French Polynesia

French Polynesia, an overseas collectivity of France, is scattered across the South Pacific: 118 islands and atolls in five archipelagos. At its heart are the Society Islands. Tahiti holds the capital, Papeete, and Faa’a international airport, the main gateway. Beyond it lie Bora Bora, its turquoise lagoon wrapped around Mount Otemanu; Taha’a, the vanilla island, sharing a lagoon with Raiatea; and the private atoll of Tetiaroa. In the Tuamotu atolls — Tikehau with its pink-sand motu, and Rangiroa — divers meet manta rays and sharks, while the remote Marquesas call to the adventurous.

The overwater bungalow is a Polynesian icon, and life here revolves around the lagoons: snorkelling, outrigger canoes, picnics on a deserted motu. Polynesian culture is everywhere — in the ancient marae, tiare flowers, the dances of the Heiva festival and Tahitian black pearls. The cuisine blends French tradition with island flavours; try poisson cru, raw fish with lime and coconut milk.

Short domestic flights and boats link the islands, and many travellers combine two or three. It is warm all year: the drier, cooler season runs roughly from May to October, the warmer, wetter one roughly from November to April, and humpback whales usually visit from about July to November. French Polynesia suits honeymooners and couples above all, as well as divers and families wanting a lagoon holiday.