when you book a flight to Bora Bora, you first land in Papeete, the capital of Tahiti, and then transfer by plane for an additional hour to Bora Bora airport. From there, your hotel representative will be awaiting and will escort you by boat to your hotel.

To get to Maldives, there is no direct flight from LAX and typically you will stop in Singapore, Dubai, or Turkey, and then fly to the capital Male, Maldives. From there, depending on the location of your hotel, you will be picked up by one of the three methods-- speedboat if the resort is nearby; by plane in which you will fly for an hour to another airport and then get picked up by speedboat to your resort; or lastly, by seaplane, which takes you to your hotel and you land directly on water (highly recommend!).

Since a 25-45 hour series of flights can be pretty exhausting to get from LAX to your resort in Maldives, one option is to spend a few days at your layover (for more information about Singapore, read here, or for more information about Dubai, read here). This will allow you to experience somewhere new and will make your journey to Maldives less exhausting!

2. Time of Year

If you are looking to travel from April to November, then consider Bora Bora. May to October is high season during which rain is sparse. Shoulder months like April and November are good months to consider when resorts are not as crowded and rates are lower than ultra peak season.

If you are looking to travel from December to March, then consider Maldives. The weather is the best during this period with calm waters and less chance of rain, making it ideal for snorkeling and enjoying other water activities. Rates for flights and hotels are much less expensive during low season, but you do take the chance of possible rain, wind, or choppy waters. However, some people get lucky and enjoy entire weeks of sunshine. During shoulder season, rain showers are typically short-lived and rainbows follow.

3. Snorkeling

Both places have awesome snorkeling opportunities, which is the main activity at either location. In Bora Bora, the water surrounding your resort island typically does not have significant amounts of fish and you have to take a boat to the main snorkeling spot at Coral Gardens, where the majority of fish and colorful coral are. There are also excursions you can take to snorkel with sharks and stingrays in open water or in an enclosed area.

In Maldives, each resort is located on its own separate island ("atoll") and many of them have their own house reef. When you walk into the water surrounding your hotel, you can just put your snorkel gear on and start snorkeling right away to diverse species of fish and other underwater wildlife. There are usually designated spots surrounding your resort that are great snorkel spots and every time you snorkel you might spot something different like sharks, turtles, eels, or sting rays. There are also excursions at night some hotels offer for you to do "night snorkeling" to see the magnificent bioluminescence underwater. Hotels in the southern atoll region have whale shark snorkeling excursions, which is a great opportunity to swim with these large majestic creatures. Having been to both Bora Bora and Maldives, I felt the snorkeling at Maldives was better in terms of fish diversity, abundance, and marine life variety.

4. Restaurant options

When staying in Bora Bora, you have the option to dine at your hotel or you can take your hotel's complimentary water taxi to dine at restaurants on the main island. This offers some variety with a wide price range. La Villa Mahana and Bloody Mary's are popular choices on the main island.

Lagoon Restaurant by Jean-Georges, St. Regis

Bloody Mary's

In Maldives, once you land at your hotel, the dining options are limited to the restaurants at your hotel since all the resorts are far apart. The resorts I stayed at had several restaurants to choose from that dining was not a problem. If you are staying at Conrad Maldives Rangali Island Resort or Anantara Kihavah Maldives Villas, take the opportunity to dine at their world famous underwater restaurants. The restaurants are built submerged underwater with glass panels that allow for panoramic views of colorful fish and coral while dining your pre-fixe multi-course meal. If you are celebrating a special occasion, some resorts arrange a special dinner on the beach for you. If you are looking for an ultra luxe experience, some hotels, like Baros resort, offer private dining on a sand bank.

Breakfast buffet at Baros

Private dinner at Baros

Lunch at Lux

Underwater dining at Sea, Anantara Kihavah

5. Backdrop preference

Bora Bora is famous for Mount Otemanu, a breathtaking volcanic remnant adorned with lush greenery that is the iconic backdrop of the island. When booking your room, I would recommend to choose a bungalow that faces the sunset and Mount Otemanu.

In Maldives, since the resorts are located on their own separate atolls or islands, the islands are completely surrounded by water and the views from your bungalow will be endless turquoise waters or small uninhabited islands in the distance.