The islands of French Polynesia consist of more than 100 large and small islands, comprising three archipelagos. This isolated part of France is located on a vast territory in the south Pacific Ocean. About 300 thousand people permanently live on the islands; tens of thousands more travelers fly to the islands in search of a paradise on the planet.
The most popular among tourists is the Society Islands. Moorea, Hua Hin, Tahiti and Bora Bora in this archipelago combine all the most cherished dreams travelers: exotic jungle, a continuous strip of white sandy beaches, an amazing underwater world, picturesque and “magazine” landscapes, historical sights and temples. The majority of Polynesian citizens live on the island of Tahiti.
One of the advantages island state can be called a variety of relief. Once here, the traveler has the opportunity to visit valleys and mountains, atolls and long beaches, see colorful corals and tropical fish underwater.
Holidays on the islands will be ideal at any time of the year for any tourist. The entertainment of the resort centers will also appeal to tourists who are interested in extreme species sports, and for children and people who prefer a quiet beach holiday in ideal natural conditions.
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Weather map of French Polynesia:
Impressions from a holiday in August
Tahiti is very far away, so for a long time we could not decide to fly there. After enduring a long flight, we arrived on the island, where they immediately put a tiare necklace around our necks. This flower is national symbol French Polynesia. Leaving the airport we found ourselves in Magic world birds and flowers. There are few attractions on the island, but there is still something to see. Three days were enough for us to get a superficial acquaintance with Tahiti. There is no winter or summer, there are a lot of fruits and flowers, the average air temperature is +27-28 degrees, the water is about the same temperature, i.e. you can swim all year round. There are no typhoons or heavy rains on this island, and the locals are very friendly. Tahiti is a piece of paradise; you can go there at any time of the year. It’s hard to get to this fabulous place, but it’s even harder to leave because you really don’t want to.
What to do at the resort?
There are many sports activities on the island - water skiing, surfing, diving, snorkeling, sailing, safari. Coaches and instructors who conduct courses will help you master these sports.
1)Paul Gauguin Museum
This artist painted his best paintings in Tahiti. The museum is located on the site of his home.
2) Museum of Tahiti and the Islands.
3)Mount Orajena.
4) Black Pearl Museum.
Located in the center of Papeete, you can admire the collection of black pearls and learn how pearls influenced the culture and art of the islands. Next to the museum there is a store where you can buy jewelry with black pearls.
The most best beach The island is considered to be Veava, it is located 18 km from the capital Papeete. Unlike other beaches, there is light sand with small pebbles, a smooth entrance to the water and many palm trees. There are umbrellas, sun loungers and showers on the beach.
On the northern coast of Tahiti there is a black volcanic sand beach, Pointe Venus, which will appeal to diving enthusiasts, there are many dive sites. The 19th century lighthouse is visible from the beach.
Taharuu Beach, located in the south, is very suitable for surfers because the waves are strong most of the time and the water is rarely calm. The sand on the beach is black.
Toaroto - very beautiful beach, but absolutely not suitable for swimming (rocky bottom), but suitable for snorkeling.
If there is at least one unsolved mystery in the world that has long been familiar to all of us, then these are the islands of French Polynesia. And if at least a piece of untouched earthly paradise has been preserved on the earth, which has been completely altered “for itself” by man, this is, first of all, the Marquesas archipelago.
The islands of French Polynesia are a branch of heaven on earth
Of course, the cherished corner of paradise is far away: an airliner will take you there in no less than 20 hours, or even in 25 (if you fly from Moscow or St. Petersburg via Paris and Los Angeles, for example, or from there - via Madrid and Easter Island/Chile).
But, after enjoying the daily contemplation of the boundless ocean of air, you will find yourself straight in the center of the real ocean, the Pacific - turquoise-azure, including all shades of ultramarine, emerald and gold, bordered by the most picturesque outlines of velvety green islands piercing the sky with dark volcanic tongues.
