Paul Gauguin came to French Polynesia, and so did the likes of James Michener and Herman Melville among others. It’s easy to see why: the beauty of the islands of French Polynesia with their green-clad mountains, blue lagoons, rainforests and waterfalls and their Polynesian-and-French-accented-ambiance and joie de vivre lure one and all.
My husband Humberto and I have been lured more than a half dozen times, the latest aboard the current 2026 Regent Seven Seas Mariner World Cruise that called at six idyllic French Polynesian isles: Bora Bora, Moorea, Rangiroa, Raiatea, Huahine and Tahiti.
Tahiti
I will begin with Tahiti, where we received a lovely port welcome: a local band entertained by the gangway and ladies in colorful costumes gave each of us a fragrant Tiare flower as we disembarked in its port of Papeete. I will list some of our favorite highlights on the other islands.
Shaped like a figure eight lying on its side, like a swimmer floating on a mat in the water, Tahiti is the largest island in French Polynesia (651 square miles), and it has two main roundish portions – the bigger, westernmost one is Tahiti Nui, where Papeete is located, and the smaller, easternmost one is the more rural Tahiti Iti. The narrow Isthmus of Taravao connects the two portions. The island’s highest peaks, Mount Orohena (elevation: 7,334 feet) and Mount Aorai (6,738 feet) can be seen from downtown Papeete and are an invitation to mountain climbers. A third peak, Diademe (4,291 feet), looks like a huge crown–diadem means tiara in French–and can best be seen from the eastern town of Pirae. Tahiti accounts for most of the landmass of French Polynesia has about 189,000 residents or approximately two-thirds of the islands’ population.
Papeete
Papeete is more cosmopolitan and bustling than other French Polynesian ports. It must have been the place Oscar Hammerstein II was thinking of when he wrote the lyrics for “Some Enchanted Evening” (for the 1949 Broadway show and 1958 film “South Pacific” based on James Michener’s novel “Tales of the South Pacific”): “Some enchanted evening, you may see a stranger…across a crowded room.”
Another Papeete characteristic: it has more French ambiance than other Society Islands such as Bora Bora and Moorea. The cruise pier is alongside a waterfront promenade that recalls the French Riviera with views of luxury yachts and bobbing sailboats, and it is fun to people-watch from a café while enjoying a coffee or local Hinano beer. The promenade has chic boutiques selling French imports including wines and perfumes. Centre Vaima on Boulevard Pomare, within walking distance of the pier, is a four-level mall filled with shops and a Pearl Museum.
A must-see, Le Marché Municipale (municipal market) is within walking distance of the cruise pier and affords a big dose of local Polynesian color. Located one block from Boulevard Pomare, between rue du 22 Septembre and rue François Cardella, this huge market covers 75,350 square feet. Flowers, including the sweet-smelling Tiare Tahiti; black pearls; carvings; shells; coffee; produce, including traditional vegetables like taro and breadfruit; meats and baked goods are among the offerings. Le Marché is closed after 9 a.m. on Sundays, we found during our call.
Also within walking distance of the port is the Cathedral of Notre-Dame de Papeete. Consecrated in 1875 and restored in the 20th century, it is a Gothic-style Roman Catholic cathedral located on the Place Notre Dame, on rue Jeanne d’Arc and Av. du Général de Gaulle. It boasts a blend of modern and ancient images decorating its windows, reportedly has survived a tidal wave in 1906, a bombing of the city by the Germans in 1914, a cyclone in 1983 and riots in 1987. It has lovely stained glass and a beautiful wood carving of the Madonna and Child near the entrance. Sadly, due to a homelessness problem, the cathedral is now open only when Mass or events like weddings and baptisms are held.
Cultural attractions include the Museum of Tahiti and Her Islands, located in Puna’auia, nine miles west of Papeete, set in a coconut grove next to a lagoon with views of Moorea, and displaying historical and cultural exhibits. Other historical/cultural options include the Arahurahu Marae, a restored Polynesian temple that is maintained like a museum in Paea, 14 miles west of Papeete; and King Pomare V’s tomb (last king of Tahiti, who abdicated to the French in 1880) on Point Outuaiai in Arue.
