Grand French Polynesia: Tahiti, Moorea, Taha'a & 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 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 three blissful nights, the beauty of the island casts its spell, and your grand journey through the most beautiful islands in French Polynesia gets underway.

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 wonderful introduction to the marine wonders of these islands. As the sun sets over the peaks, enjoy a relaxed dinner beside the lagoon, perhaps with a Polynesian dance show.

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. 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 take an optional whale-watching trip (in season), kayak the lagoon, or explore the coast. 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, enjoy a leisurely dinner beside the lagoon and rest ahead of tomorrow's flight to Taha'a, the lush, sleepy 'Vanilla Island', and a more authentic, tranquil corner of paradise.

This morning you transfer for the scenic flight to Raiatea and cross the shared lagoon to Taha'a, the lush, sleepy 'Vanilla Island', far less visited than Bora Bora or Moorea. As you arrive, the island's green hills, wrapped in a turquoise lagoon and scented with vanilla, offer a wonderful sense of tranquillity and authenticity. You are welcomed and transferred to your lagoon-side or overwater accommodation, opening onto the crystal-clear water. The rest of the day is yours to settle into this genuine, unhurried Polynesian paradise, swimming in the lagoon, snorkelling the coral, or simply relaxing on your deck as the sun sets over the water. Taha'a offers a more intimate, authentic glimpse of island life, far from the crowds, and its vanilla-scented tranquillity is a delightful contrast to the drama of Moorea. As you settle in for three nights, the gentle, sensory beauty of the Vanilla Island works its magic.

A day exploring the sensory delights of Taha'a. You visit a vanilla plantation to see how the fragrant pods are hand-pollinated and cured, a fascinating and aromatic experience, and tour a black-pearl farm to learn how Tahiti's famous lustrous pearls are cultivated in the lagoon. But the island's greatest treasure is its coral garden, a shallow channel between two motu where the gentle current carries you, snorkelling, over a dazzling array of coral and tropical fish, one of the finest and most effortless snorkelling experiences in the Pacific, like drifting through a natural aquarium. You might also relax on a motu, enjoy a picnic, and soak up the island's genuine, unhurried atmosphere. Taha'a's blend of vanilla, pearls, coral garden and tranquil beauty makes it a wonderfully distinctive and memorable part of the journey. As the sun sets over the lagoon, enjoy a relaxed dinner of fresh fish and island flavours.

A free day to enjoy the tranquil beauty of Taha'a, or to explore its sacred sister Raiatea across the lagoon. On Taha'a, you might snorkel the coral garden again, relax on a motu, kayak the lagoon, tour more of the vanilla and pearl farms, or simply relax on your deck taking in the peaceful surroundings. Alternatively, a trip to Raiatea, the sacred island and ancient religious heart of Polynesia, lets you visit the Taputapuatea marae, a UNESCO World Heritage Site of profound significance from which the great navigators are said to have set out to settle the Pacific. Taha'a and Raiatea offer an authentic, tranquil and culturally rich glimpse of Polynesian island life and history, far from the crowds. As the sun sets over the shared lagoon in a blaze of colour, enjoy a leisurely dinner and rest ahead of tomorrow's flight to Bora Bora, the incomparable jewel and crowning highlight of your grand journey.

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 spectacular finale of your grand journey, four nights on the most beautiful island on earth.

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. 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 and reflecting on the wonderful grand journey you have made through the beautiful islands of French Polynesia.

A final full day to enjoy the incomparable beauty of Bora Bora before your grand 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 having experienced the very best of French Polynesia, are profound. As evening falls, a special farewell dinner celebrates the days of island bliss and the four beautiful islands you have explored, from the peaks of Moorea to the vanilla of Taha'a and the lagoon of Bora Bora, and you watch one last unforgettable sunset over the water, deeply content.

This morning you bid farewell to Bora Bora and fly back to Tahiti for your final night in French Polynesia. On arrival, you transfer to your hotel, and the afternoon is free to relax by the pool or beach, explore Papeete's market and waterfront for souvenirs, black pearls and crafts, enjoy a final spa treatment, or simply reflect on the wonderful grand journey you have made through the most beautiful islands of the Society archipelago. This evening, a farewell dinner celebrates the full magic of French Polynesia you have experienced, its dramatic peaks, jewel-like lagoons, world-class snorkelling, vanilla and pearls, and warm Polynesian culture. As you toast your grand journey, the beauty of the islands and the warmth of the welcome, which have accompanied you throughout, glow one last time before your departure tomorrow, and you savour your final Polynesian evening.

After a final morning in Tahiti, perhaps a last browse of the market or a swim, you are transferred to the airport for your onward international departure. You leave having truly experienced French Polynesia, the vibrant heart of Tahiti, the dramatic peaks of Moorea, the vanilla-scented tranquillity of Taha'a, 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 coral garden like a natural aquarium, the overwater bungalow framed against Mount Otemanu at sunset. French Polynesia has a way of capturing the hearts of those who visit, and having experienced it in such depth, 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.