The contrast of tiny patches of land covered with lush tropical vegetation and the endless, mesmerizing surface of water, closing on the horizon with the variegated blue and white dome of the sky, is simply amazing - it will not leave anyone indifferent.
No epithets or comparisons will suffice for a person who sets out to describe the beauty of the local nature. But we will have to return to earth from heaven - otherwise why did we come here?
About what they represent islands of French Polynesia- our short story. The opinion that the territory of the islands is small is erroneous: their total area is almost 4 thousand sq. km. The country's residents live off tourism - not richly, but quite successfully. In addition to very good service for foreign guests, they know how to fish for pearls, collect a rich harvest of coconuts and extract priceless shark fin.
Communicating in Tahitian and French, most local residents They speak English relatively well, so it will be easy for them to understand you (if your English is not bad or you have a Russian-English phrasebook in your pocket).
The islands of French Polynesia are the colors of paradise landscapes
The number of islands in French Polynesia is 118, of which about a dozen (mainly among the Marquesas) are inhabited by hundreds of thousands of tourists visiting the country all year round.
Some of the islands are of volcanic origin, and this makes them completely special, incomparable to anything - the nature of the land, which once survived the invasion of lava, changes radically and for a long time: streams and rivers, waterfalls, canyons and gorges retain in their appearance the stamp of formidable volcanic processes; This is their wild charm and gloomy grandeur.
The other part of these land masses, scattered by someone’s generous hand across the vast expanses of the ocean, arose in places where there were huge accumulations of corals. They look different, representing amazingly beautiful sandy plains, where luxurious palm trees, frozen in a deep bow to the sea, strive to dip their sharp-leaved crowns into the blue of the water world.
The beaches here are magnificent, the sun is majestic and generous, and the sunsets, captivating the eye with the brightness of their colors, are so good that you don’t want to compare them. They are unique - that says it all.
A thousand to one and a half thousand years ago, the territory of five archipelagos, today included in one large archipelago called French Polynesia, was inhabited by Maori tribes. Today's inhabitants of the country inherited from them the ruins of ancient sanctuaries, the remains of stone pyramids, difficult to decipher drawings with traditional type conventional image of the world and a lot of surprisingly modern types of art that have survived the era of rebirth and are being intensively copied by many today: tattooing, dance, creating jewelry.
The archipelagos of Polynesia are called: Societies, Gambier, Marquesas, Tuamotu and Austral (Ostral).
The Society Archipelago bears traces of volcanic origin. It looks accordingly: the grayish-brown outlines of the peaks of extinct volcanoes, in the lower part overgrown with lush vegetation, lush thickets of bushes make up its usual appearance.
Above tropical forests high mountains rise from palm trees; together with the green low-lying part, they form the basis of a border that forms a crown, in the center of which an amazingly beautiful lagoon splashes. The royal “crown” includes the islands of Tahiti, Bora Bora, Moorea and Juanhin.
Tahiti is the main island of the archipelago, on which the capital city of Papete is located. The most beautiful skyscrapers, international Airport, a lot of fashionable hotels and comfortable villas, many world-famous museums, the city hall of the most luxurious architecture and several ancient temples in the mountains - these are the main “civilized” attractions of the island.
From the “uncivilized” – a picturesque peak extinct volcano Orohena (the most high peak islands), a magnificent valley, gorges, as well as a wonderful bright “eye” of nature: a lake in the crater of a volcano. If we add that one of the capes of the island is the place where Captains Cook, Bougainville and Blythe moored more than once about three centuries ago, the idea of the island will be fully formed.
Two more dazzlingly beautiful islands of the main archipelago of Polynesia - Moorea, shaped like a heart, and Bora Bora (often reproduced as "Bora Bora") - are truly the pearls of these places. They are clean, bright, have beautiful beaches of white crumbly sand, with fancy corals scattered across their warm surface.
The lagoons of both islands, both on their own and in combination with the indescribable beauty of the coastline, are a rare and unforgettable sight. Here you can feed tame sharks and admire the paintings underwater world, watch completely unique creatures - huge leopard stingrays.
