French Polynesia (French Pacific Islands) Travel Guide

Breathtaking beauty, indelible enchantment and hypnotic diversity collide in the five great archipelagos that make up French Polynesia. Jagged mountains, sapphire lagoons, and exotic flowers are the first thing to greet you in Tahiti, gateway to French Polynesia and the go-to spot for beach-infused bliss. Take a drive along the island’s 72-mile perimeter, monuments, temple ruins, waterfalls and cliff-side beaches abound. Feed sharks off the coast of Bora Bora, scuba dive without a wetsuit in warm Polynesian waters and set sail in one of the many protected anchorages surrounding The Society Islands. For big wave surfers, winter time is best, but the summer swells are the same ones that hit Hawaii’s famed shores. Traditional Polynesian culture means plenty of music, dancing and culinary indulgences, so don’t be shy about getting your groove on or trying one of the many local dishes wrapped in banana leaves.