Tahiti & French Polynesia

This is the Bora Bora chapter from Lonely Planet’s Tahiti & French Polynesia guidebook.

Bora Bora is the stuff of dreams. A mesmerising palette of sapphire, indigo and turquoise, sand-edged motu (islets) and rainforest-covered peaks make it a natural honeymooners’ choice. This quiet island mixes slow-paced sun-and-sand holidays with action-packed adventures.

• discover all the perks of a world-class resort on Motu Piti Aau
• maps
• ogle the stunning cerulean-blue lagoon on a boat tour and enjoy a picnic on a motu
• transport
• laze on idyllic Matira Beach
• restaurants & accommodation

Coverage includes: Vaitape, Matira Point, the Motu and Povai Bay.

This is the Huahine chapter from Lonely Planet’s Tahiti & French Polynesia guidebook.

Huahine is immaculately tropical and effortlessly Polynesian. Lush and scarcely developed, this is an island to visit for extreme calm, communing with nature and a genuine taste of Polynesian culture.

• snorkel over colourful fish and coral at Le Jardin de Corail
• maps
• take the uphill marae walk at Maeva
• transport
• hike Mt Tapu for panoramic views over the island and lagoon
• restaurants & accommodation

Coverage includes: Huahine Nui, Fare, Motu Tresor, Maeva, Faie, Fitii, Huahine Iti, Maroe, Tefarerii, Marae Anini, Avea Bay .

This is the Maupiti chapter from Lonely Planet’s Tahiti & French Polynesia guidebook.

Maupiti’s shimmering lagoon, perfect ring of islets, palm trees and large coral gardens make it one of the most ravishing islands in French Polynesia. Although no longer a secret, it remains a hideaway where visitors absorb the lazy lifestyle.

• explore Maupiti’s gin-clear lagoon while snorkelling with manta rays at Manta Point
• maps
• take it real easy, with lizardlike basking on heavenly Tereia Beach
• transport
• paddle a kayak across the azure lagoon
• restaurants & accommodation

Coverage includes: Tereia Beach, Vaiea, Haranae Valley, Marae Vaiahu, Motu Auira, Motu Paeao, Motu Tiapaa, Motu Tuanai, Mt Teurafaatiu.

This is the Mo’orea chapter from Lonely Planet’s Tahiti & French Polynesia guidebook.

Mo’orea’s holiday-brochure turquoise lagoons, white-sand beaches, vertical peaks and lush landscapes make it a real gem of an island. Hovering less than 20km from its big sister, Tahiti, Mo’orea absorbs its many visitors so gracefully that its feels surprisingly nontouristy.

• get lost in Opunohu Valley, with its ancient marae (traditional temples), breathtaking vistas and hidden walking paths
• maps
• paddle to Motu Tiahura from Hauru Point for lunch at Coco Beach
• transport
• take an unforgettable hike to Mt Mouaputa
• restaurants & accommodation

Coverage includes: Cook’s Bay, Hauru Point, Haapiti, Vaiare, Temae, Maharepa and Motu Tiahura.

Your journey to Tahiti & French Polynesia starts here. You’ll find the tools to plan your adventure: where to go and when, how much to budget, plus in-depth info on island culture.

• tailor-made itineraries, arranged by region, themes and events
• list of highlights and best experiences
• everything you need to know to decide which island to visit
• user-friendly country overview ensures you won’t miss a thing

Coverage includes: Welcome to Tahiti & French Polynesia, Tahiti & French Polynesia’s Top 15, Need to Know, If You Like: Diving, Snorkelling & Wildlife-Watching, Luxury Pampering, History & Archeology, Hiking & Walking, Art, Music & Dance, Beaches, Surfing & Kitesurfing, Getting off the Beaten Path, Great Food & Drink, Month by Month, Itineraries, Which Island?, Diving, Travel with Children and Regions at a Glance.

This is the Ra’iatea & Taha’a chapter from Lonely Planet’s Tahiti & French Polynesia guidebook.

Encircled by a common lagoon perfect for diving, snorkelling, kayaking or just splashing around, these two islands couldn’t be more different. Both are ideal places to explore a mysterious and wild-feeling Polynesia.

• feel the power of Marae Taputapuatea, one of Polynesia’s greatest spiritual centres
• maps
• spend a day on Taha’a with an island tour, stopping at Motu Tau Tau for a bout of snorkelling
• transport
• take an unforgettable hike to Temehani Plateau and look for the tiare apetahi, one of the world’s rarest flowers
• restaurants & accommodation

Coverage includes: Ra’iatea, Ututroa, Marae Taputapuatea, Motu Oatara, Tevaitoa, Taha’a, Vaitoare, Haamene, Patio and the Motu.

