French Polynesia, a self-governing territory of France, consists of 115 islands and atolls east of the Cook Islands. The best known of the islands is Tahiti, called the "Isle of Love" by the Europeans.

French Polynesia consists of the islands of Tahiti, the Tuamotu Archipelago, and the Marquesas Islands. Tahiti, the largest island, is covered with verdant mountains rising to jagged peaks. The slopes descend into deep valleys blanketed with rainforests and soft ferns. A flat coastal area is found on the northeast part of the island. Other islands associated with Tahiti include Moorea, Bora Bora, Raiatea, Huahine, and Tahaa.

The Marquesas Islands are the first sight viewed by yacht captains sailing from the Galapagos. The chain consists of six inhabited islands and six smaller unpopulated isles. The main islands are Nuku Hiva, Hiva Oa, Ua Huka, and Fatu Hiva.

Papeete is a bustling South Seas port where ancient Polynesian culture clashes with French-inspired modernization, but a traditional Polynesian lifestyle is still practiced on many of the outlying islands. Most French Polynesians are a mixture of native Polynesian, French, British, Chinese, and American. French is the official language, but Tahitian is widely spoken. English is spoken at most hotels. Hospitality is an important Tahitian tradition, and leaving a gratuity is considered insulting.

The islands of Tahiti, Moorea, and Bora Bora have an extensive tourism infrastructure. The most popular accommodations in the Tahitian Islands are fares (pronounced fah-rays), thatched bungalows designed in traditional Polynesian style.

Tahiti is encircled by a scenic route that winds between the mountains and the sea. An interior road leads past dairy farms and citrus groves to a panoramic view of the Plateau of Taravao, an isthmus that connects the main island, called Tahiti Nui, to a small peninsula, called Tahiti Iti.

At Papeari, the Gaugin Museum is situated on a scenic bay, next to the Botanical Gardens. The museum is devoted to the life and work of the French painter Paul Gaugin, who, for eighteen months, lived in the nearby village of Mataiea.

At Point Venus, where Captain Cook observed the transit of the planet Venus, are found wax figures of Captain Cook, William Bligh, and other explorers. The Museum of Tahiti is situated by the beach near Paea and has an interesting collection of Polynesian flora, artifacts, paintings, and sculpture.

Moorea, a five-minute flight from Tahiti, offers visitors a more leisurely pace, with splendid white sand beaches and a selection of tranquil resorts catering to travelers of diverse nationalities. On a clear day, the island's volcanic peaks are reflected in the still waters of Cook's Bay and Opunohu Bay. Ferries depart hourly from Papeete for the hour-long crossing to Moorea.

The most popular destination in French Polynesia is Bora Bora, which novelist James Michener called "the most beautiful island on earth." The island is surrounded by a barrier reef, which forms a white ring at the edges of the lagoon where the sea breaks over the coral. The water inside the lagoon is a resilient turquoise color. The island itself rises up from the Pacific in craggy spires. Blanketed with purple rainforests, the slopes descend to a flat perimeter populated by groves of coconut palms. Patches of white beach fringe the island, where the lagoon waters lap gently at the sand.

Airplanes land on an outlying coral outcrop, or motu, using a landing strip built by the U.S. Marine Corps during World War II. From there, passengers are transported by ferry to the main island, making a leisurely journey across the azure lagoon, revealing various awesome views of the pearl of all islands.

Raiatea and Huahine are tranquil islands where a handful of luxury resorts create a contrast with ancient Polynesian traditions. Raitaea, the second largest island in French Polynesia, is situated 120 miles northwest of Tahiti. To the ancient Tahitians, Raiatea was known as Havai'i, the Sacred Isle and the center of royalty, religion, culture, history, and heraldry. Enclosed within the same barrier reef as Raiatea is the small island of Tahaa, the "vanilla island," whose 4,000 residents live a tranquil, isolated existence based on fishing and farming.

Huahine is actually two islands connected by a narrow isthmus. An unimproved road winds around both islands, passing through small villages where the 4,480 inhabitants live in colorful, modest houses. The lagoon, bordered by white sand beaches, is rich with marine life, and Maeva Village is a wealth of archaeological sites.

In the Tuamotus, tourism facilities are found on Rangiroa and Manihi. Rangiroa, which means "treacherous pass" in Polynesian, is technically not an island, but a circular strand of coral that forms one of the world's largest atolls. The lagoon is filled with exotic marine life. The channels are inhabited by ravenous reef sharks, for which the island receives its name.

The Marquesas are spectacular islands with craggy mountains and lush rainforests, where tourism is limited. The Gambiers are composed of several islands, the largest of which is Mangareva. The islands are best known as the site of nuclear tests conducted by the French government.