Tahiti & French Polynesia Travel Guide

The slim stretches of white-, pink- and black-sand beaches in French Polynesia are really just pretty springboards into the real draw: the lagoons. Most high islands are surrounded by fringing reef that creates a protected swimming pool of the most intense aqua imaginable. Coral atolls have this same calibre of lagoon minus the big island in the middle. Fish, dolphins, rays, sharks, turtles and more inhabit these clear-water coral gardens that are as excellent for snorkelling as they are for diving and swimming. Surfers ride glassy wave faces at reef passes while kitesurfers fly across the water with the trade winds.

To Luxe or Not to Luxe

Over-the-top indulgence has become French Polynesias or more specifically Bora Boras signature, and often overshadows what the rest of the country has to offer. Resorts on the Pearl of the Pacific are a honeymooners dream, with private overwater bungalows and spectacular views of the islands iconic, square-topped peak. But if this isnt your cup of coconut water, or not in your budget, dont let that dissuade you from visiting French Polynesia. Small, family-run lodgings offer a closer-to-the-culture experience for considerably less financial output.

Polynesian children wearing hei (floral necklaces) | CARINI JOE/GETTY IMAGES

By Celeste Brash, Lonely Planet Writer

It's not just because it's the most beautiful place on Earth. No, really. I love French Polynesia for the sound of rain on a tin roof, the smell of tiare taina gardenias in November, the floral taste of a perfect mango, the silky warmth of the ocean, a sea turtle swimming peacefully below me, the gift of a flower hei (flower necklace) from a friend, the tapping of a