"Surfing Tahiti Iti Tahiti Iti, Tahiti 's smaller sister island that's connected to the main island at the southeast coast, is home toone of the most famous surfing waves in the Pacific, Teahupoo. This powerful reef break most certainly should not be attempted by anyone but the best surfers—a fall means being dragged by the current across the sharp coral right below the surface. That edge of drama makes for atense but enjoyable afternoon of observation (from the beach). The left break is best between April and October. The Billabong Pro competition is held here August."

"Surfing Tahiti Iti Tahiti Iti, Tahiti 's smaller sister island that's connected to the main island at the southeast coast, is home toone of the most famous surfing waves in the Pacific, Teahupoo. This powerful reef break most certainly should not be attempted by anyone but the best surfers—a fall means being dragged by the current across the sharp coral right below the surface. That edge of drama makes for atense but enjoyable afternoon of observation (from the beach). The left break is best between April and October. The Billabong Pro competition is held here August."

"Explore Bora Bora's Lagoon Bora Bora is home to one of the world's most beautiful lagoons. Numerous companies offer day-trip excursions, but Lagoon Service is recommended for its well-maintained boats, friendly ukulele-playing guides, and excellent Polynesian fare. Guests get to cruise around the islandsand make stops to snorkel in coral gardens, swim among playful rays, and experience the thrill of swimming with docile sharks. The trip concludes with a lunch,enjoyed ata table set up in the shallow aquamarine water. Thepicnicincludes everything from poisson cru to coconut bread andall sorts of fresh fruits. Note: The sun is brutal here,so wear rash guards or T-shirts as well assunscreen."

"Dive or Snorkel Tiputa Tiputa Pass is the space where the reef wall breaks, allowing marine life to stream into and out of the lagoon. Diving or snorkeling through the pass is a magnificent experience as long as you just go with the flow. (They call this "shooting the pass" because you'll be dropped off into the open-ocean side of the pass and then drift through it back to the safety of the lagoon.) Although you'll travel in a swift current, it's perfectly safe, and you'll get to fly past thousands of fish as you do it, making for even more excitement."

"Inside Papeete's Vaima Center, the new Museum of Street Art Tahiti is dedicated to graffiti and other street art. Sarah Roopinia and Jean Ozonder curated the museum. The duo also founded Festival Ono’u, Tahiti's international street art event, held over three days in October. Papeete has quite a vibrant street art scene with some 30 different murals created by world-renowned graffiti artists since the project began in May 2014. Head to the museum and festival website for a walking tour map. Many of the murals are truly impressive and have brought a colorful façade to a once grey walled capital. ."

"One of the top experiences to have on land in the Marquesas is to go exploring on horseback. Whether you are cantering along the beach or climbing up a steep dirt track that descends into a lush valley, taking in the unique beauty of Nuku Hiva from atop a horse allows you to get away from the island's paved roads. A morning or afternoon equine excursion will give you a good sense of the dramatic landscape of this beautiful island paradise, much of it surprisingly untouched."

"Le Marché de Papeete The perfect place to shop for anything and everything from all the islands is the 155-year-old public market called Le Marché. Located two blocks from the waterfront in the heart of Papeete, the market covers two stories. The lower level is filled with hundreds of stands offering Tahitian-made crafts, oils, vanilla, fruits, and flowers. Upstairs is reserved for artisans selling pareos, carvings, Tifaifai wall hangings and quilts, embroidered cushion covers, and other handicrafts. You'll also find a few good shops for purchasing unique black pearl jewelry at fair prices.An on-sitecafeteria serves local dishes. Le Marché isnotjust a tourist attraction, however—it's a proper market where locals come to shop for meat, fish, fresh flowers, and produce and to chat with friends over coffee at one of the patisseries."

"James Norman Hall’s Home To see how one family worked out their idea of living in paradise, head to the James Norman Hall Museum (La Maison de James Norman Hall). Hall was the coauthor of the book Mutiny on the Bounty , and with the book’s bounty, he bought a swath of Tahitian beach and built his dream house. Captain Bligh had been sent to Tahiti to collect breadfruit to be transplanted in the West Indies where it was hoped it would prosper as a food source for sugar plantation workers, so don’t miss the breadfruit trees planted here. (If you’ve not tried the fruit, it tastes like a cross between a grapefruit and a pineapple. Delicious.)"

"Life across Polynesia was once defined by ritual power. In many places, chiefs were too sacred to actually look at, and if you helped bury a chief, you’d not be allowed to utilize your hands for nine months or more. The 'Ārahurahu Marae, a sacred structure of black stone, was built solely for rituals. Nicely restored, the 'Ārahurahu is set at the foot of a cliff, surrounded by jungle. A trail lined with tikis leads to the three-story marae, which is still in use, revived as part of the Polynesian Renaissance. The marae is worth a visit: Soak up the place to get a feel for a time when this was the island’s heartbeat."

"Point Venus Captain James Cook set up his observatory at Point Venus, one of the loveliest spots on the island. The transit of Venus, which happens maybe once a century, lets observers here see the planet move across the sun. (That’s the official reason for the name, but there’s no doubt Cook’s crew, after months at sea, had a different Venus in mind when they saw Tahitian women.) Now the point's a windswept corner of the island that feels like there’s nothing between you and another world but the sea. The lighthouse here, Phare de la Pointe Vénus, was built in 1868, 99 years after Cook's visit."

"Getting Inked The tattoo art form was invented in the Islands of Tahiti, and today many Polynesians sport beautiful work of art tattoos as symbols of their personal identities. If you'd like to remember your trip with a tattoo of your own, there are many options on Tahiti. In Papeete, pay a visit to Manao Tattoo. The artists here offer a number of traditional Polynesian patterns as well as creative original designs."

"Foraging in Tahiti's Maroto Valley Also known as the Papenoo Valley, the Maroto Valley is a magical place once inhabited by ancient Polynesians. If you go with a guide -- I recommend Marama Tours -- you'll be able to learn about the history of the area as well as learn to forage like they did in the past. The above photo is of a local fruit called noni, whose juice gets rid of mosquito bite itch. A few other natural remedies the group learned include lime can be a deodorant, coconut juice aids digestion and taro is good for strong bones and teeth."