Traditional sports and leisure activities
Dancing. Forbidden in 1819 by the Pomaré family, dancing became a leisure activity in French Polynesia at the beginning of the 20th century. In 1956, Madeleine Moua created Heiva Tahiti, a dance troupe that brought together some of the island's most beautiful women. Since then, dance schools have sprung up, and anyone can learn to dance one of the expressive dances such as the Paoa, the Hivinau, the Aparima, or the O'te'a, as well as the sensual wiggle of the tamure. Dance competitions are always held, especially during the Heiva festivities, allowing all Polynesians to combine improvisation while respecting the ancestral values that characterize Polynesian dance. In addition, the various "Soirée Merveilleuse" at Intercontinental hotels offer magnificent dances, the one featuring the famous Ballet de Tahiti being the most famous and probably one of the best in Polynesia. But most luxury hotels offer a traditional dance performance, usually on Friday or Saturday night. Otherwise, the Tiki Village, in Moorea, is not to be missed.
Canoeing. The Hawaiki Nui race brings to a climax the Polynesian craze for the sport of deep-sea canoeing. Considered as the most spectacular of the sea competitions, it is very difficult and takes place in three stages: Huahine-Raiatea, Raiatea-Tahaa, Tahaa-Bora Bora. On each island, it is not uncommon to come across courageous athletes who train along a calm lagoon or face the waves and currents of the ocean to improve their skills.
Scuba diving, the main activity
Scuba diving remains one of the main attractions in French Polynesia. If the locals dive a lot, travellers also want to discover the sea bed, especially since the aquatic fauna is very rich here. Lemon sharks, white or black tip sharks, eagle rays, stingrays, tigers or mantas, butterfly fish, dolphins... So many legendary animals that cannot leave the traveller indifferent. In Tahiti, Moorea and Bora-Bora, in particular, there is also an attraction for those who cannot swim. With the help of a helmet connected to air bottles on the surface, it is possible to walk on the bottom of the water, in complete safety, accompanied by an instructor. An original and fun idea!
Perfect conditions. In Polynesia, you can dive all year round. The water is simply warmer in summer, or rainy season, even if you should not expect floods like monsoon. The water temperature varies from 25 to 30 °C. Visibility is generally 25 to 50 m. In any case, the spectacle is magnificent: in addition to the fauna, one can observe gorgonian gorgonian-covered drop-offs, wrecks... or watch grouper reproduction and meet humpback whales (from July to October in the latter case, especially in the Austral Islands).
Almost all the dives are open to level 1 and Open Water Dive divers; we go down between 5 and 30 m, up to 50 m if you are at the corresponding level.
There is an inter-island evacuation system in Tahiti, which allows, in case of problem, to be treated in emergency (multi-place decompression chamber available). Some centers ask to see a medical certificate, others do not: adequate insurance is therefore recommended. On the other hand, your logbook and your diving diplomas are imperative: PADI, CMAS, SSI, NAUI... Equipment is provided (masks, snorkels, belts, weights, stabilizer vest and regulator), generally of good quality, even if experienced divers always prefer to bring their own equipment: an excess baggage allowance of 5 kg is granted on Air Tahiti flights, upon presentation of a diving diploma and passport. Good to know!
In Tahiti (Windward Islands), make way for a little-known, yet attractive bottom. Wrecks (wooden schooner sunk in 1976, Catalina seaplane sunk in 1962), vertiginous and colourful drop offs, coral gardens welcome a rather rich and varied fauna. Children's dives are possible and you can spend your first dive there. The stars of the area are the sharks, visible all year round and the whales, from July to November.
In Moorea (Windward Islands), the warm and clear water shelters an abundant fauna (turtles, moray eels, jacks, triggerfish). If shark feeding (feeding sharks in the reefs) has been practiced for a long time, it is no longer popular. But there is plenty to do, with lemon sharks and turtles visible all year round and humpback whales from July to November
In Bora-Bora (Leeward Islands), it's time to discover the ballet of manta rays, leopard rays and eagle rays all year round in the lagoons. Otherwise? You can meet lemon sharks, black tip sharks, grey sharks or humpback whales from August to November
In Rangiroa (Tuamotu), one of the three largest atolls in the world, pelagic, manta rays (from July to October), hammerhead sharks (from November to April), eagle rays (idem), grey sharks (from May to June), schools of jacks, barracudas or dolphins receive without appointment
At Fakarava (Tuamotu), classified as a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO, you can dive anywhere in the lagoon which is barely more than 40 m deep. Of the atoll's five major spots, four are concentrated in the north and one in the south. The most intense dives are in the Garuae and Tumakohua passes. Here you can encounter all the fish of the Tuamotu: barracudas, groupers, loaches, manta rays, eagle rays, grey sharks, hammerhead sharks, dolphins and turtles, not forgetting the sumptuous corals.
