118 Polynesian islands are located in 5 archipelagos: Society Archipelago, Tuamotu, Gambier, Marquesas Islands, Australian Islands
The islands of the Society Archipelago are the peaks of extinct volcanoes that erupted about 2 million years ago. These are high mountains covered with dense, lush vegetation and surrounded by crown-shaped lagoons. The main islands of the archipelago: Tahiti, Moorea, Bora Bora, Huahine.
The islands of the Tuamotu Archipelago predate the Society Islands. According to petwithsupplies, these are former volcanoes, the tops of which were gradually destroyed by rains, wind, in addition, over time, they sank deeper and deeper into the ocean, and now there is nothing left of the volcano above the water, except for a coral ring, inside of which there is a lagoon of unprecedented beauty. This archipelago is located 600 miles (about one hour flight from Papete) east of Tahiti and includes 80 atolls.
The Gambier archipelago is dedicated to the cultivation of black pearls and includes only 10 small, high mountainous islands. The Australian Islands consist of 5 islands, 160-230 km apart from each other. These islands are distinguished by a sharp mountainous relief and are surrounded by coral reefs.
The Marquesas Islands are 1500 km northeast of Tahiti (a four hour flight from Tahiti) and are known for their unspoiled, wild nature. The French artist Paul Gauguin and the Belgian chansonnier Jacques Brel lived here for a long time. There are still practically no five-star hotels that meet international standards. Nevertheless, even sophisticated travelers are surprised by the beauties of this archipelago that appear before them.
Many of the islands in French Polynesia are uninhabited. Two or three families often live on some of them, and special steamers bring food here once a month.
Tahiti and its islands are characterized by one feature: the joy of life of a smiling and hospitable people. And any traveler who has visited these places brings home a particle of this joy.
Bora Bora
The pearl of the Pacific Ocean, Bora Bora, so named due to its mother-of-pearl lagoon, is a mountain range with three peaks, the highest point of which Otemanu reaches 727 meters.
The rich nature of these places endowed the island with clear waters and created small islands around the main island, called motu. On one of these motus there is an airport, on others there are hotels.
The island has a lot of entertainment for all tastes: the
picturesque nature of the island of Bora Bora, the ancient temples of marae, mountains, all this can be seen while walking in a jeep. The tour of the island starts at the Vaitape pier. You are heading to the northern cape, to Faantui, the village where the tribal leaders lived. Many Polynesian mares have been preserved here. Further, the road passes through the ruins of a naval base built by the Americans during the war with the Japanese. The road, lined with coconut palms, leads to the southern point of the island and its amazing beauty of the beach and lagoon. Of course, the island can also be crossed by jeep along the former military road, where fragments of American military equipment are found. Riding in a jeep, on the steep slopes of the mountains in the middle of the rainforest, the sun and the singing of birds – all this is the island of Bora Bora.
The best way to discover the lagoon of this amazing island is during the “shark and ray feeding” excursion, as well as the “coral garden” excursion. The best way to learn about the customs of the island of Bora Bora and meet the locals is to go on a picnic to one of the motus, where they will tell you about plants, the way of cooking, where a charming Tahitian woman will teach you how to put on a pareo (women’s clothing, which is a rectangular piece of fabric ), and a local young tane (man) will teach you how to break a coconut, as they did before. You will also find unforgettable cuisine, fish dishes, breadfruit, pineapples, sweets, dances and songs.
For scuba diving enthusiasts, Tupitupiti is the best place to visit, as large sharks, tuna and barracuda are found in this place.
Of course, Bora Bora is the perfect place for a relaxing holiday. The hotels have white sand beaches and swimming pools. Headlights on the water create a feeling of peace, solitude, and a light splash of water complements it. In the evening you can enjoy the sunset on the terrace with family or friends, and in the morning a beautiful Tahitian woman will bring you breakfast by canoe.
Moorea
Moorea is 17 km from its sister Tahiti. You can cross this distance in 7 minutes by plane or 20 minutes by high-speed catamaran. As you approach, the peaks of Moorea loom between the blue of the ocean and the azure sky.
Moorea is a heart-shaped volcanic massif framed by turquoise waters. The highest mountain, Rotui, rises 900 meters above sea level between the majestic harbors of Cook and Opunohu.
Among the inhabitants of the island (12,000) there are many artists, jewelers, writers who came to Polynesia from different countries. The quality of hotels, white sand beaches, the richness of the coral bottom, the beauty of landscapes and the lagoon, the variety of water and land activities attract travelers from all over the world.
Many say that Tahiti is worth a visit to see the picturesque harbors of Moorea. The mountain slopes here are covered with pineapple plantations, and the white sand on the beach borders on crystal clear lagoons where you can swim with a dolphin.
Get to know Moorea by driving around the island in a jeep (60 km) or, if you like walking, climb one of its peaks. Your stay on Moorea will not be complete without a visit to the Polynesian Tiki village, where you can see how the locals used to live, have dinner and watch a fire dance performance. While relaxing, you can feed the sharks on the “shark feeding” excursion, and swim among these cute predators, who will already have eaten fish by then and will be kind to you. By the way, huge leopard stingrays swim at the bottom of the lagoon, very friendly for their size. And, of course, walk in a spacesuit along the seabed, this will give you another unforgettable experience.
Huahine
The delightful island of Hua Hine is 175 km away. northeast of Tahiti. Its outlines can be seen from about. Bora Bora.
Huahine consists of two islands connected by an isthmus and covered with lush vegetation. The lagoon, along which sandy beaches lie, is rich in underwater life. The small town of Fare, hidden in the shade of acacias and almond trees, is very reminiscent of the old colonial cities.
Manihi
Manihi is an atoll at the end of the world. The Manihi lagoon is smaller than Rangiroa, however, it is no less famous due to the abundance of all kinds of fish:
napoleons, perches, meru, manta rays, eagle rays, which live both near the reefs and in the center of the lagoon. Another extremely curious attraction of the atoll is black pearls and their production. A small catamaran will take you to a pearl farm where you will be told how a unique oyster, found only in the waters of Polynesia, produces the mysterious Tahiti black pearl. You will see with your own eyes how Polynesians open an oyster and take out pearls, worth from $1,000.
Rankoa
Rangiroa Atoll is known for one of the largest lagoons in the world. In Polynesian, Rangiroa means “vast sky”. The city of Moscow could fit entirely inside its lagoon. The coral ring is made up of 240 motus separated by small fordable channels. Two straits connect the lagoon to the ocean.
In Rangiroa, all entertainment is related to water: boat trips, scuba diving. Here frolic dolphins, strings of colorful fish, many rare birds. The pink sand, blue skies and azure waters of the lagoon mingle to inspire the imagination and bring relaxation. Rangiroa is one of the most fertile places for scuba diving. Both beginners and experienced divers will be surprised by the diversity and richness of the marine life of this lagoon. Napoleons, manta rays, gray sharks, sword sharks meet here, you will feel like a participant in an underwater festival.