You will never forget Tahitian cuisine, fiery “fire” dances of local residents, the process of breaking a coconut and delightful, cozy mini-hotels on stilts scattered across the blue shallow waters.
Moorea is a true tropical paradise and a truly delightful place
The Gambier Archipelago is the most remote and smallest of all, consisting of ten tiny islands whose only attraction is a luxurious black pearl plantation.
The Marquesas Islands archipelago is the pride of French Polynesia - as a corner of truly wild nature, almost untouched by human hands. The name translates as “land of men.” The archipelago consists of 12 islands, of which the island of Nuku Hiva is especially interesting in appearance. On its territory there are two ancient extinct volcanoes.
The bays of the island, which are lagoons of marvelous beauty, protected from outside world near mountain peaks, are indispensable for scrolling. It was these islands that became the last refuge for the famous French post-impressionist artist Paul Gauguin and another extraordinary European - half-Belgian, half-French Jacques Brel: poet, singer, film actor. They are buried nearby.
Guests will not only be able to worship their graves, but also take short walking and horseback excursions along the emerald mountain slopes. The view during the walks is beautiful - no one can resist the temptation to capture stunning panoramas in photos and videos.
Tuamotu is the most extensive of all the archipelagos of French Polynesia. All its islands (there are 78 of them) are coral atolls, where black pearl farms are concentrated - the basis of the country's economy. Coral gardens, small transparent lagoons with a variety of fish, an excursion to a pearl farm, good conditions for classes aquatic species sports – lovely set exotic entertainment for continental tourists.
The Ostral archipelago is small (5 islands) and is not particularly popular among visitors.
The general impression that comes from getting to know French Polynesia (in everyday life it is often called briefly - Tahiti) is a fairy tale. No more and no less. Anyone who has been there is deeply convinced: paradise exists on earth, and its name is Polynesia.
Total area 4167 km²
- Earth: 3660 km²
- Water: 507 km²
- Marine area: 4.8 million km²
- Exclusive economic zone: 200 nautical miles
- Territorial sea: 12 nautical miles
- Lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m.
- Highest point: Mount Orohena (Tahiti) 2241 m.
- Arable land: 1%
- Permanent grain crops: 6%
- Permanent pastures: 5%
- Forests and wooded areas: 31%
- Other: 57% (1993 est.)
Geology
The islands of French Polynesia are either volcanic or coral in origin. Most of the Society Islands and Tubuai, Gambier and Marquesas Islands are volcanic; coral atolls form the Tuamotu archipelago and are part of several other island groups. 
Volcanic islands are mountainous. Highest point Tahiti (and all of French Polynesia) - Mount Orohena - rises to 2241 m above sea level. Coral islands usually rise just a few meters above sea level and are surrounded by reefs.
Climate
The climate in most of French Polynesia, mainly in the center, is tropical, trade wind. In the north (Marquesas Islands) - subequatorial. In the southern part there are noticeable differences between warm winters and hot summers. On southern islands Tubuai has a subtropical humid climate. The hottest and wettest season is from November to May, when northwest winds often blow. In the hottest months, temperatures are usually 27 - 32 °C and air humidity is very high (about 92%) and precipitation falls up to 1700 mm (75% of the annual norm). Precipitation at this time falls mainly in the form of powerful but short-lived evening showers, or prolonged drizzling rains lasting up to several days.
During this same period, tropical hurricanes and powerful storms are common. The islands of Tahiti, Tuamotu, and Tubuai are susceptible to them.
During the dry season (June to October), southeast trade winds predominate. Temperatures drop lowest in July-August (in the south - up to 18 - 21 °C).
Average annual temperatures generally range from 22 to 26 °C on most islands, with slight variations between months. Trade winds and the exposure of the island (slope) determine the climatic conditions and weather on the Polynesian islands. Precipitation - 1500 - 3500 mm. There are also hurricanes.
