I travelled to French Polynesia in November 2024 as part of a 33 day cruise to the South Pacific. To say it was the trip of a lifetime is an understatement! Taking in Tahiti, Moorea, Raiatea and Tahaa, these beautiful tropical islands each captured my heart in different ways.
Tahiti
The capital of French Polynesia Papeete is on the island of Tahiti. It is a bustling town full of colour and personality nestled at the feet of the surrounding volcanic mountains. Packed with street art and Polynesian cultural artifacts, it is an engaging place to wander around and soak up the atmosphere.
I took a small group 4WD tour into the Papenoo Valley. Vertiginous waterfalls and lush green volcanic mountains adorn this landscape and it is well worth a visit.
Moorea
Moorea is one of the Windward Islands and taking a tour of the island was a great way to immerse myself in the incredible landscapes and history. Visiting a pineapple plantation and tasting the fresh fruit was a highlight, as was meeting the eels in a nearby stream. Eels are sacred in Tahitian culture as they are believed to be the protectors of the island’s natural resources.
Raiatea and Tahaa
Raiatea and Tahaa are sister islands that share the same lagoon. Tahaa is known as the ‘Vanilla Island’ and my small group tour took us to a vanilla plantation to learn all about how they grow and dry the vanilla to be sent all over the world.
Black pearls, also known as Tahitian pearls, are abundant here: there are plenty of places to purchase black pearl jewellery of all kinds especially in Papeete (make sure to shop around and compare prices and quality). A trip to a local pearl farm on Tahaa was a fascinating experience.
Our tour leader also provided us with a welcome snack in the form of a tropical fruit bowl featuring grated coconut, banana, papaya and pineapple: if fruit tasted this good back home I would eat a lot more of it! The flavours were incredible.
The best was saved till last with a boat trip into the lagoon and an opportunity to swim in the crystal-clear blue waters, with the backdrop of a real-life tiny desert island.
When people talk about paradise I cannot imagine anywhere that fits this description better than French Polynesia.