This is the Tahiti chapter from Lonely Planet’s Tahiti & French Polynesia guidebook.

The heart of the islands, what Tahiti lacks in wide white-sand beaches, it makes up for in waterfall-laden, shadowy mountains, unpretentiously beautiful black-sand beaches, sheltered blue lagoons and a distinctly Polynesian modern buzz.

• embark on a boat excursion past the road’s end at Teahupoo to visit the remote Fenua Aihere and Te Pari
• maps
• peruse the colorful Marche de Pape’ete and dine at the very local-style waterfront roulottes in Pape’ete
• transport
• take a 4WD excursion to explore the lushness and archaeological sites of the Papenoo Valley
• restaurants & accommodation

Coverage includes: Pape’ete, Tahiti Nui, Puna’auia, Pa’ea, Mataiea, Pointe Vénus & Matavai Bay, Papenoo, Fenua Aihere, Taravao and Tahiti Iti.

This is the Australs & the Gambier Archipelago chapter from Lonely Planet’s Tahiti & French Polynesia guidebook.

The pristine Austral Islands are arguably French Polynesia’s most underrated destination. The climate here is temperate, but everything else befits a tropical paradise. Less history with Europeans and less influx from the outside world has preserved this islands’ culture.

• explore the surreal limestone cave of Ana Aeo on Rurutu
• maps
• motu-hop in the radiant Raivavae lagoon and picnic on idyllic Motu Piscine
• transport
• scale Mt Taita and feast your eyes on 360-degree views of the lagoon
• restaurants & accommodation

Coverage includes: The Australs, Rurutu, Tubuai, Raivavae, Rimatara, Taravai, Aukena, Akamarau, the Gambier Archipelago and Mangareva.

This is the Marquesas chapter from Lonely Planet’s Tahiti & French Polynesia guidebook.

Grand, brooding and powerful, the sharp silhouettes of the Marquesas Islands jut up from the cobalt-blue ocean. Here you will find waterfalls taller than skyscrapers, vertical canyons, towering cliffs, basalt pinnacles, emerald forests, and white or black sand bays.

• wander amid the mossy, ancient tiki (sacred statues) at Puamau
• maps
• gaze down impenetrable waterfall-streaked valleys while hiking across the Nuku Hiva heartland
• transport
• clip-clop across the fecund interior to marvellous vistas in Hiva Oa
• restaurants & accommodation

Coverage includes: Nuku Hiva, Taiohae, Hakaui Valley, Toovii Plateau, Taipivai, Hatiheu, ‘Ua Huka, ‘Ua Pou, Hakahau, Hakahetau, Hakamaii, Hohoi, Hiva Oa, Atuona, Taaoa, Puamau, Hanapaaoa, Hanaiapa, Tahuata and Fatu Hiva.

This is the Tuamotus chapter from Lonely Planet’s Tahiti & French Polynesia guidebook.

The Tuamotus is the dream South Seas snapshot. The 77 atolls – narrow coral rings encircling turquoise lagoons that make up this stunning archipelago – are flung over an immense stretch of indigo-blue ocean.

• explore the legendary Tiputa Pass and see surreal coral formations at Île aux Récifs on Rangiroa
• maps
• go nose-to-nose with hundreds of sharks in Tumakohua Pass and find your own slice of heaven on the unspoilt sands of Les Sables Roses on Fakarava
• transport
• walk along the pink and white sand beaches on Tikehau
• restaurants & accommodation

Coverage includes: Rangiroa, Tikehau, Tuherahera Villagea, Private Motu, Mataiva, Rotoava, Tetamanu, Fakarava and Ahe.

All the info you need on everything from beaches, diving, snorkelling and luxury pampering to flights, public transport, climate, money, the internet... you name it. Get tips for women travellers, gay and lesbian travellers and travellers with disabilities. And get the most out of your conversations with a handy language guide and glossary.

• a rundown on current politics and economics in Tahiti & French Polynesia
• info on where to find the best snorkelling and diving
• full coverage of islander life and culture
• details on the region’s history

Coverage includes: Tahiti & French Polynesia Today, History, Environment, Islander Life, French Polynesia in Popular Culture, Food & Drink, Directory A–Z, Transport, Health and Language.