The islands of French Polynesia are subject to the invasion of tropical cyclones, sometimes of a destructive nature, mainly in January.
Soils and hydrology
Volcanic islands have volcanic soils. On atolls there are sands.
The river network is developed only on islands of volcanic origin. The rivers there flow in narrow and deep valleys and are replete with waterfalls. There are small lakes on the islands of Tahiti and Huahine. There are no rivers on the coral islands.
Vegetation
Islands of volcanic origin differ sharply from coral atolls in their vegetation. On the windward slopes of the volcanic islands, dense tropical forests rise from the coast to the mountain tops, consisting of evergreen tree species, interspersed with plantations of coconut palms, bananas and other crops. The leeward slopes are dominated by herbaceous vegetation. The coral islands are covered with thickets of coconut palms.
Fauna
Due to significant geographic isolation, both flora and fauna are endemic. There are practically no mammals. Several species of lizards, quacks, birds, insects. All in all animal world French Polynesia is poor.
Story
By the time Europeans appeared on the islands among the population of what is now French Polynesia, the most developed socio-economically were the people inhabiting the island of Tahiti - early class states arose there in the second half of the 18th century, and since 1797, one of them, the kingdom led by the Pomare dynasty, began to unite local people under its authority state entities Tahiti, and then - to extend its power to other islands of French Polynesia.
The first island discovered by Europeans was Puka Puka in the Tuamotu archipelago (Magellan,). The Marquesas Islands were discovered in 1595 by Mendaña, Tahiti in 1606 by Pedro Fernandez de Quiros, Tubuai in 1777 by James Cook, Gambier in 1797 by Wilson.
Economy
GDP per capita in 2004 was 18 thousand dollars (68th place in the world).
68% of workers are employed in the service sector.
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French Polynesia is a paradisiacal overseas territory of a sophisticated metropolis. The exotic nature here is complemented by European chic: holidays on the islands offer excellent hotels and the best diving in the world. Tahiti, Bora Bora and Tuamotu - all about French Polynesia: photos, tours and prices.
- Last minute tours to French Polynesia
French Polynesia is 118 islands, very different in relief and nature, offering VIP beach holidays to wealthy travelers from overseas. And French Polynesia - almost full meeting advertising stamps from tourist brochures. “Endless white beaches?” In stock. “Crystal clear coastal waters?” But of course! “Motley schools of tropical fish?” Where would we be without them, dear ones? “Lush tropical greenery?” Well, you understand.
The coolest thing is that all of the above - pure truth. Of course, there are some drawbacks, which include hefty prices for tours, as well as long-distance connecting flights, which can turn into a trip in itself.
Main resorts of French Polynesia
Time difference from Moscow
− 12 hours
- with Kaliningrad
- with Samara
- with Yekaterinburg
- with Omsk
- with Krasnoyarsk
- with Irkutsk
- with Yakutsk
- with Vladivostok
- from Severo-Kurilsk
- with Kamchatka
French Polynesia is 118 islands, very different in relief and nature, offering VIP beach holidays to wealthy travelers from overseas.
How to get there
The most popular, shortest and also visa-free option (but more expensive than flights of other airlines) is the Moscow - Tokyo flight of Aeroflot or JAL (on Mondays) plus connecting flight Air Tahiti Nui Tokyo - Tahiti (3 times a week) with an overnight stay in Tokyo. A Japanese visa is not required if you stay in the country for up to 72 hours.
Less popular (due to the need to obtain an American visa), but relatively inexpensive flight with Air France Moscow - Paris - Los Angeles - Tahiti (Papeete). On the way back there will be a stopover for at least one night in Paris (it is inevitable when flying with Air France; if desired, the period of stay in Paris can be extended), so you will also need a French transit visa. Flight time is more than a day. Flights operate three times a week.
Delta Airlines flight Moscow - New York plus connecting flight Air Tahiti Nui New York - Tahiti: an American visa is also required. Duration: 24-26 hours excluding connections.
