The Polynesians who first settled these islands less than a thousand years ago were among the last humans to find virgin land on Earth. Their sacred marae sites still dot the landscape, stone temples where ancient priests once communed with gods. The British arrived in the 1760s, and Captain Cook landed in 1769 to observe the Transit of Venus from Pointe Venus, a black-sand beach on Tahiti that still bears his legacy. France annexed the islands during the 19th century, and for decades in the late 20th century, the remote Mururoa atoll witnessed the thunder of nuclear tests before international pressure finally silenced them in 1996. Today the islands drift toward greater autonomy, their unique cultural identity intact despite centuries of outside influence.

The giant black-lipped oyster Pinctada margaritifera thrives in the warm lagoons of the Tuamotu Archipelago, producing the fabled Tahitian black pearl. These gems shimmer in colors from silver to deep grey, shot through with green and pink iridescence, each one formed over years in the sheltered waters. Visitors can tour pearl farms on Rangiroa atoll, watching as divers tend the oyster beds that produce some of the world's most coveted jewelry. Beyond the pearl farms, the underwater world explodes with life. Divers drift through canyons encountering hundreds of species, while snorkelers in Moorea swim among reef sharks and in Bora Bora glide alongside manta rays above coral walls.

Polynesian cuisine speaks of the sea. Poisson cru a la tahitienne, raw fish marinated in lemon juice and bathed in coconut milk, appears on nearly every table. The Chinese-influenced ma'a tinito blends pork with kidney beans, Chinese cabbage, and macaroni, a testament to the islands' multicultural heritage. For celebrations, the tamara'a Tahiti transforms dining into ceremony: suckling pig, fish, breadfruit, and yams wrapped in banana leaves steam over hot rocks in an earth oven. At the roulottes, food trucks that line Papeete's waterfront after dark, locals and visitors alike gather for grilled mahi-mahi while Hinano beer flows cold and the stars emerge over the harbor.

The Polynesian philosophy of 'aita pea pea', meaning 'no worries', permeates daily life across these islands. Tahitian mixes freely with French in casual conversation, though English finds welcome ears in tourist areas. The climate stays tropical year-round, with summer humidity from November to April and slightly cooler winters from May to October. Mont Orohena rises 2,241 meters above Tahiti, the highest point in French Polynesia, while sea-level atolls barely break the surface of the lagoons. Overwater bungalows with glass-bottomed floors let visitors watch fish swim beneath their feet, while family-run pensions offer authentic glimpses into island life far from the resort crowds.