Tahiti

Heiva: a guide to celebrating the culture of French Polynesia

'Bora Bora Heiva flower floats' by MarkWallace. Creative Commons Attribution

How to choose a South Pacific island

The South Pacific confounds even the savviest map buffs with its splatter of dots spread across the world's biggest ocean. What you can't tell from a map, or even most tourist brochures is that these palm-laden pinpricks are as diverse as the region is vast. While the postcards might look similar, Fiji and Tahiti are not interchangeable or even much alike when it comes to landscapes and culture.

As you move east across the Pacific from the Solomon Islands to Easter Island, the flora and fauna becomes less diverse. Islands to the east like New Caledonia and Fiji have land snakes and fruit bats, French Polynesia and Easter Island don't. Underwater you'll find more soft corals in the plankton-rich waters to the west but better visibility in the greater reaches of open water to the east.

Tahiti and French Polynesia on a budget

No, there's no need to remortgage the house to visit Tahiti & French Polynesia. Despite a reputation for opulence and exclusivity, it's perfectly possible to visit these dreamy islands on a limited budget – if you make the right decisions.

Glossy brochures focus on ultra-swish resorts but French Polynesia actually has a pretty wide range of accommodation options. You can keep lodging costs down by staying in small guesthouses and pensions (homestays) that are sprinkled around the islands. They're nothing glam or ostentatious, just modest operations that blend perfectly into the tropical surroundings. At the cheaper end of the scale (around US$80 a double), they consist of simple, local-style bungalows with cold showers and thin walls. Upmarket versions (plan on US$100-120) have lots of amenities and are more comfortable.