Society Islands
Tahiti and the Society Islands are the heart of French Polynesia - lush, volcanic jewels set in crystal-clear lagoons. Home to world-famous islands like Bora Bora, Moorea, Huahine, Raiatea, and Taha’a, they offer a perfect blend of natural beauty, Polynesian culture, and laid-back charm.
Think palm-fringed beaches, reef-fringed motus, sacred marae, and warm smiles. Whether you're snorkelling in a turquoise lagoon or watching the sun set over emerald peaks, the Society Islands promise a timeless island escape.
Tahiti
The gateway to French Polynesia, Tahiti is more than a stopover—it’s a vibrant island of contrasts. Papeete, the capital, hums with markets, food trucks, and cultural life, while the island’s interior reveals waterfalls, volcanic peaks, and lush valleys.
Black-sand beaches fringe the coast, and surfers flock to legendary Teahupo’o. Cultural sites, museums, and artisan crafts give insight into modern and ancient Polynesian life. Stay a few nights to explore its natural beauty, warm hospitality, and the pulse of Polynesia itself.
Moorea
Just a short ferry ride from Tahiti, Moorea enchants with its dramatic peaks, sapphire lagoons, and lush valleys. The island offers a relaxed, authentic atmosphere with excellent snorkelling, whale watching (in season), and hiking trails to stunning lookouts like Belvedere.
Visitors can swim with rays and reef sharks, visit pineapple plantations, or paddle to quiet motus. Moorea’s mix of accessibility, natural beauty, and genuine Polynesian charm makes it ideal for families, couples, and adventure seekers alike.
Bora Bora
Bora Bora is French Polynesia’s most iconic destination, famed for its impossibly blue lagoon, soaring Mount Otemanu, and overwater bungalows. A haven for romance and luxury, it’s also a paradise for snorkellers and divers, with manta rays, coral gardens, and shark-filled passes.
Guests can enjoy private beach picnics, sunset cruises, or scenic flights. Though known for high-end resorts, Bora Bora also offers authentic excursions and vibrant local culture. A dream island where every view feels like a postcard.
Huahine
Often called “The Garden Island,” Huahine offers a quieter, more traditional Polynesian experience. With lush rainforests, ancient marae (temples), and sleepy villages, it’s ideal for travellers seeking authenticity and nature.
The island is actually two connected islands—Huahine Nui and Huahine Iti—fringed by a beautiful lagoon perfect for snorkelling, paddleboarding, and exploring by boat.
Local highlights include vanilla farms, archaeological sites, and the sacred blue-eyed eels of Faie. Huahine feels untouched, welcoming, and deeply connected to its past.
Raiatea
Raiatea is considered the spiritual heart of Polynesia and home to the revered Taputapuātea marae, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Less visited than neighbouring islands, it offers a rich mix of history, culture, and natural beauty.
Sailors love its protected lagoon and marina, while hikers enjoy treks through rainforest to waterfalls and Mount Temehani. Raiatea shares its lagoon with sister island Taha’a, making it a great base for lagoon tours. It’s a destination for curious travellers seeking depth and serenity.
Taha’a
Known as the “Vanilla Island,” Taha’a is fragrant, peaceful, and deeply traditional. Life moves slowly here, with family-run vanilla plantations, pearl farms, and tranquil motus set in a shimmering lagoon.
Snorkellers adore the Coral Garden drift site, and boat excursions offer gentle lagoon exploration. Taha’a shares its reef with Raiatea but feels worlds apart in pace and style.
With a handful of boutique resorts and exceptional lagoon views, it’s a perfect retreat for those seeking romance, relaxation, and authenticity.
Tuamotu Archipelago
The Tuamotu Archipelago is a breathtaking necklace of coral atolls scattered across the vast Pacific. Known for their translucent lagoons, rich marine life, and quiet remoteness, these islands offer a different rhythm—untouched, slow, and soul-soothing.
Famed among divers for their drift dives and shark-filled passes, the Tuamotus also charm with pink-sand beaches, pearl farms, and intimate guesthouses. This is barefoot luxury at its most authentic—where nature is vivid, the sea is endless, and peace is profound.
Rangiroa
The largest atoll in French Polynesia and one of the world’s biggest, Rangiroa is a haven for ocean lovers. Divers flock here for exhilarating drift dives through Tiputa and Avatoru passes, where dolphins, reef sharks, manta rays, and hammerheads often make an appearance.
The inner lagoon feels like an inland sea, perfect for snorkelling, kayaking, and even vineyard visits. With its relaxed pace and authentic pensions, Rangiroa offers adventure, romance, and connection with nature in equal measure.
Fakarava
A UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, Fakarava is revered for its pristine ecology, flourishing coral reefs, and unforgettable shark encounters. Its famous North and South Passes (Garuae and Tumakohua) offer some of the world’s most thrilling drift dives, where hundreds of reef sharks cruise through nutrient-rich waters.
Off the reef, the island is tranquil and deeply traditional, with sleepy villages, pink-sand motus, and welcoming guesthouses. Fakarava is a true diver’s paradise with raw natural beauty and quiet cultural charm.
Tikehau
Tikehau is a vision of pink and white sands circling a serene turquoise lagoon, often called one of the most beautiful atolls in the Pacific. The diving here is gentler than its neighbours, with colourful reef fish, manta rays, and coral gardens perfect for beginners and photographers.
