The Islands of French Polynesia

The Islands of French Polynesia: 118 Lands Between Sky and Ocean

French Polynesia is home to 118 islands and atolls scattered across nearly 5 million square kilometers in the South Pacific, a maritime area comparable in size to Europe. These lands, some volcanic and some coral, are organized into five distinct archipelagos: the Society Islands, the Marquesas, the Tuamotus, the Austral Islands and the Gambier Islands. Each has its own character, landscapes, culture and history.

Of these 118 islands, only 76 are inhabited. The rest remain pristine natural sanctuaries, accessible only by sea. It is this vastness, this singular relationship between ocean and land, that makes French Polynesia a destination like no other. And it is by sea, as the ancient Polynesian navigators did, that one best understands this territory. All our cruises in Polynesia depart from and return to the island of Tahiti, the ideal starting point for exploring each archipelago.

THE 5 ARCHIPELAGOS OF FRENCH POLYNESIA

Today, French Polynesia encompasses five archipelagos in the heart of the great ocean, spread across nearly five million square kilometers. An area as vast as Europe, realm of great whales and ocean depths still untouched. Dry land is scarce here: while all the high islands are inhabited, barely half of the Tuamotu atolls are, fragile ribbons of land set upon the ocean. Reaching them by sea is an experience of pure emotion. It is perhaps the most precious lesson one can take from a journey to the ends of the earth: land here is nothing without the sea.

The Society Islands

The Society Islands are the best-known and most populated archipelago in French Polynesia. They owe their name to Captain James Cook, who named these islands of French Polynesia in honor of the Royal Society of London, which funded his first voyage in 1769. The archipelago comprises 14 islands, divided into two groups: the Windward Islands to the east and the Leeward Islands to the west.

The Windward Islands include Tahiti, Moorea, Maiao, Mehetia and the atoll of Tetiaroa. Tahiti, the largest island in French Polynesia, is home to the capital Papeete, the international airport and the majority of the territory's economic and administrative activity. The Society Islands alone account for approximately 87% of the Polynesian population, over 243,000 inhabitants.

The Leeward Islands, more preserved, rank among the most iconic destinations in the Pacific: Bora Bora and its lagoon of infinite blue hues, Huahine and its archaeological sites, Raiatea, the spiritual cradle of Polynesian culture, Tahaa, Maupiti, as well as the atolls of Manuae, Maupihaa, Motu One and Tupai.

All Aranui cruises depart from Tahiti. Discover our Tahiti cruise for a first glimpse of this archipelago before setting off to explore the most remote islands of French Polynesia.

The Marquesas Islands

Located 1,500 kilometers northeast of Tahiti, the Marquesas Islands form the northernmost archipelago in French Polynesia. The Marquesans call them Te Henua Enata, the "Land of Men." Here, there is no lagoon or coral reef: the islands rise directly from the ocean, with towering cliffs, deep valleys and dense vegetation.

The archipelago comprises 12 islands, of which 6 are inhabited: Nuku Hiva, Ua Pou, Ua Huka, Hiva Oa, Fatu Hiva and Tahuata. Its 9,350 inhabitants occupy an area of approximately 1,000 km². The Marquesas have their own language, their own culture and a strong identity, distinct from the rest of Polynesia. The Marquesan tattoo, recognized worldwide, is the expression of an ancestral tradition that remains very much alive. The archaeological sites are among the most impressive in the Pacific, notably the great stone tiki of Hiva Oa and the ceremonial grounds of Nuku Hiva.

It is this powerful and mystical land that inspired artists such as Paul Gauguin and Jacques Brel, both buried on Hiva Oa. In 2024, the Marquesas were inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, recognizing the outstanding value of their landscapes and culture.

The Marquesas cruise remains the most complete way to discover this archipelago. The Aranui, both cargo ship and cruise vessel, connects Tahiti to all six inhabited islands, continuing the vital role the ship plays in island life.

The Tuamotu Islands

The Tuamotu Islands form an archipelago of 76 coral atolls scattered across more than one million square kilometers of ocean. These atolls, the largest in the world, rise only a few meters above sea level. The total land area barely reaches 775 km² for a population of 15,460.

