Imagine golden-sand beaches fringed with coconut trees, sun-kissed emerald lagoons, razor-sharp mountains where white clouds gather… For many of us, French Polynesia recalls a pure and mesmerizing Garden of Eden lost in the South Pacific Ocean.

It is actually made of five archipelagos and 18 islands scattered like confetti over a surface as big as Europe, more than 5 000 km away from the next continent.

In 1768, the day he got close to Tahiti for the first time, French explorer Bougainville is said to have cried out: “This is heaven on earth!”. There at least is one truth here: French Polynesia is an underwater heaven. Every visitor gets the chance to dive in warm, clear waters and meet stingrays, sharks, and multicolored fish.

Snorkeling destinations in French Polynesia

Tahiti and the Society Islands

(16 spots online)

In 1768, the day he got close to Tahiti for the first time, French explorer Bougainville is said to have said: “this is heaven on earth!”. There at least is one truth here: French Polynesia is an underwater paradise. With its 14 dream islands (Tahiti, Moorea and Bora Bora being the most well-known), (...)
Tuamotu Islands

(9 spots online)

The Tuamotu Islands, a remote, pristine archipelago, scarcely touched by the outside world, offers some of the best snorkeling in the South Pacific. The archipelago sit on the eastern part of French Polynesia, with 77 atolls spanning a distance of over 900 miles. The most visited atolls are Rangiroa (...)

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