Vaitape is the main town and commercial centre of Bora Bora, sitting on the western shore of the main island and facing the deep channel where cruise ships anchor and ferries from Tahiti arrive. It is a small, unpretentious settlement — a few streets of shops, the market, the post office, the gendarmerie, and a scattering of restaurants and snack bars.
For travellers staying on the outer motu in resort hotels, Vaitape comes as a mild shock: it is recognisably a real Pacific town, not a manicured resort. The market is worth a visit in the morning. The main quay is where boat rentals and water taxi services depart, and where roulottes (food trucks) set up in the evening serving cheap, good Polynesian food to a mix of locals and budget travellers. Most scooter and bicycle rental shops are clustered near the quay.