The best-known atolls are Rangiroa, one of the largest atolls in the world with its immense lagoon, Fakarava, designated a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve for the exceptional richness of its marine life, and Tikehau, renowned for its crystal-clear waters.

The Tuamotu economy relies on two resources: copra and the Tahitian black pearl, cultivated in lagoon pearl farms. For travelers, the Tuamotus are a diving paradise: sharks, manta rays, dolphins and schools of colorful fish populate the passes and lagoons.

Reaching the Tuamotus by sea, as the inhabitants have always done, allows one to experience the vastness of the ocean and the fragility of these lands. The Aranui calls at the Tuamotus on several of its itineraries departing from Tahiti.

The Austral Islands

Located 600 kilometers south of Tahiti, the Austral Islands form the southernmost and most secretive archipelago in French Polynesia. Cooler than the rest of the territory, this archipelago enjoys a mild climate and lush green landscapes that contrast sharply with the typical tropical image.

The archipelago comprises seven islands, of which five are inhabited: Rurutu, Tubuai, Raivavae, Rimatara and Rapa. With fewer than 7,000 inhabitants spread across roughly 150 km² of land, the Austral Islands have remained untouched by mass tourism.

Each island has its own personality. Rurutu is famous for its spectacular limestone caves and for humpback whale watching, as the whales come to breed there between July and November. Tubuai, the largest island in the archipelago, offers rolling agricultural landscapes and an extensive lagoon. Raivavae is often compared to Bora Bora for the beauty of its lagoon, but without the tourist development. Rimatara, the smallest inhabited island, is home to the vini 'ura, an endemic red-feathered lorikeet threatened with extinction. Rapa, the most isolated island perched at the far south, preserves the remains of ancient fortifications unique in Polynesia.

The Austral Islands are also known for their craftsmanship, particularly pandanus weaving and basketry, considered among the finest in French Polynesia. The culture there is vibrant, rooted in traditions preserved by isolation.

In 2027, the Aranoa, the newest ship in the Aranui fleet, will offer cruises dedicated to the Austral Islands. This will be a unique opportunity to discover this pristine archipelago by sea, in unprecedented comfort for this destination.

The Gambier Islands

Located 1,650 kilometers southeast of Tahiti, at the far end of the Tuamotu arc, the Gambier Islands form the most isolated archipelago in French Polynesia. It consists of eight high islands (Mangareva, Aukena, Akamaru and Taravai being the main ones) surrounded by a single vast lagoon, along with a few islets and the atoll of Temoe.

The Gambier are home to approximately 1,400 inhabitants across a total land area of 23 km². Their isolation has preserved an authentic character and a rare tranquility. The great lagoon enclosing all the islands makes it one of the most important pearl farming sites in French Polynesia.

The archipelago also stands out for its architectural heritage left by Catholic missionaries. Between the 1830s and 1870s, Fathers Caret and Laval undertook the construction of a remarkable ensemble of religious buildings, including the Cathedral of Saint Michael in Rikitea, the largest religious building in French Polynesia. These monuments, built with coral and island stone, bear witness to a singular chapter in the history of the Pacific.

The Aranui calls at the Gambier on some of its itineraries, offering one of the rare ways to reach this remote archipelago.

Beyond the 5 Archipelagos: the Cook Islands and Pitcairn

Aranui itineraries extend beyond the five archipelagos of Polynesia. The ship also offers cruises to neighboring destinations in the South Pacific.

The Cook Islands, located west of French Polynesia, share close cultural and linguistic ties with the Society Islands. Rarotonga and Aitutaki rank among the most beautiful islands in the Pacific. The Aranui offers cruises linking French Polynesia to the Cook Islands, a crossing that retraces the ancient Polynesian navigation routes.

Pitcairn Island, east of the Gambier, is one of the most isolated territories in the world. Home to around fifty inhabitants, descendants of the Bounty mutineers, Pitcairn is a rare and history-laden port of call. The Aranui is one of the only ships to call there regularly.

Tahiti and Its Islands, in the Beginning

When nothing existed, Ta'aroa, the creator god, was alone and swam in the void. From this void he created all things: rain, storm and ocean. After that, the great foundations of the earth took shape, then the gods, then mankind. The ocean is everything to the Polynesians. It nourishes and reassures. It also terrifies, when its unleashed waters sweep over the coasts beyond the protective reef. If the ocean takes, it also brings: seeds, plants, vessels, new people. For the Polynesians, the ocean is a language. It is a bond.

