French Polynesia

French Polynesia is the postcard image of the South Pacific brought to life: impossibly blue lagoons, coral reefs, and volcanic peaks rising straight out of the water. Bora Bora's overwater bungalows and turquoise lagoon are the best known image, but Tahiti's black-sand beaches and Moorea's jagged mountains offer their own distinct character. Polynesian culture — dance, tattoo traditions, outrigger canoes — remains a living part of island life, not just a show for visitors. Spread across more than a hundred islands, it rewards those willing to island-hop.