Made famous by the American soldiers during World War II who returned home with stories of its beauty, Bora Bora has been a dream destination for nearly a century. Over the years, the wild mountain island and its blue lagoon has filled up with luxury resorts and overwater bungalows, attracting the majority of tourists in French Polynesia. The sight of Bora Bora as you approach from the water is jaw-dropping, but the island’s crowds can also make it less than ideal for wildlife encounters, as sea creatures like the giant manta rays tend to be more wary of people around the busier islands.
Fortunately, French Polynesia is made up of over a hundred islands, all equally as stunning and just begging for exploration. You can find luxurious resorts and villa stays on just about every island, plus plenty of adventure and wildlife. Here are some of the best remote islands in Tahiti where you can get away from the crowds and experience the wild side of the South Pacific.
1/6 Raiatea
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Although it’s the second most populated island in French Polynesia, Raiatea is one of the most underrated. Home to wonders like lush mountains with rare flowers and almost daily rainbows, Raiatea is a sacred island and considered the cradle of Polynesian culture. With a tour guide from Polynesian Escape, a visit to Raiatea is an opportunity to learn about and be mesmerized by stories of the ancient Polynesians who navigated the vast ocean using nothing but the stars and traveled as far away as Hawaii and New Zealand in canoes.
In addition to learning about the island’s history and Polynesian culture, there are also towering waterfalls to hike to and translucent snorkeling and dive spots out in the lagoon. One of Raiatea’s most mysterious attractions is the Tiare apetahi, a rare white flower that only grows on Raiatea and has not been successfully planted anywhere else in the world. The flower is endangered and fiercely protected and the hike to see it is often difficult, even for experienced hikers. So if you want to catch a glimpse of the petals, make sure you’re in shape and traveling with a guide.
2/6 Tikehau
The Tuamotu Islands are just a short flight from the main island of Tahiti, but they are totally off the grid. With calm bays and white sand beaches, life on an atoll is peaceful and serene — especially on the island of Tikehau. For families looking for room to stretch out, consider spending some time in one of the coral bungalows at Ninamu Resort, a rustic private island resort with only 10 bungalows. Here, you’ll wake up to the gentle lapping of the waves and can spend the day snorkeling on what will essentially be your own private beach, since the island has so few visitors.
If that sounds nice, but you hate the idea of going too long without a rush of adrenaline, make sure you book a tour of the islands with Denis Grosmaire of Tikehau Ocean Tour. In addition to boating around on the island and swimming with manta rays, dolphins and barracuda, you can also go swimming with tiger sharks — without a cage. With over 15 years of diving experience, Grosmaire and his trained guides will help you gather the confidence to jump into shark-inhabited waters and get a closer look at these commonly misunderstood creatures.
3/6 Huahine
Adrian Doza
Although it’s just a 40-minute flight from the main island of Tahiti, Huahine feels like a secret far-flung paradise. In fact, it’s so under the radar that it’s often called the Secret Isle. Its other nickname is the Garden Isle, due to its resemblance to the Garden of Eden, with its lush vanilla plantations and banana fields. As you travel around Huahine, which is actually made up of two islands — the larger Huahine Nui and the smaller Huahine Iti — you’ll probably see more coconut trees than people since a mere 5,000 people live here.
On a tour of Huahine, you’ll see ancient marae (temples), some of which date to around 700 AD, when the original Tahitians came to this island. Another highlight is Lake Fauna Nui, which is still home to sacred ancient stone fish traps. And then there are the sacred blue-eyed eels that live here. Feeling brave? You can stand in the water and enjoy these fascinating, slithery creatures up close. Beyond its rich history, Huahine is known for its surfing waves, beautiful beaches and excellent snorkeling. Beauty and history — it’s the ultimate combination.
4/6 Rurutu
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Unlike many other islands in French Polynesia, there is no lagoon on Rurutu and nothing in the way of luxury resorts. Instead, the island has a fringing reef that hugs the shoreline and steep cliffs that drop off into a wild ocean. This, in addition to its remote location as the northernmost outpost of the Austral Islands, makes Rurutu the prime destination for spotting humpback whales in French Polynesia. When not looking for whales, visitors should venture deeper into the island to see its famous caves, which were once occupied by the ancient Polynesians and have been decorated with coral and shells.
With just three small villages on the island, a visit to Rurutu is a chance to get acquainted with the local island life. The villages are colorful and it’s easy to find people selling everything from fresh grapefruit to roasted coffee beans. Although there aren’t any luxury accommodations, there are a number of lovely guesthouses on the island with rooms and grounds suitable for families.
5/6 Rangiroa
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With the second largest atoll in the world, Rangiroa’s lagoon is so large that the entire island of Tahiti — the largest in French Polynesia — could fit inside. This secluded atoll is a paradise of boundless horizons and home to some of the best snorkeling and diving sites in all of French Polynesia, such as the Blue Lagoon, which is sometimes called “the Aquarium” due to all the fish there. French Polynesia is technically a part of France, so don’t miss a chance to try the wine from the tropical vineyards at Domaine Ampeelidacees.
If you like the secludedness of Rangiroa, but don’t want to give away an inch on your luxurious Tahitian vacation, the Hotel Kia Ora offers a variety of stylish beach bungalows, villas and family suites. The hotel also runs regular excursions to the pink sand beaches or to go drift snorkeling through the Tiputa Pass.
6/6 Hiva Oa
The largest island in the Southern Marquesas island chain, Hiva Oa is considered one of the most beautiful in all of French Polynesia and locals once believed that the island was “the birthplace of the gods.” It was here where the French painter Paul Gauguin found most of his inspiration in Hiva Oa’s black sand beaches and lush mountains. This is also a great spot to seek out some of the island’s unique tiki statues like Taka’o’a, the largest in French Polynesia, and the Smiling Tiki, the cutest in French Polynesia.
Despite being one of the more populated islands in the Marquesas, life on Hiva Oa is still pretty remote, and there are just a handful of guesthouses and one main hotel. You can spend your days hiking to totally empty beaches or even take a short boat ride out to Tahuata, the smallest island in the Marquesas, to walk the royal road of Hapatoni or enjoy the long sandy beach on Hanamoenoa Bay.
By Jamie Ditaranto