French Polynesia Highlights: Tahiti, Moorea & Bora Bora

This morning you cross to Moorea, Tahiti's spectacular heart-shaped sister island, by a quick, scenic flight or ferry. As you approach, jagged emerald peaks rise sheer above a sapphire lagoon, a landscape of almost theatrical beauty. On arrival you are welcomed with a tiare flower and transferred to your lagoon-side or overwater bungalow, opening onto the crystal-clear water beneath the soaring skyline. The rest of the day is yours to settle into this iconic Polynesian paradise, swimming in the lagoon, snorkelling the coral, or simply admiring the view of the peaks from your private deck as the sun sets in a blaze of colour. Moorea is less famous and more relaxed than Bora Bora, yet just as beautiful, with dramatic scenery and an authentic, unhurried atmosphere. As you settle in for four blissful nights, the beauty of the island casts its spell.

A magical day exploring Moorea's spectacular lagoon. A boat trip carries you across the brilliant-blue water to snorkel over vibrant coral gardens alive with tropical fish and turtles, and to the shallows where you can swim among gentle stingrays that glide up to be touched, their velvety wings brushing past, while harmless blacktip reef sharks circle nearby, a safe, exhilarating and unforgettable encounter. Between swims, you take in the jaw-dropping views of Moorea's jagged green peaks rising above the lagoon, and perhaps land on a motu for a picnic. The warm, clear water and abundant marine life make the lagoon a magical playground, and floating among the rays and fish with the island's soaring skyline as a backdrop is the stuff of dreams. It is a highlight of French Polynesia and a perfect introduction to the marine wonders of these islands. As the sun sets, enjoy a relaxed dinner beside the lagoon.

A day to explore the dramatic beauty of Moorea beyond the lagoon. You might take a 4x4 safari or hike into the lush, mountainous interior, climbing to the famous Belvedere lookout for breathtaking views over Cook's Bay, Opunohu Bay and the soaring peaks, a truly spectacular panorama. Along the way you visit ancient marae ceremonial sites, tour a pineapple plantation or the agricultural school, and learn about the island's culture, legends and produce. Alternatively, you might explore the coast, kayak the lagoon, or take an optional dolphin or whale-watching trip (in season). Moorea's blend of soaring green peaks, deep bays and turquoise lagoon makes it one of the most beautiful islands in the Pacific, and exploring its dramatic interior adds a wonderful sense of adventure and discovery. As the sun sets over the peaks in a blaze of colour, a Polynesian dance show and feast might round off the day with the electrifying rhythms of ori Tahiti.

A free day to enjoy the beauty of Moorea at your own pace. You might snorkel or dive the lagoon, take a lagoon cruise to a motu, kayak or paddleboard the calm water, enjoy a couples' spa treatment, cycle the coast road, or simply relax on your overwater deck, taking in the view of the peaks and the endless blues of the water. Moorea's relaxed, authentic atmosphere and dramatic scenery make it a wonderful place to unwind, and there is always time to simply swim, snorkel and soak up the beauty. On Sundays, a village church service reveals the extraordinary Polynesian hymn singing. As the sun sets over the soaring pinnacles, enjoy a leisurely dinner beside the lagoon and rest ahead of tomorrow's flight to Bora Bora, perhaps the most beautiful island on earth, and the crowning highlight of your journey through French Polynesia.

This morning you transfer for the short, scenic flight to Bora Bora, and as the plane banks over the island, its breathtaking lagoon unfurls beneath you, a hundred shades of turquoise and jade encircling the dramatic peak of Mount Otemanu, dotted with palm-crowned motu and iconic overwater bungalows. It is a view that alone justifies the journey. On arrival you are transferred by boat across the lagoon to your resort, often on a motu with Mount Otemanu as a backdrop, and welcomed with a tiare flower. Settle into your overwater or beachfront bungalow, opening onto the luminous water, and spend the rest of the day sinking into paradise, swimming in the lagoon, snorkelling the coral, or simply admiring the peak from your private deck as the sun sets in a blaze of colour. Bora Bora lives up to, and often exceeds, every expectation, and you settle in for the beautiful finale of your journey.

Today you experience the wonder of the Bora Bora lagoon on a full-day cruise, gliding across water in a hundred shades of blue beneath the dramatic peak of Mount Otemanu. You stop to snorkel over vibrant coral gardens alive with rainbow fish and giant clams, and to the shallows where you can swim among gentle rays and reef sharks, an exhilarating, unforgettable encounter. You land on a palm-crowned motu of blinding white sand for a barbecue lunch of freshly grilled fish, and simply drink in the astonishing beauty of the lagoon, its endless blues, its coral, its soaring peak. The crew share island legends and music as you go, and the whole day unfolds at the gentlest of paces. Floating in that warm, brilliant water with Mount Otemanu as a backdrop is the very essence of the South Pacific dream, and a highlight of the entire journey, the kind of day that stays with you for a lifetime.

A full day to savour the beauty of Bora Bora at your own pace. You might snorkel or dive the lagoon, take a 4x4 safari into the island's lush interior with its wartime history and viewpoints over the lagoon, enjoy a couples' spa treatment, take a jet-ski or outrigger canoe tour around the island, or simply relax on your overwater deck, slipping into the warm lagoon whenever the mood takes you. Equally, you might do nothing more than laze by the water, taking in the endless colours of the lagoon and the dramatic silhouette of Mount Otemanu. Bora Bora is the very image of paradise, and there is no more beautiful place simply to relax. On Sundays, a village church service reveals the Polynesian hymn singing. As the sun sets over the peak in a blaze of colour, enjoy a romantic dinner beside the lagoon, savouring the beauty of this most spectacular of islands.

A final full day to enjoy the incomparable beauty of Bora Bora before your journey draws to a close. Spend it swimming in the luminous lagoon, snorkelling the coral, taking a last lagoon excursion, enjoying a spa treatment, or simply relaxing on your private deck, taking in the endless beauty of the water and the dramatic peak of Mount Otemanu. You might take a sunset cruise across the lagoon, a champagne toast as the sky and water blaze with colour and the peak is silhouetted against the fire. The beauty of Bora Bora, and the sense of being in one of the most spectacular places on earth, are profound. As evening falls, a special farewell dinner celebrates the days of island bliss and the wonders you have seen, from the peaks of Moorea to the lagoon of Bora Bora, and you watch one last unforgettable sunset over the water, deeply content and reluctant to leave this paradise.

After a final morning by the lagoon, perhaps a last swim beneath Mount Otemanu, you transfer by boat and fly back to Tahiti for your onward international departure. You leave having experienced the very best of French Polynesia, the vibrant heart of Tahiti, the dramatic peaks and lagoon of Moorea, and the incomparable beauty of Bora Bora, some of the most spectacular scenery on the planet. The images stay vivid long after you land, the soaring green pinnacles, the hundred shades of turquoise, the rays and sharks gliding through the shallows, the overwater bungalows framed against Mount Otemanu at sunset. French Polynesia has a way of capturing the hearts of those who visit, and you depart already dreaming of a return to these islands of jagged peaks, jewel-like lagoons and warm Polynesian hospitality, among the most beautiful places on earth.