Its peaceful vibe makes it a favourite for couples and nature lovers. Stay in a thatched bungalow, bike to a pearl farm, or snorkel from your doorstep into shimmering paradise.
Manihi
Once the cradle of the Tahitian black pearl industry, Manihi remains one of the Tuamotus’ hidden gems. The lagoon is rich with coral and fish life, ideal for snorkelling, paddleboarding, and discovering pearl farms.
Unlike the busier atolls, Manihi is delightfully low-key—perfect for those seeking total seclusion, authenticity, and a deep connection to lagoon life. With only a handful of guesthouses and few tourists, it feels like a world apart—gentle, unhurried, and wholly Polynesian.
Marquesas Islands
Remote, rugged, and richly storied, the Marquesas Islands lie over 1,400km northeast of Tahiti and offer a striking contrast to the reef-fringed lagoons of the rest of French Polynesia.
Towering volcanic peaks rise from wild coastlines, ancient tikis guard sacred valleys, and traditional life flourishes in small, welcoming villages. With no protective barrier reefs, the sea here is dramatic, diving is bold, and culture runs deep.
The Marquesas are French Polynesia at its most raw, untamed, and profoundly moving.
Nuku Hiva
The largest of the Marquesas, Nuku Hiva is a land of dramatic peaks, plunging waterfalls, and lush valleys steeped in legend. Visit sacred archaeological sites in Taipivai Valley, take a 4WD tour along cliffside roads, or hike to Vaipo Falls - the tallest in French Polynesia.
The port town of Taiohae offers a laid-back base with artisan markets and a striking cathedral. With its blend of culture, scenery, and wild coastal beauty, Nuku Hiva is the ultimate Marquesan introduction.
Hiva Oa
Known as the "Garden of the Marquesas," Hiva Oa is both a cultural heartland and final resting place of artist Paul Gauguin and singer Jacques Brel. The island’s rainforests shelter ancient petroglyphs and giant stone tikis at Puamau and Lipona.
In Atuona, visitors can explore small museums, colonial churches, and hillside cemeteries with panoramic views. Quiet, soulful, and lush with vegetation, Hiva Oa is a place where creativity and spiritual depth thrive amid stunning landscapes.
Ua Pou
Ua Pou captivates with its signature basalt spires, rising like cathedral towers from the centre of the island. This is a deeply traditional island, where villagers still gather for dances, festivals, and carving ceremonies.
Hike through high mountain trails, visit artisan workshops, or relax on secluded black-sand beaches. Ua Pou is less visited than Nuku Hiva or Hiva Oa, offering a more intimate experience that balances natural drama with a strong sense of cultural identity.
Ua Huka
Windswept and arid, Ua Huka is a land of wild horses, deep valleys, and rugged coastlines. It’s known for its botanical garden, archaeological sites, and artisan wood carving traditions.
Birdwatchers will enjoy the island’s rich avifauna, while adventurers can explore its volcanic landscapes by 4WD or on horseback.
Fewer visitors make it here, adding to its allure for those seeking authenticity and solitude. Ua Huka is a living museum of Polynesian heritage and natural resilience.
Austral & Gambier Islands
Austral Islands
Far south of Tahiti, the Austral Islands are cool, green, and steeped in tradition.
These untouched islands offer dramatic cliffs, ancient marae, and peaceful villages surrounded by whales in season.
Ideal for nature lovers and cultural explorers, the Australs feel like stepping back in time to Polynesia before tourism.
Rurutu
Rurutu is the Austral Islands’ best-known gem—lush, welcoming, and famous for whale watching. From July to October, humpback whales gather close to shore, making this one of the South Pacific’s best places to swim with them.
Inland, Rurutu offers limestone caves, ancient marae, and verdant hills ideal for walking or cycling. Its peaceful villages, traditional arts, and authentic atmosphere create a strong connection with everyday Polynesian life.
Rurutu is a magical mix of nature, culture, and raw island beauty far from the mainstream.
Tubuai
Tubuai is the largest of the Austral Islands, ringed by a broad lagoon and colourful reef. Its cooler climate supports farms and fruit orchards, while inland trails lead to volcanic peaks and dramatic views.
Historically significant as the site of a failed Bounty mutineer settlement, today it’s quiet, rural, and unspoiled. Tubuai offers a fascinating mix of Polynesian and European heritage, striking landscapes, and genuine hospitality.
With few tourists, it’s a haven for walkers, cyclists, and travellers drawn to less-trodden paths.
Gambier Islands
Remote and spiritual, the Gambier Islands rise from a vast lagoon fringed by pearl farms and coral islets.
Home to Rikitea and the historic Saint Michael’s Cathedral, this archipelago blends religious history with natural splendour.
With few visitors and deep cultural roots, the Gambiers are a serene frontier of French Polynesia.
Mangareva
Mangareva is the main island of the Gambier group and home to the village of Rikitea, once the spiritual capital of French Polynesia. Towering above a vast emerald lagoon, Mangareva blends dramatic volcanic scenery with sacred history.
Visitors can explore the impressive Saint Michael’s Cathedral, wander through mission ruins, and hike to panoramic viewpoints over the motus.
This is also the centre of Tahitian black pearl production, with opportunities to visit pearl farms. Isolated and spiritual, Mangareva is a place for reflection, discovery, and immersion in local tradition.