Crazy from long flight tourists will be greeted at the arrival airport with fragrant tiare flowers twisted into necklaces.
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French Polynesia is known throughout the world as one of the most exotic regions in the Pacific Ocean. This is a huge water area that includes 118 islands of different scale and local color. The territory is the property of France, a country that earned the status of “colonial ruler” several centuries ago. For a leading European power, this overseas land is a real tasty morsel - very profitable and promising. Every year the number of people wishing to plunge into the atmosphere of picturesque nature, the amazing underwater wealth of the ocean and an amazing holiday on the most fashionable beaches is increasing.
Islands where harmony lives
Five archipelagos - Societies, Tuamotu, Marquesas Islands, Tubuai, Gambier - make up the islands of French Polynesia. Located in the southern region Pacific Ocean, they occupy a total area of about 4 thousand square meters. km. Distinctive feature This region is the contrast of the local landscape. The islands impress not only with their azure shores and sandy beaches, but also with their dense tropical forests.
These 2.5 million square kilometers total area can be compared to the territory of the European Union. But a particle of solid soil in Polynesia will surprise you with its small size. The land here occupies a little more than 4 thousand square meters. kilometers. If you add up all the islands, you get something like the island of Mallorca. But it is not its size that catches you in this corner of paradise, but its intangible beauty and amazing uniqueness of nature. As for the population, the island of Tahiti is considered the most inhabited. It also leads in the number of tourists flying to the island every year.
The Polynesian islands form groups characterized by certain features.
- Society Islands. This group includes the so-called Windward and Leeward Islands. This group of islands is inhabited by greatest number people throughout French Polynesia. There are high mountain slopes covered with dense tropical forests. The local beauty is emphasized by coral reefs. The most famous island of this group is Bora Bora.
- Tuamotu Islands. In some sources they received the romantic name “Strand of Tahitian Pearls”. The area received this name due to its large-scale black pearl resources. It is also home to one of the largest coral atolls in Polynesia. The primary name of the Tuamotu stands for “distant islands.”
- Marquesas Islands. 15 islands, strewn with mountain slopes, are located on the equator. Of all the lands, only 6 are inhabited. It is interesting that the system of islands is called “mysterious”. Most likely, this is due to the unusual nature that creates an unusual, unique world.
- Gambier Islands. These islands are closely adjacent to the Tuamot, but are still considered separate due to differences in culture and language. The unique lifestyle and landscapes truly allow Gambier to be a world unto itself.
- Austral Islands. If you are tired of society and want to be alone, this place is the ideal point of arrival. These islands are sparsely populated. Many of them do not know human traces at all.
French Polynesia: interesting facts
Unusual territory, exotic nature and unique wildlife have made the islands of French Polynesia filled with various mysteries and mysteries. A lot of interesting facts attract the attention of not only tourists, but also lovers of everything unusual, unique, inimitable. For example, have you ever guessed that:
- You won't find snakes on the Polynesian islands. This applies not only to poisonous representatives, but to the entire class of creeping creatures;
Polynesia is considered the birthplace of tattoos; - The stars are considered the best compass here. Local population developed its own star navigation system, with the help of which ancient sailors got to the desired islands using maps in the night sky;
- Taaha Island can be safely called vanilla, because it grows great amount this delicate fragrant plant.
- Moorea Island is the footprint of a dinosaur. What would you think if you saw it from a bird's eye view?
- The local population knows what it means to seize the moment and not rush things. Dinner for a typical Polynesian family will take 3 hours. This is what it means to enjoy a meal and feel every note of the prepared delicacy.
There are many such interesting facts hidden on the islands. Everyone who returns from this paradise, can name amazing things that will be remembered for a lifetime. It may be an unusual fish with a bright coloring, exotic fruit with inexplicable taste or every evening a different sunset of the tired sun. There is some kind of good magic and an amazing fairy tale on the islands of French Polynesia.
