How to get to Polynesia

Traveling to French Polynesia (The Islands of Tahiti). The traditional Polynesian navigation has been used for thousands of years to undertake long journeys over thousands of kilometres of the open Pacific.

Free-of-charge tourist guidebook for Polynesia, France-Polynesia

Comprising 118 isolated isles that make up Polynesia, Tahiti has long seduced the outsider with its promises of sluggish sensuousness, lazy oceans and light-hearted holidays. Situated in a five-star hotel, Polynesia has recently become the Holy Grail of luxurious itineraries. Visitors to the secluded Marquesas Isles of Polynesia in France are looking for authentic Polynesia, but the "true Tahiti" is closer.

This could be just around the corner from your residence in a guesthouse or on a privately owned island off the coasts of Tahiti and Bora Bora. The Tuamotu group's island is a deep-water, deep-water, deep-watered, deep-water sanctuary full of lagoons full of delphins, pelagic shark, and mantas.

ARIl MOANA Motu Tehotu, Bora Bora Bora Bora (00 689 603 130; www.fourseasons.com/borabora). Aii Moana is one of the two Four Seasons Bora Bora dining rooms (see Where to Stay), a romantically decorated fish place with a view of the lagoon's calm water. It' s ingenious Polynesian, led by head cook Gilles Arzur. MAUARII HOUHINE mauarii houhine boarding house (00 689 688649; www.mauarii.com).

The busy beach restataurant in the pension Mauarii (see overnight stay) is a favourite destination for yachty and backpacker tourists. This dilapidated timber structure, named after its impressive proprietor Edna's, is home to one of the real delicacies of the gourmets of French Polynesia. 2. Quite a sophisticated little eatery in the Relais de Joséphine family ( "Hotel Relais de Joséphine"), a favourite of Rangiroa's overseas population.

STAILING The Ti'a Moana cruise with Bora Bora Cruises (www.boraboracruises.com) takes one weeks and visits Bora Bora and the three other Society Group islands: Once the headquarters of the King's might on the Society Isles, this place, an hour's ride from the international airports, has been wonderfully renovated.

PHARKFEEDING Swimming or nourishing your favourite game. Swim with electric ray For the snorkeler who has already sprayed around with the dolphin and thatch. We can organize an outing for you in your hotels or guesthouses. There are many colourful and frisky little babies - you can even see their mother with them.

Flood is sweeping scuba diver (as well as shark and dolphin) into the lake. In the Society Isles just to the south of the Equator, high temperature and moisture levels prevail throughout the year, with most rainfall in the tropics between November and April. APPROACH Large carriers arrive in Tahiti's capitol Papeete, from where domestic services to the other eight inhabited isles.

Air Lines from the UK Tahiti is a two days trip from the UK to Los Angeles and on to Papeete with Air Tahiti Nui (www.airtahitinui.com). We have many Franco Polynesian literature to read: A report on the discovery of Tahiti by George Robertson (Folio Society); transit of Venus: