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Ra'iatea & Taha'a

Lonely Planet's Best in Travel 2025

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Tourists riding high speed jet boat in a stunning azure blue turquoise lagoon, green emerald island in back. Raiatea, Leeward Islands, Society Islands, French Polynesia, Oceania, South Pacific Ocean.

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Overview

Ra’iatea and Taha’a are encircled by a common lagoon, but the two islands couldn't be more different. Ra’iatea is high, imposing and fiercely independent, has the second biggest town in French Polynesia after Pape’ete and is considered by many to be the spiritual seat of the Polynesian Triangle. Taha’a, on the other hand, has graceful low hills, is famous for its sweet-scented vanilla and is arguably the quietest of the Society Islands. Both islands are ideal places to explore a mysterious and wild-feeling Polynesia.

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