Polynesia, a haven of beauty at the end of the world

A timeless cruise through sublime landscapes of lagoons, atolls, majestic mountains and
magical seabeds.

In brief

Polynesia's 118 islands are divided into 5 archipelagos with names that invite reverie: Les Iles de la Société, les Tuamotu, les Marquises, les Australes, les Gambier.

The Society Islands comprise the Windward Islands (Tahiti, Moorea, Maiao, Mehetia and Tetiaroa atoll) and the Leeward Islands (Bora-Bora, Huahine, Maupiti, Raiatea, Taha'a plus 4 atolls). At 4,000 km from the mainland, these islands at the end of the world are protected from the crowds and offer untamed nature. A Polynesian cruise is a timeless voyage through landscapes of lagoons, majestic mountains and magical seabeds. It's also a plunge into an authentic culture inherited from our ancestors. Life is punctuated by music, dance, crafts and Polynesian cuisine, which holds a very special place.

Maeva in Polynesia!

Information before you leave

When to go?

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Local life and activities

The climate

Polynesia enjoys a pleasant tropical climate all year round. Overall, the sunshine rate is exceptional, approaching 3,000 hours a year in the Tuamotu Islands, one of the highest in the world.

However, two seasons stand out:

-the "cool" dry season or austral winter, from March to November, with temperatures between 21 and 27°C

-the "hot" wet season or austral summer offers warmer temperatures ranging from 25 to 35°C, but the trade winds cool the atmosphere. Days are punctuated by rain, but there are plenty of sunny spells.

However, this very simple distinction of the seasonal cycle does not apply rigorously to all islands, due to Polynesia's great latitudinal extent.

For example, the Company's climate is tropical and humid, with a marked annual cycle.

Closer to the equator, the Marquesas Islands enjoy a drier summer and a winter with frequent rainfall.

Because of their distance from the equator, the Gambier and Austral islands enjoy cooler temperatures in winter.

Prevailing winds

Polynesia is subject to trade winds. East wind regime - north-east to south-east trade winds

In the Society and Tuamotu archipelagos, the toerau, a northeasterly wind, occasionally blows during the rainy season with a northerly swell.

In the cool season, the mara'amu can blow, with a southerly wind that can reach a force of 6 to 7 in July-August and a south-south-westerly swell.

Swimming

Swimming is possible all year round in Polynesia. Temperature differences between day and night are minimal, and the water temperature is constant and extremely pleasant, varying between 26°C and 29°C.

Formalities

Valid passport for French, Belgian and Swiss nationals. For other nationalities, please contact the relevant authorities.

Make sure you have a passport with the required or sufficient number of blank pages (usually 3, with 2 facing each other).

If your trip involves transiting the United States, you'll need an ESTA https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/

Visa: European Union citizens do not need a visa for stays of less than three months.

Administrative formalities France Côte d'Azur

Boating license

A Pleasure Craft license is required to pilot a pleasure craft at sea as soon as the actual power of the engine(s) exceeds 4.5 kilowatts (i.e. 6 HP).

Carte mer: This allows daylight navigation only, within 5 miles of a shelter, aboard a vessel with engine power greater than 6 hp and a gross tonnage less than or equal to 2 tons.

Coastal license: Allows day and night navigation, within 5 miles of a shelter.
It is compulsory for all sailing aboard a vessel with engine power over 6 hp.

Offshore sailing license: Allows day and night navigation, without distance limitation.
It is compulsory for all sailing aboard a vessel with engine power over 6 hp.

In all cases, if you are renting a catamaran without a skipper, you will be asked to provide a nautical CV to prove your experience of sailing a houseboat.

To know more

Currency and exchange rates: The currency is the Pacific franc (XPF or F.CFP).

1 Euro = 119.33 F.CFP

You can easily exchange your money for cash at the exchange office at Faa'a airport. ATMs are also available.

Credit cards are generally accepted in most hotels, restaurants and stores on the main islands. However, in markets, small stores and less-frequented islands, the use of credit cards is limited. Bring cash with you.

Time difference: The GMT network in French Polynesia is -10 hours GMT and -9.5 hours GMT in the Marquesas. When Europe is on winter time, there is an 11-hour time difference. So when it's 2 p.m. in Paris, it's 3 a.m. in Papeete.

Important contacts : SAMU 15 / At sea (VHF/Tel) 16 / Police rescue 17 / Fire brigade 18

Language: French is the official language. There are also 7 Polynesian languages: Tahitian, Austral, Rapa, Mangarevian, Pa'umotu, Marquesan and Ra'ivavae. These languages themselves have several dialects.

Polynesian cuisine

Vanilla, coconut milk, taro, uru (breadfruit) and fe'i (cooked plantain) are present in many Polynesian recipes.

Freshly caught seafood is a must, and of the highest quality. Meats such as pork, poultry and beef are also used.

Polynesians use the ahimā΄a, a traditional stone oven for steaming. The ahi'i ma'a consists of wrapping dishes in banana leaves to let them cook in the earth using hot stone and sand.

For dessert, try po'e with cassava, banana, pumpkin or papaya and coconut milk. coconut milk. And for snacks or breakfast, firi firi, a kind of doughnut made from flour and coconut, is a must.

Snorkeling

In Polynesia, you'll dive into a magical world of colorful coral reefs, schools of tropical fish such as clownfish and butterflyfish, majestic manta rays, elegant green turtles and blacktip sharks. Sometimes your observations will be made from the deck of the catamaran.

Whether you're in the Society, Tuamotu or Austral archipelagos, you'll have the chance to see countless corals, Polynesia's essential underwater ecosystem. There are over 1,000 varieties of fish and 150 species of coral.

The island of Rangiroa in the Tuamotu archipelago is the second largest coral atoll in the world.

A few tips for snorkeling: don't hit the coral with your fins, and observe without touching.

Arts and crafts

Polynesian culture is rich in ancestral know-how and legends that give rhythm to life. French Polynesia was settled just over 1,000 years ago by migrants from Southeast Asia, who came to settle throughout the Pacific. Similarities can be found throughout the "Polynesian Triangle", from Hawaii to Easter Island and New Zealand.

Some examples of Polynesian arts and crafts:

Mono'i, the famous oil made from fresh tiare flowers and coconut oil, is a must-have beauty product in Polynesia.

-In the Marquesas Islands, carving and engraving on animal bones, wood and stone.

- Tahitian pearls are found in jewelry, decorative objects and clothing.

-Tahitian tiare, frangipani and bougainvillea wreaths.

-Dating back to the first waves of settlement,tattooing was a sacred symbol and a social marker as well as a form of identification. Tattooing is still very much alive on the islands.

- Tahitian dance, or 'Ori tahiti, is a powerful symbol of Polynesian culture, with the sound of harmonic voices, traditional drums, chants and conch calls.

Polynesia in pictures

Catamaran cruise in Moorea, Tahiti, Polynesia

The itineraries and anchorages we suggest are given for information only.

They can be adapted to suit your desires, weather and anchorage conditions (crowds, accessibility) and your departure base.

In the case of a skippered charter, the skipper, who is responsible for the smooth running of your cruise, will decide on the best navigation options in exchange with you.