French Polynesia

During the annual Heiva festival in July, the whole country goes full tilt: the best dancers compete in decadent competitions wearing little more than palm fronds while they wiggle their hips at warp speed; outrigger-canoe racing ignites the lagoons; and traditional sports such as coconut husking go pro. This is the best time to experience the gentle, unpretentiously sophisticated Polynesian culture at its fieriest. The festival takes place on other islands including Bora Bora. If you arrive in June, you'll find dancers practising in nearly every village.

French Polynesia's warm, tropical waters hold some of the greatest varieties of sea life in the South Pacific and you can find most of them in one spot at Tiputa Pass in Rangiroa. Mingle with grey reef sharks, manta rays, dolphins and sharks alongside loads of reef species including stingrays, jacks and clouds of butterfly fish. The lagoon also caters to snorkellers, with some of the clearest waters in the world and healthy coral gardens.

Best explored by boat, this watery landscape holds empty white- and pink-sand beaches, sea-bird nesting grounds and some of the best spots in the world to dive in with a mask and snorkel. Atolls are basically lagoons without the island and Tikehau is arguably the prettiest one in the country, with its scalloped bays and thriving pass. What little land mass there is peeks up only several metres above the surface and encircles lagoons so blue and thriving that high-island lagoons look meek in comparison.

As the plane begins to descend, a magical scene comes into view: a perfect Morse-code ring of motu (small islets), mop-topped with palms, separating the indigo of the ocean from the crisp palette of lagoon blues. Bora Bora is a hot favourite for honeymooners – but we feel certain you didn’t come all this way just to crack open a bottle of champagne. Get in that water via mask, fin and snorkel, on a SUP, with a scuba tank or even just splashing around on a beach.

Take an island with high mountains and 90-degree cliffs, douse it with tropical rainfall and give it a few million years to erode into magnificent forms – and what do you get? Waterfalls. Lots of them. You could walk up any river in Tahiti and find myriad cascades, but you’re best sticking with known trails or going with a guide. Try the trodden (though near-empty) paths to Papenoo, Fautaua or take a boat ride to Tahiti Iti's Fenua Aihere for falls right on the coast.

The fearsome wave at Teahupoo may be beyond many surfers’ level, but watching the pros tackle it during the Billabong Pro is one of the greatest live sporting events you may ever get to see. But here are plenty of other spots for the less warrior-like to surf: with warm water and swell from all directions beginners can paddle out to shore breaks, while more advanced surfers will be spoiled with hollow reef waves year-round. There are secret spots everywhere if you’re willing to look.

Mo’orea is a tropical-island cliché brought to life. If you’ve been dreaming of a holiday-brochure turquoise lagoon, coral beaches, vertical peaks and lush landscapes, you’d be hard-pressed to find better than this gem of an island. Mo’orea has something for everyone. A startling variety of adventure options await: there are mountains to climb, coral gardens to snorkel, scenic areas to quad bike, waves to surf and sloping reefs to dive. But if all you want to do is unwind, a couple of lovely expanses of coral sand beckon.

Boasting some of the best beaches in the country and a snoozy Polynesian charm, Huahine is the perfect spot to recharge the batteries. If you’ve got energy to burn, there’s a slew of activities available, from hiking in the lush interior to snorkelling fabulous coral gardens. Culture buffs will also love Maeva, one of the most extensive complexes of pre-European marae (traditional temples) in French Polynesia. Huahine is refreshingly void of bling and large-scale development. It’s all about ecotravel, and this is why it’s gaining in popularity.

Snaggle-toothed volcanic peaks, deep ravines, waterfalls, secret bays and forests that could hold their own in a BBC documentary all await on this iconic boat voyage through the six inhabited islands of the Marquesas Archipelago. Part cargo ship, part cruise liner, the Aranui is a huge event at each island and you get to be there for the unloading of the supplies. The festive voyage also involves plenty of dance performances, local meals and a guide to explain the extraordinary culture and archaeological remains.

Rising out of the lagoon like a mini Bora Bora, Maupiti has as many of the tropical-island-fantasy attributes as its larger neighbour, but only a fraction of the hype. Be ready to say hello to every friendly islander you pass in the village and to explore the magical white sand motu, deep blue lagoon and manta ray–filled passes. Don't expect big resorts here – digs are in adorable and intimate family-run hotels and pensions. Rent a kayak, strap on a scuba bottle, hike the mountain or just lounge on the beach in untainted, simple bliss.

French Polynesia is an important breeding ground for humpback whales, which migrate to Polynesian waters between July and October. It’s one of the best places in the world to see these magnificent creatures. They can be observed caring for new calves and engaging in elaborate mating rituals. The best areas to spot them are Mo’orea, Tahiti and Rurutu, where operators organise whale-watching trips.

The most important marae in French Polynesia – and possibly all of Polynesia – is Marae Taputapuatea on Ra’iatea, which has been extensively restored. Marae are religious sites built from basalt blocks placed side by side and piled up. In pre-European times, they represented the equivalent of temples, and were places of worship, burial and human sacrifice. Taputapuatea is shrouded with a palpable aura. It's worth going on a guided tour of Ra’iatea for explanations on the marae since otherwise there's little in the way of visitor info.

Both aesthetically beautiful and inexplicitly raw, dark geometric patterns against bronzed skin have made a huge comeback all over French Polynesia. The Marquesas are known for perfecting the art, but the best island to get a tattoo is Tahiti where there are the most artists (many are from the Marquesas). In pre-European times, this body art acted as a map to a person's social status and achievements, but today they are simply for beautification. However, many of the ancient patterns have been copied or provide inspiration for new designs.

French Polynesia’s eeriest vestiges are churches, nunneries and other grand religious structures built from coral blocks in the late 19th century. Today, cracked, whitewashed churches with room for up to 1200 worshippers sit mutely, yet with an austere beauty, on islands with only a scattering of residents. They exist thanks to Father Honoré Laval, who history portrays as either an overzealous slave driver or a beacon of faith who inspired the islanders to build these amazing, yet out of place, European-style monuments.

Forget diamonds, black pearls are a Tahitian gal’s best friend. They come in silvery white to black and every colour in between, so it’s easy to get seduced by these sea gems’ soothing hues. Don’t miss visiting a farm (our favourite spots are on Taha'a), where you’ll see how the oysters are raised and harvested, and maybe even get to see a technician performing the culturing operation (called a ‘graft’). Afterwards, you’ll get to drool over lustrous jewellery and hopefully get a great deal on a special souvenir.