Papeete to Papeete

Papeete is the center of the tropical paradise of French Polynesia where islands fringed with gorgeous beaches and turquoise ocean await to soothe the soul. This spirited city is the capital of French Polynesia and serves as a superb base for onward exploration of Tahiti – an island of breathtaking landscapes and oceanic vistas. A wonderful lagoon of crisp clear water begs to be snorkelled stunning black beaches and blowholes pay tribute to the island's volcanic heritage and lush green mountains beckon you inland on adventures as you explore extraordinary Tahiti. Visit to relax and settle into the intoxicating rhythm of life in this Polynesian paradise.

If you have ever dreamt up your ideal island holiday, we suspect it goes something like this: Soapy blue seas? Check. Sparkling white beaches? Check. Thatched wooden huts, gently sloping palm trees and kaleidoscopic marine life? Check, check and check. And yet, even by ticking every box, first time viewing of Bora Bora still beggars belief.This tropical hideaway less than 12 m2 in the heart of the South Pacific has been toping travel wish lists for years. Long considered the realm of honeymooners – spectacularly romantic sunsets are a speciality – Bora Bora is not just for wandering with your love. If the prismatic shades of blue of the world’s most beautiful lagoon do not fill you up, then perhaps underwater scooters and aqua Safaris will charge your batteries. If exploring Bora Bora’s lush hinterland is more your glass of tequila sunrise, then trips around the island (often stopping off at the celebrity haunt Bloody Mary Restaurant & Bar) are a must.Bora Bora's peaceful ambience has not always been the case. The island was a US supply base, known as "Operation Bobcat" during WWII. During this time, Bora Bora was home to nine ships, 20,000 tons of equipment and nearly 7,000 men. Eight massive 7-inch naval cannons were installed around the island, all but one of which is still in place. Although little is known of the history of the island, it is known that Bora Bora was called Vava’u in ancient times. This supports belief that the island was colonised by Tongans prior to French annex in 1888.

Known as the "Sacred Island," Raiatea is a fascinating haunt for archaeologists and historians as it's one of the islands in the Pacific where Polynesian culture can trace its roots. Visitors will find many of the older Polynesian structures still in place and are fascinating places to explore. In the 16th century, Raiatea developed a powerful cult dedicated to Oro the God of War and built a large meeting ground, the Taputaputea Marae, which is still intact. Human sacrifice was practiced until around the middle of the 18th century and visitors should look for the sacrificial stone. Several tour operators run visits to the marae (ancient temples) along with some degree of informed commentary—although in fairness Polynesian storytelling can embellish things a little. The Faaroa River is the only navigable waterway in French Polynesia and it can be traveled by powerboat or outrigger canoe. Running through the Faaroa Gorge it passes some spectacular scenery with steep-walled jungle foliage holding dozens of bird species and wild hibiscus. Trekking up Mount Temehani, a well-known landmark that's said to be Oro's birthplace, is relatively demanding. Keep a lookout for the rare, five-petal tiare apetahi. Said to be impossible to grow anywhere else, this white, indigenous flower can only be found above 1,300 feet (396 meters). Look, but don't touch. It's against the law to pick them.

Fakarava is oblong shaped and has an almost continuous string of reef and motu stretching for 40 km (25 mi) on its eastern edge. It's the second largest of the Tuamotu atolls located 450 km (280 mi) northeast of Tahiti and 120 km (75 mi) southeast of Rangiroa. It's renowned for the drift diving in its two passes—Garuae (also spelled Ngarue) in the north near the main town of Rotoava (and the airport) and Tamakohua Pass 48 km (30 mi) across the lagoon in the south. The tiny village of Tetamanu situated by the southern pass was once the capital of the Tuamotus and houses the first church built in the archipelago in 1874. In 2006 the entire atoll was deemed an UNESCO biosphere reserve to preserve the lagoon no overwater bungalows have been built in it. Fakarava was "discovered" by Russian explorer Fabian Gottlieb Von Bellingshausen in 1820 some 20 years later missionaries arrived in the guise of fanatical Catholic priest Honore Laval and began building churches.

Think of French Polynesia and you are automatically transported to the white sands of Tahiti, the blue seas of Bora Bora or, at the very least, the iconic statues of Easter Island. Now, imagine a place that is home to that majestic trinity, but has no crowds and is full of island authenticity that is rare in these global times. You have just imagined Nuku Hiva.The island is the second largest after Tahiti in the archipelago, but is yet to be discovered by tourism. As part of the Marquesas Islands, Nuku Hiva is technically French, but don’t expect to find any blue and white striped shirts here! In fact, even though French is the “official” language of the island, a sing-song dialect of Tahitian mixed with Marquesan is more widely spoken. The younger generations also speak English.Undeniably, Nuku Hiva has been blessed by the Gods. With towering mountains, eight magnificent harbours, and one of the world's highest waterfalls, Nuku Hiva is rich with Mother Nature’s jewels. The island could lay claim to a great many claims to fame, such as its deep, unpolluted waters, its lush forests bursting with vitality or its fascinating assortment of archaeological interests including tikis (sacred statues) and pae pae (stone platforms that formed the foundations of houses). Yet for those in the know, the island’s primary claim to fame is that author Herman Mellville deserted his ship in order to live among the natives of the island and his books Typee and Omoo were inspired by his experiences on Nuku Hiva.

