French Polynesia Travel Guide

French Polynesia lies in the Eastern part of the South Pacific with 35 islands and 83 atolls in over 5 million sq km of ocean. Made famous by the Mutiny of the Bounty, its enchanting scenery, beautiful people and the vivid colours of French painter Paul Gauguin, French Polynesia has become one of the icons of the South Pacific.

Captivating Tahiti and her 118 attendant islands and atolls, all radiating with iridescent green and turquoise, make up the country of French Polynesia, a French overseas territory that is spread across an area of the South Pacific that is as big as western Europe.

Encompassing five vast archipelagos, Tahiti is the largest island in the most populated archipelago - the Society Islands. Tahiti has only a few nice swimming beaches although there is excellent beach surfing off the attractive black sand beaches on the north and south coasts. The main attraction of the island, which many pass by in haste for the flashier wonders of Bora Bora, is the incredibly beautiful and often dramatic tropical scenery with its hiking trails through tropical forest to refreshing and remote waterfalls.

Neighbouring Moorea also has some of the South Pacific's most attractive tropical scenery with the added attraction of some fine golden sand beaches.

The famous lagoon of Bora Bora, with its picturesque setting and picture postcard white palm fringed beaches, lies in the western portion of the Society Islands about a 45 minute flight from Papeete. In between are Huahine, an equally attractive lagoon with gorgeous beaches but far less commercial than Bora Bora, and the twin islands of Tahaa and Raiatea which offer excellent sailing, scuba diving and more off the beaten travel.

The Tuamotu Islands, a sprawling mass of coral atolls, lie to the east and south east of Papeete and offer secluded beach resorts with excellent snorkelling and scuba diving.

The remote Marquesas Islands in the north, and Astral Islands in the south are both rich in culture and archaeological sights and offer splendid and dramatic coastal scenery.

French Polynesia cooking methods combine the South Pacific with French, Italian and Chinese influences. This shows up in the flashy restaurants and the roadside mobile snack bars, les roulottes. Food is still cooked in traditional pit ovens that are common throughout the Pacific. A hole is dug in the ground, stones are placed within it and then a fire is lit to heat the stones. The food, wrapped in banana leaves, is placed on top, and then the hole is filled in again with earth. The baking process takes several hours. In French Polynesia this kind of oven is called an ahimaa and the feast is called a tamaaraa.

Life is pretty laid back in French Polynesia dress standards are casual, even in the trendiest restaurants and beach wear is mostly just below the waist. Church is very serious and Sunday is the day of worship (fully clothed).

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