Bora Bora is the most popular destination in French Polynesia, certainly because of its lagoon, considered the most beautiful lagoon in the world. In this context, the islet could have sunk under concrete and pollution, and the reef could have been irreparably impacted. However, thanks to the will of a handful of inhabitants, including the mayor of the island, Bora Bora is today a model of sustainable development, with water treatment technologies that are 15 years ahead of France, programs for restoring corals and safeguarding wildlife, educational actions and rehabilitation of Polynesian traditions such as the “rahui” and the establishment of a monitoring network using new technologies. All this makes the island a veritable open-air laboratory that shows the way for all tropical coastal environments around the world.