Rangiroa is French Polynesia’s largest atoll. More than 400 motu (islets) enclose the lagoon, which is so wide and long that one cannot see the southern row of motu from the two main islets in the north –hence the local name Rangiroa meaning wide or long sky, sometimes taken as “immense sky”. There are several passes from the ocean into the lagoon and the two main villages of Avatoru and Tiputa are located next to the passes of the same names. Drift diving and snorkeling the incoming tides looking for sharks and manta rays at these passes is one of Rangiroa’s main touristic draws. Government jobs, ecotourism and pearl farming are the main sources of income on the atoll. The lagoon’s calm turquoise waters, rich marine underwater world and relaxed atmosphere attract visitors year-round to the many local guesthouses and a few hotels.Both Avatoru and Tiputa also feature schools for the other Tuamotu Islands which have no higher education possibilities. One of Rangiroa’s most unusual attractions is the white and rose wine produced on the islet immediately west of Avatoru –the wine has won several awards.

Although it lies between Moorea and Bora Bora, Huahine (pronounced Hu-a-hee-nee or Wha-hee-nee) isn't on the tourist circuit just yet, but it should be. Its near-deserted roads and villages and wooded hills entwined with jungle vines beckon those looking for a little R&R.Huahine is two islands (Huahine Nui and Huahine Iti) joined by a bridge. What passes for action takes place in the main town of Fare (pronounced far-ay) on Huahine Nui, the northern and bigger island. Away from this little port, life is slow-paced and you'll be lucky to find anyone stirring on a lazy afternoon in any of the villages of Huahine Iti. Most locals ride bicycles and agriculture's still the main industry—plantations grow vanilla and melons. There are various legends surrounding the island's name. Some say that hua> means "sex" and hine means "woman," while others say the name means "pregnant woman" due to a rock outline on Huahine Nui's Fitii Peninsula. Then there's the legend of Hiro, Polynesia's most famous god. It's said that Hiro rammed his canoe into the island, splitting it down the middle. Not far from the town of Maroe is a rock spire called Te Moa o Hiro or "penis of Hiro"—you can't miss it. It's easy to explore Huahine (75 square km [47 square mi]) by rental car, as there is really only one road, albeit with a few forks in it. When you cross the bridge into Huahine Iti you can go either left to Maroe or right to Parea. The road to Haapu leads off to a dead end. When crossing from Huahine Iti to Nui the same rule applies. Take the left fork to the "busy" town of Fare and the right fork to the "sacred eel" village of Faaie, via the Belvedere lookout. Hiring your own boat allows you to circle the island and anchor at the motu; a couple of self-catering villas provide both a car and a boat. There are only one or two restaurants on Huahine Iti; you either eat at your pension, choose a pension with cooking facilities, or drive up to Fare for a wider, though still rather limited, choice.

Moorea is a high mountainous island with two nearly symmetrical bays found on the north coast. The island’s triangular shape has been likened to a heart or a bat. Eight mountain peaks reaching a height of up to 1,207 meters give Moorea a very rugged silhouette. The reef surrounding the island encloses a narrow lagoon –a RAMSAR Wetland- and has barely any motu (reef islets). Sharks and rays are some of the lagoon’s attractions. The island is only one eighth the size of neighboring Tahiti and has a more relaxed life-style.A road leads around Moorea, passing small villages with their churches and the resorts and smaller hotels mainly found on the north coast. A detour into the interior will show large pineapple plantations, French Polynesia’s only agricultural school, ancient marae (stone platforms) and splendid views of the island from Belvedere above Cook’s Bay or the Magic Mountain above Papetoai, Opunohu Bay.Many of the 18,000 residents work in Tahiti, taking one of the ferries plying between Vaiare on the east coast and Papeete. This led to Papeete being one of France’s busiest ports in passenger volume. Foreign visitors either come into Temae airport, tucked in-between the Green Pearl golf course and Temae’s public beach, or by ship entering one of the two bays on the north coast. Both bays are connected to Captain Cook’s visit in 1777: he stayed in Opunohu Bay, but to honor him Pao Pao Bay has been named Cook’s Bay.

Papeete is the center of the tropical paradise of French Polynesia where islands fringed with gorgeous beaches and turquoise ocean await to soothe the soul. This spirited city is the capital of French Polynesia and serves as a superb base for onward exploration of Tahiti – an island of breathtaking landscapes and oceanic vistas. A wonderful lagoon of crisp clear water begs to be snorkelled stunning black beaches and blowholes pay tribute to the island's volcanic heritage and lush green mountains beckon you inland on adventures as you explore extraordinary Tahiti. Visit to relax and settle into the intoxicating rhythm of life in this Polynesian paradise.