The James Norman Hall house is a replica of the home overlooking Matavai Bay of the author of such novels as Mutiny on the Bounty, Pitcairn’s Island, and Hurricane (all written along with Charles Nordhoff). The house, in Arue, about three miles east of Papeete, has Hall’s typewriter, original manuscripts and photographs. This was a stop on our “East Coast Highlights” ship tour as was Point Venus, where Captain Cook observed the transit of Venus for longitudinal studies in 1769. It has a 110-foot-tall 19th century lighthouse.
For a beach break we enjoyed a day pass one year on a previous world cruise at the InterContinental Tahiti, a short cab ride from the pier. The hotel has beautiful, landscaped grounds, beach with crystalline waters, pool and iconic overwater bungalows.
Bora Bora
During past visits to Bora Bora and Moorea, we spent our time at overwater bungalows–memorable, amazing experiences on little thatched houses visited by rainbow-colored fish. So this time we took the included island tours. The Bora Bora by Le Truck took us past resorts for views of the spectacular Bora Bora lagoon with waters the color of Tiffany gift boxes and to lookout points for postcard-worthy views of jaggedly lush Mount Otemanu, Bora Bora’s highest volcanic peak rising to 2,385 ft. We also took in coastal defense sites left behind by the U.S. after World War II, a local market with colorful pareos and other souvenirs, and Matira Point, home to a stunning stretch of public beach.
Moorea
Like Bora Bora, stunningly lovely Moorea was another anticipated highlight for us. At this heart-shaped beauty we took the included island tour, highlighted by a stop at the Belvedere Lookout with breathtaking views of Cook’s Bay, where Seven Seas Mariner awaited, and impressive Mt. Rotui (elevation 2,949 feet).
Other sights included fields of pineapples ripening in the sun, an ancient stone marae, and the gorgeous overwater bungalows of the Sofitel Resort. A stop in the Tiki Village Cultural Center with a replica of the thatched home of Paul Gauguin’s in the Marquesas offered views of a beautiful beach with shallow waters so clear we could spot a ray and a shark a distance from the shore.
Raiatea
In Raiatea, we had an unexpected delight: a tour via Le Truck took us to see the sacred marae from which the Polynesian expansion to other islands originated, and to take in views of green mountains and lush vegetation–these were all expected features, but they also came with a surprise: our guide, Tihoti. A native of Raiatea, Tihoti, who has every inch of his body adorned with tattoos, wore a traditional headdress and a lei adorned with crab legs and he came barefoot, armed with a beautiful carved wood pu (traditional wind instrument) and another pu which was a beautiful conch shell. He would blow these instruments to alert us that it was time to proceed to another point in the excursion. He taught us Polynesian words, like iorana that means “hello,” “good day,” “goodbye,” and “I wish you a long life in peace” and he shared wisdom. “Look at nature;” he urged, “enjoy nature, colors, trees, flowers.” People, especially young people, he lamented, were always on their phones or computers and missed a lot in life. How true.
Tihoti has joined the list of memorable people we have so far met on this world cruise, along with the daring divers of La Quebrada in Acapulco and the fire eater on our Luau in Kauai.
In the other islands of French Polynesia on our itinerary, complimentary ship tours included in Rangiroa a visit to a black pearl farm to learn about this coveted souvenir from this part of the world, and in Huahine, snorkeling programs.
Some quick superlatives:
- Most delightful: The Papeete port welcome by a local band and the amazing folkloric show on board the ship by local troupe O Tahie.
- Most delicious: The suckling pig of the cookout on the ship’s pool deck and exotic tropical fruits like dragon fruit during our evening in Bora Bora.
- Most creative: The Polynesian craft sessions on board including making kukui nut leis.
Follow along with Georgina and Humberto:
Preparing for a World Cruise | The Adventure Begins | Amazing Americas | Crossing the Pacific | Hawaiian Islands | French Polynesia | Venturing to New Zealand | Australia | Bali
By Cruise Specialists client, Georgina Cruz
Georgina Cruz is a freelance travel writer specializing in cruises. Her work has appeared in national magazines and regional publications as well as on travel websites. She has been on more than 200 voyages including seven circumnavigations, all booked through Cruise Specialists.
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