French Polynesia

Table of Contents

Why French Polynesia?

Better known by the name of its main island, Tahiti, French Polynesia (an overseas country of France) is actually made up of five island groups: the Society Islands, Austral Islands, Marquesas Islands, Tuamotu atolls and the Gambier Archipelago, also known as the Mangareva Islands.

The islands I visited in 2010: Tahiti, Moorea, Bora Bora. The island closest to Tahiti is Moorea, just 11 miles northwest, while Bora Bora is 140 miles northwest of Tahiti.

In 2017, I returned to Tahiti on a 10-day cruise of Tahiti and the Tuamotus aboard Windstar Cruises’ Wind Spirit, a 148-passenge sailing ship. Islands visited include: Tahiti, Fakarava and Rangiroa in the Tuamotus, Taha’a, Huahine, Bora Bora, and Moorea. (See links to blog posts about each port at the bottom of the page.)

Accommodations

Accommodations throughout French Polynesia are most often found on or near the water. Outside of Papeete, Tahiti, you won’t find multi-story hotels, but instead will encounter one-story accommodations or bungalows, overlooking gardens, oceanview or oceanfront. Bora Bora is famous for its overwater bungalows, although they are also found in Tahiti and Moorea. My stay in an overwater bungalow at the Hilton Bora Bora Nui, was unforgettable.

Where I stayed in 2010: Manava Suite Resort, Tahiti; Hilton Moorea Lagoon Resort, Moorea; Hilton Bora Bora Nui, Bora Bora (which has now rebranded as the Conrad Bora Bora Nui).

In 2017, pre- and post-cruise stays were at Le Meridien Resort, Tahiti. One overnight stay during the cruise was at Four Seasons Resort Bora Bora

Activities

Diving and snorkeling, beach and watersports, shark feeding, stingray feeding, visiting pineapple plantations, touring, and shopping. Polynesian black pearls are available for purchase in all price ranges.

Beaches

Except for Tahiti’s black sand beaches, including Teahupoo on Tahiti iti, where surfers congregate each May for the Billabong Pro Tahiti International surf competition, most beaches throughout French Polynesia are made up of white coral sand, surrounded by calm, blue lagoons ideal for swimming and snorkeling.

Food and Drink

Poisson Cru, Hilton Moorea Lagoon Resort (Credit: Kim Marshall)

Poisson cru is the national dish of Tahiti – raw fish and diced vegetables soaked in coconut milk and marinated with lime juice. You’ll find fresh fish everywhere, as well as tropical fruits, vegetables and crusty French baguettes. In Papeete, visit the food trucks (Les Roulottes) for affordable meals and snacks along the waterfront in Vai’ete Square.

Getting There

Airport code: PPT (Papeete, Tahiti). Direct flights from mainland U.S.: Los Angeles (LAX); weekly flight from Honolulu (HNL).

See updates on additional flights to PPT (Papeete) in my blog post: Tahiti and Tuamotus: Choosing to cruise

Location

French Polynesia is located in the Pacific Ocean, midway between Los Angeles, CA, and Australia.

Vibe

Tahiti’s capital, Papeete, the most populous area in French Polynesia, is home to under 135,000 in the town and surrounding area. The vibe outside this area is, as you would expect — laid back and relaxing. The French Polynesians I encountered were gracious, warm and friendly.

If you go, don’t miss:

On Tahiti, visit Le Marché, Papeete’s public market, the best place to find local Tahitian products, from pareos and scented monoi oils to inexpensive shell and black pearl jewelry.

Le Marché, Papeete’s public market (© Debbra Dunning Brouillette)

On Moorea, take an island tour of pineapple plantations and historic sites; feed stingrays and sharks, and marvel at its volcanic peak, thought to have inspired Michener’s fictional paradise, Bali Hai.

Pineapple plantation, Moorea (© Debbra Dunning Brouillette)

On Bora Bora, stay in an overwater bungalow. Swim and snorkel in the multi-hued waters of the lagoon. Dive outside the lagoon with sharks and manta rays.

View from my overwater bungalow, Hilton Bora Bora Nui (© Debbra Dunning Brouillette) The Hilton has since rebranded as Conrad Bora Bora Nui.

Published article on French Polynesia:

Islands of love

Celebrities and honeymooners aren’t the only ones who find the beauty and romance of French Polynesia to be a perfect proposal

BORA BORA, French Polynesia — High atop a Bora Bora hillside, overlooking the lagoon author James Michener called “the most beautiful in the world,” Roberto Martinez proposed to this year’s Bachelorette, Ali Fedotowsky.

Nearly 20 million viewers witnessed the romantic conclusion to ABC’s sixth season of The Bachelorette, which was filmed on this resort island. And now, standing on that very spot, I was mesmerized by the gemstone shades of blue water below me — aquamarine, sapphire and topaz.

I had just left the spa, where I had a full body massage, and was about to return to my overwater bungalow by golf cart, the preferred mode of transport across the sprawling 16-acre Hilton Bora Bora Nui Resort. Aerial photos of French Polynesia — Tahiti, Moorea and Bora Bora — with their dramatic volcanic peaks and awe-inspiring blue lagoons had fascinated me; they represent that ultimate exotic place in the tropics, halfway around the world, almost unreachable…

Read the rest of the article, published in the Ft. Worth Star-Telegram by opening a PDF here: French Polynesia Article