Tahiti and her Islands

Overview
Tahiti and Her Islands exude a laid-back tranquillity, as romantic sunsets send giant curls of turquoise breaking over reefs. Remote and pristine, the islands really are a place where nature dominates.

The first Europeans to arrive on the island groups were 16th-century Spanish and Portuguese explorers. The British and then the French took control of the islands in the 18th century. Tahiti, the largest island in French Polynesia, dominated by Mount Orohena at 2,236m (7,337ft) and Mount Aorai at 2,068m (6,786ft), and characterised by its spectacular tropical scenery, banana groves, plantations and flowers, was made a French protectorate in 1842 and a colony in 1880. The other islands were annexed by the turn of the century.

This status quo remained until 1957, when Polynesia was made an Overseas Territory. A revised constitution, introduced in 1977, ceded greater autonomy. For the next 20 years, the islands’ politics were dominated by the French nuclear testing programme. By the time the programme ended in 1996, 150 separate explosions had been detonated, and Tahiti had become the focus of opposition from throughout the South Pacific, and several riots occurred. Although the protesters failed to stop the tests, their campaign had an important political effect by linking the anti-nuclear movement and the burgeoning pro-independence movement which had so far been largely unrepresented in any political forum, despite the support of a large proportion (possibly the majority) of the population.

However, in recent years, changes have been afoot: Tahiti and Her Islands gained Overseas Country status in 2004, and pro-independence leader Oscar Temaru was elected in 2005. It only remains to be seen whether these changes result in imminent and full independence.

Top Things To See & Do

• Wander around Papeete's (the capital of the island Tahiti) public market, Le Marché. The market is open all week but really comes to life on Sunday mornings when out-of-town merchants come to sell their wares. Flowers, spices, fabrics and fresh produce are all on offer.
• See some of Tahiti's impressive watery wonders, from the Blowhole of Arahoho, which throws water skywards, to the Faarumai and Vaipahi waterfalls.
• Lap up the beach life that Tahiti and Her Islands offers: relax on the island of Moorea's dazzling white-sand beaches and clear lagoons, ideal for swimming, diving and snorkelling, and surrounded by volcanic peaks and a winning mixture of tradition and touristic entertainment; and discover the Leeward Islands, sheltered by the surrounding coral reef, the coastal waters and lagoons, all good for encountering the local aquatic life; go deep-sea fishing, scuba-diving, snorkelling or swimming on a nearby motu (small sandy atoll within a reef), or take a trip by glass-bottomed boat around the lagoons of Bora Bora. The sea around the South Pacific islands is excellent for scuba-diving, providing visibility that often reaches 40m (130ft). Other popular and well-provided-for watersports include windsurfing, waterskiing, surfing (highly rated at the Avo Moía Pass and in Teahupoo) and kite-surfing.
• Visit the beautiful Opunohu Valley on Moorea, an ancient dwelling place, uninhabited for 150 years, with 500 ancient structures including temples or marae, some of which have been restored. The marae used to be sacred buildings, or funerary sites, of a rectangular shape on which religious and social ceremonies would be performed. The marae (open-air temple) of Mahaiatea, on Tahiti, is also worth a visit.
• Inhale the faintly sweet aroma that lingers on the 'Vanilla Island' of Tahaa. The breeze constantly carries the aroma of vanilla, from the island's numerous vanilla plantations. The island also shares a coral reef with the island of Raiatea, and offers a tranquil and relaxed lifestyle.
• Ascend the two mountains of Otemanu and Pahia on the island of Bora Bora, and find yourself a wonderful lookout point across this most famous of the Leeward Islands, still only 45 minutes from Tahiti by plane. Club Alpin in Arue also provides information and assistance for climbing Mount Aorai, with a shelter at 1,798m (5,900ft) and Mount Diademe.
• Visit the burial spots of both Paul Gauguin and Jacques Brel on the Marquesas Islands. Both are buried on Hiva Oa. For greater insight into the life of Gauguin, the famous French Post-Impressionist painter of the 19th century, visit the Paul Gauguin Museum on Tahiti.
• Go horse riding between the numerous valleys of Ua Huka. Hourly and day-long horse riding tours can be arranged through Club Equestre de Tahiti and Centre de Tourisme Equestre de Tahiti, both at the Hippodrome, Pirae, Tahiti. For more equine-related fun, Tahitian-style horse racing can be seen at the Hippodrome in Pirae.
• Cherish one of Tahiti and Her Islands' most beautiful locations: the island of Fatu Hiva, with its valley of Hanavare, hidden between volcanic rock on the Bay of Virgins. This also contains the important archaeological site of Puamau, with its intact 2.1m- (7ft-) high tiki (a male figure in Polynesian myth), the largest on the Marquesas.
• Come across some of the amazing life that lurks beneath the lovely waters of Tahiti and Her Islands. There are shark and ray feeding demonstrations on Moorea and Bora Bora, and humpback whale watching is possible between July and October in the waters of Rurutu.

Climate
Temperate, but cooled by sea breezes. Two main seasons: humid (hot and wet) from November to March, cool and dry from April to October.

Required Clothing
Lightweight cottons and linens are worn, with a warm layer for cooler evenings. Rainwear is advisable.