Eleven new teams begin racing on the twenty-second edition of The Amazing Race. Their first stop is the island paradise of Bora Bora, where rows of sandcastles threaten to be the downfall of multiple teams. Meanwhile, in a race first, the winner of the first leg is awarded two Express Passes, one of which must be delegated to another team.
The ten remaining teams continue their race through Bora Bora, where one team comes face to face with their fear of deep water. Meanwhile, another team experiences navigational problems on the water, opening the door for a possible comeback from the two penalised teams from the previous leg.
After the final four teams go bog snorkeling in Belfast, Ireland, one team's race comes to an end; the three remaining teams scour historic landmarks in Washington, D.C.; the winning team is determined. Part one of two.