What’s on your “get me out of town!” wish list? Hot sun, long sandy beaches, ocean breezes through the palm fronds, languid lagoons, stunning sunsets? Welcome to French Polynesia, a group of five island collections, and home to unsurpassed beauty, no matter which islands you choose.
While Tahiti and Bora Bora are perhaps the best known of the French Polynesian islands, most tourists, starting with the explorer Ferdinand Magellan in 1521, are gob-smacked by the seemingly endless strings and groups of islands that define paradise. The French-owned islands are divided into five general groups, all of which are worth a visit, or a side trip when seeing the main islands:
Windward Islands (also in the Society Islands collection; Tahiti is the largest island in this group)
The capital of French Polynesia, Papeete, is located on Tahiti and houses the local governments, plus major business and shopping centers. The major airport is also here, and welcomes planes from around the world, including the locally owned airline, Air Tahiti Nui.
Somehow, French Polynesia has managed to merge into the 21st century while simultaneously keeping its storied and ancient past intact. The blend of old traditions and modern amenities makes it the perfect spot for a truly relaxing vacation or honeymoon. In fact, Tahiti honeymoons are among the most coveted by brides and grooms everywhere! Check our news about Tahiti all inclusive resorts and Bora Bora all inclusive resorts on this website!
People who visit Tahiti thinking that they might enjoy a holiday on its black or white sand beaches have found themselves drawn like a magnet to the lovely people and almost unreal scenery. Many have stayed, among them:
English World War I romantic poet, Rupert Brooke, who is said to have fathered a daughter with a Tahitian woman during a visit in 1913.
American actor, Marlon Brando, whose third wife, Tarita Teriipia was a native of Tahiti (their gorgeous daughter Cheyenne was a model).
Many people regard France as being a romantic country, and that extends, too, to French Polynesia, where among the local native languages, French is the official tongue. A romance language in a wildly romantic locale; excellent combination! Now wonder so many honeymoons are taken here!
Most of the residents of French Polynesia reside on Tahiti, making it more visited than any of the other islands. From here, they export coconuts, vanilla beans and extract, fruit (like the highly touted health-fruit, noni fruit), fish, timber and cobalt. When you visit, bring home a strand of black Tahitian pearls!
What most want-to-be tourists imagine when they dream of a Tahiti vacation are private huts supported on stilts over the bright turquoise waters. And that’s real. In some cases, these thatched-roof huts are just cabanas, or massage rooms, but many are full hotel rooms, accessible by a raised deck pathway. A good number of them are situated in the many sheltered lagoons. These are Tahiti dreams. Bora Bora dreams. Make them come true.