Lonely Planet - Tahiti & French Polynesia Travel Guide

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Sculpted by sky-piercing, moss-green peaks and lined with vivid turquoise lagoons, sultry French Polynesia is a place to take it slow and experience warm, laid-back island chic.

Intercontinental Bora Bora Le Moana Resort ()
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Tahiti: just the word conjures up centuries worth of images: hibiscus flowers; svelte, bronzed dancers in grass skirts; a humid breeze over turquoise sea. The islands of French Polynesia became legends the minute the first European explorers reached their home shores with tales of a heaven on earth where the soil was fertile, life was simple, and sex was plentiful and guilt-free. While the lingering hype is outdated, French Polynesia is still about as dreamy as reality gets. The trees are still heavy with fruit, the mountains rise as majestically as ever and the lagoons are just as blue. Today, however, there are freeways, Christianity has instilled more conservative values and people work nine-to-five jobs. French Polynesia has not escaped the modern world but embraced it. True, its not the perfect, untainted paradise of explorer lore, but at least theres a pretty fast internet connection.

While there are plenty of slim stretches of white-, pink- and black-sand beaches in French Polynesia, they are 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 hue of aqua imaginable. Coral atolls have this same calibre of lagoon minus the big clunky 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 and windsurfers fly across the water terrain with the trade winds.

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, every luxury trapping and spectacular views of the islands iconic, square-topped peak. But if this isnt your cup of coconut water, or simply not in your budget, dont let that dissuade you from visiting French Polynesia. Small, family-run hotels and bed and breakfasts offer a closer-to-the-culture experience at prices that require a financial output similar to what youd need for a midrange trip to Europe.

Girls set to perform a traditional dance () on Tahiti
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Gentle, unpretentiously sophisticated yet fiery, the Polynesian culture is as seductive as it is soothing. Sit back with a cold Hinano under a warm dome of stars to enjoy ukulele riffs or perhaps just the sound of the surf free days are best spent picnicking on fish and taro by the water. During the annual Heiva festival the country goes full tilt: the best dancers wear little more than palm fronds and have warp-speed wiggling hips; outrigger-canoe racing ignites the lagoons; and traditional sports such as coconut husking go pro.

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Diving & Snorkelling

French Polynesia is one of the richest realms in the South Pacific. Its warm, tropical waters hold some of the greatest varieties of sea life found in the region. Dream of encountering the beasts? You can mingle with grey reef sharks, manta rays, bottlenose dolphins and hammerhead sharks. Prefer smaller, technicolour critters? Youll spot loads of reef species, including stingrays, snappers and jacks. The lagoons also cater to avid snorkellers, with gin-clear waters and a smattering of healthy coral gardens around. See for more on diving.

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Atoll Lagoons

Atolls are basically lagoons without the island. What little land mass there is peeks up only several metres above the surface and encircles lagoons so blue and thriving that high-island lagoons look meek in comparison. Best explored by boat, these watery landscapes hold empty white- and pink-sand beaches, sea-bird nesting grounds and some of the best spots in the world to dive in with a mask and snorkel. Rangiroa () is a protected Unesco biosphere reserve.

The lagoon on Fakarava
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Bora Bora

As the plane begins to descend, a magical scene comes into view: a perfect Morse-code ring of motu (small islets), mop-topped with palms, separating the indigo of the ocean from the crisp palette of lagoon blues. Bora Bora () is a hot favourite for honeymooners but we feel certain you didnt come all this way merely to crack open a bottle of champagne. Hiking, diving, snorkelling and other adventure options are all readily available.

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Tahitis Waterfall Valleys

Take an island with high mountains and 90-degree cliffs, douse it with tropical rainfall and give it a few million years to erode into magnificent forms and what do you get? Waterfalls. Lots of them. You could walk up any river in Tahiti and find myriad cascades, but youre best sticking with known trails or going with a guide. Try the trodden (though near-empty) paths to Papenoo ().

Waterfall at Pueu (), Tahiti Iti
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Surfing

With warm, clear water, swell from all directions and innumerable breaks, its no wonder that Polynesia has become a surf mecca. Beginners can paddle out to shore breaks, while more advanced surfers will be spoiled with hollow reef waves year-round. There are secret spots everywhere if youre willing to look. The fearsome wave at Teahupoo may be beyond many surfers level, but watching the pros tackle it during the Billabong Pro is one of the greatest live sporting events you may ever get to see.