In Nuku Hiva (Marquesas Islands), the absence of a lagoon makes the dives more dependent on the vagaries of the weather than in the other archipelagos. Loaded with plankton, the water is easily disturbed by swell swells, which can reduce visibility to 10 to 20 m. But the Marquesas Islands are so vast and unexplored that most fish have never seen a diver's bubbles before and more than a dozen exceptional sites have been identified.
Meeting the whales
Polynesia is one of the last destinations in the world to allow whale snorkeling. If Rurutu, on the Austral archipelago, remains "the whale destination" par excellence (cetaceans giving birth in its waters every year from July to October), they are also becoming more and more frequent elsewhere, notably in Tahiti and Moorea. Many providers offer this exceptional excursion, but choose a serious guide
The beach, the beach, the beach
Polynesia is obviously synonymous with beach! If tourists flock there every day of the week, the Polynesians generally take advantage of their weekends to go and spread their towels. In Tahiti, the majority of public beaches fill up with people on this occasion, especially at Pointe Vénus. Everyone can then combine relaxation and pleasure, while meeting their neighbors. In addition, service providers offer all the latest water sports, such as jet-skiing, water-skiing, surfing and kitesurfing, towed buoys and more.
Dream cruises
Most of the islands in the archipelago offer deep, protected bays for boaters, so anchoring is fairly easy. It is also possible to anchor near the outer reefs, often bordered by vast expanses of sand on the lagoon side; their shallow depths and coral massifs guarantee a safe anchorage in principle.
Sailing between the islands is fairly easy, with the trade winds blowing from east to west. From July to September, the maaramu, a southerly wind, can reach a force of 6 to 7 (25 to 30 knots).
The sea becomes short and choppy, especially in the hoa, the channels between the islands. At this time, especially in the Tuamotu, don't tempt the devil, the southern passes are almost impassable. The north wind, known as toerau
, can blow almost as hard from December to February. The passes are then just as dangerous to cross. And for those who don't have the skills to take the helm, a cruise is a fascinating experience as close as possible to the paradisiacal reality of Polynesia... We list in this guide the luxurious cruises; it is possibly possible to embark on board small sailing boats, also mentioned. Finally, the Aranui 5 offers a mythical two-week cruise from Tahiti to the Marquesas. In short, there is something for everyone... but perhaps not for everyone's pocket!On land too, the big show
Don't neglect the inland and the heights! You risk missing out on Polynesia's other real treasure. Green tourism is only in its infancy, you'll be quiet on the trails... waiting for the riot when the general public will finally (perhaps) discover these incredible natural beauties. It will then be too late to fully enjoy them..
Hiking. The high islands remain a paradise for hiking. Very few travelers know the extraordinary potential offered by Polynesia for hikers, which would make Madeira or Reunion Island pale in jealousy.
Deep and torn valleys, lost waterfalls, lush tropical vegetation, ridge lines from which the infinite lagoons and the ocean can be contemplated, breathtaking panoramas, peaks sometimes over 2,000 m high, wild creeks, steep cliffs... The spectacle of nature is magnificent. Some trails are made difficult by river crossings, slippery, root-covered dirt roads and particularly brittle volcanic rocks.
Guides and organizations offer walks for all types of hikers, whether you are a novice or an accomplished sportsman. In Tahiti, more than thirty itineraries have been identified, but very few are officially marked. In most cases, a guide is necessary, because no real marking exists, no topoguide is published, and no official service maintains the trails (not to mention the problems of joint ownership and ownership of the land crossed). Vegetation and flooding are also a permanent problem, so that everything evolves very quickly on the heights of Tahiti! About ten trails are also available in Moorea. Finally, the Marquesas are also a real sanctuary for walking.
Horse riding. Some providers offer unforgettable horseback riding excursions on beautiful wild beaches or in the lush tropical vegetation of the islands. We particularly recommend Moorea, Huahine, Rurutu and the Marquesas Islands, of course
Cycling. In general around the islands, a simple back-pedal bicycle is sufficient; inland, a mountain bike with gears will be more suitable. This gives way to breathtaking nature at every bend.
