The Society Islands, which include Tahiti, Moorea and Bora Bora, also include Taha’a, Raiatea and Huahine. Many Australia and New Zealand vacations combine stop overs in these exotic islands. Another popular option is to cruise the South Pacific Islands with Paul Gaugin Cruises. Last but not least is the option of a South Pacific vacation where you can stay in an over-the-water-bungalow.
The center of vanilla production for French Polynesia, flower-shaped Taha’a is known as the “Vanilla Island.” As the pods cure in the sun, their scent perfumes the air. Green peaks, palm-fringed beaches and lush valleys contour the island; beyond the lagoons, views of nearby Raiatea and more distant Bora Bora frame the horizon. Here you’ll find family-owned pearl farms, vanilla plantations and an annual Stone Fishing tournament that uses methods employed for centuries.
Sharing a barrier reef and a string of picturesque motu – tiny islands – Taha’a and Raiatea are located about 120 miles northwest of Tahiti. Raiatea, the “Sacred Island” and the second largest of the Society Islands, was once a hub of culture and religion. Island kings gathered at the marae (temple) Taputapuatea for meetings and rituals, and today the temple is the best preserved and most sacred in Polynesia. Raiatea’s Mt. Temehani is home of the Tiare Apetahi, a flower that grows only here, and the island’s Faaroa River is the only navigable river in Polynesia.
Huahine, known as the “Garden of Eden,” is actually a pair of islands joined by a bridge and surrounded by a deep, crystal-clear lagoon. In a handful of villages, farm families pursue a life that is little changed by the modern world, growing vanilla, melons and bananas, and displaying fresh-caught fish in the village of Fare. A road wends its way through the island for 20 miles, offering access to villages, restored ancient royal sites and panoramic views. The world’s largest and longest international open-ocean canoe race, the Hawaiki Nui Va’a, challenges the 77 miles of open water between Huahine and Bora Bora.
Rangiroa, Manihi, Tikehau and Fakarava are part of the Tuamotu Archipelago. Rangiroa is known as “The Infinite Lagoon” for its 240 motu surrounding a lagoon of depthless blue. It is a world-famous dive destination, with 150-foot visibility and a natural coral pass that is alive with sharks, tuna, barracuda, dolphins, turtles and manta rays. The turquoise lagoon is home to one of the largest pearl farms of French Polynesia and exceptionally beautiful pearls.
Manihi, “The Pearl Island,” was the location of Tahiti’s first black pearl farm. With the lagoons’ ideal temperature, salinity, light and climate, Manihi is a major supplier in the cultivated pearl industry. Fewer than 800 residents live on the island, where cars are rare, homes sit in the shade of hibiscus, bougainvillea and frangipani, and coral paths wind between romantic vistas. The secluded “Pink Sand Island,” Tikehau, was declared by Cousteau researchers to have the highest concentration of fish among any Tuamotu atolls. Fringed with pink and white sand beaches, Tikehau is an extremely beautiful and rewarding destination for birdwatchers, who seek the colonies of red-footed gannets that reside on the “Isle of Birds” motu. Fakarava, “The Dream Island,” was once the capital of the Tuamotu region and only recently has added resort accommodations to welcome international visitors. This is an island of traditional villages, abundant birds, plants and crustaceans, and pristine dive sites. Fakarava and its surrounding atolls are designated as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve for the preservation of rare species.
Sometimes called “The Mysterious Islands,” the Marquesas are located about 930 miles northeast 
of Tahiti. The 12 islands, six inhabited, are characterized by cloud-topped mountains, dense jungles, sheer volcanic cliffs and waterfalls that plunge more than a thousand feet into deep pools. Paul Gauguin brought the world’s attention to the Marquesan island of Hiva Oa. Wild and majestic, it’s home to enormous stone tiki, ancient petroglyphs and the Paul Gauguin Cultural Center. Contemporary Marquesan artists, whose studios welcome visitors, are known for their exquisite carving of traditional designs into local woods.
With their leisurely pace, exquisite environment, quality accommodations and welcoming inhabitants, Tahiti’s hidden islands are truly one of the world’s least-discovered wonders