After the ancient Polynesians conquered the lands that populate this ocean of islands, from Fenua Enata (Marquesas) to Hawaii in the north, Mangareva (Gambier) and Rapa Nui (Easter Island) in the east, Aotearoa (New Zealand) in the southwest, Polynesian civilization developed at the heart of what came to be called the Polynesian Triangle. The ancients had organized a vast network of exchanges between the archipelagos, long before the Europeans arrived in the Pacific with Magellan (1521), Wallis (1767), Bougainville (1768) and Cook (1769).

Through treaties in the 19th century, 118 islands and atolls became French, forming French Polynesia as we know it today. The South Pacific now harbors the largest natural oceanic reserves in the world, including biosphere reserves such as Fakarava and the Marquesan marine educational areas.

All Aranui cruises depart from and return to the island of Tahiti, where Tahiti-Faa'a International Airport is located.

Explore the islands of French Polynesia aboard the Aranui. View our sailing schedule and rates or request your free brochure to plan your cruise.

THE TREATIES

The kingdoms and principalities that ruled all of the lands of the Polynesian Triangle were not unified prior to the 19th century. However, when the Europeans, especially the English, French and Germans, and later the Americans, imposed their domination over all of the States of Oceania, in their conquest of the world in the 18th and 19th centuries, it was done without consideration to the bonds that united one family to another, its lineage and archipelagoes. Thus, due to agreements and treaties in the 19th century, some archipelagoes of Eastern Polynesia, excluding Rapa Nui (Easter Island) and Pitcairn to the East (relatives of the people of Mangareva), Rarotonga (Cook Islands)
, and the descendants of the people of Raromatai (leeward Islands in the Society archipelago), became French. In all this included 118 high islands and atolls.

THE 5 ARCHIPELAGOES OF FRENCH POLYNESIA

Today, French Polynesia is divided into 5 archipelagoes and covers nearly 5 million square kilometres. The area is as vast as Europe and yet the land above the sea is rare and the ocean depths remain untouched. While all of the high islands are inhabited, less than half of the atolls of the Tuamotu are populated, leaving thin ribbons of fragile land laid out on the ocean as if emerging from the mists of a dream and reaching them by sea creates great excitement. One of the most useful lessons one can learn from a trip on board Aranui 5 to the end of the Worlds is that land here is nothing without the sea. The land must remain a quest, an aspiration. When you have still not seen anything from the ship’s deck but waves and the dense immensity, deep and grey of the infinite horizon, look to the Polynesians busying themselves: they will have instinctively felt the emanations coming from the land, however faint they may be. They will have already seen the palms of the coconut trees breaching the ocean, their languid treetops breaking the waves. They know that the island is there. For you, it will be the promise of an incredible connection with the world. The promise of an island.

Tahiti & the Society islands cruise

This island chain was given its name by Captain Cook, as a tribute to the Royal Society of London who sponsored his first voyage there in 1769.

The Society Islands are separated into two groups: the Windward Islands – with Tahiti (where is found the capital Papeete), Moorea, Maiao, Mehetia and the atoll of Tetiaroa – and the Leeward Islands – with Bora Bora, Huahine, Raiatea, Tahaa, Maupiti and the atolls of Manuae, Maupihaa, Motu One and Tupai.
It is both the demographic and economic heart of French Polynesia, being home to 87% of the population (243,290 inhabitants in 2017) and providing more than 90% of the GDP. Most of the population is installed on the island of Tahiti and the capital Papeete, where is found the International Airport Tahiti Faa’a, the port, and numerous administrative services… All our Polynesian cruises depart and arrive in the island of Tahiti.

Marquesas islands

Sitting 1,500 km (932 mi) northeast of Tahiti, welcome to the Marquesas, the “The Land of Men”. A mythical and mystical land, that has beckoned explorers and has inspired writers, painters and artists for centuries. A rugged and breath-taking landscape of peaks, valleys, plateaus and cliffs. A nation of proud and formidable warriors long ago, distinct from Tahitians, with their own language and culture. The Marquesas islands are a World in themselves.

The Marquesas Islands includes 12 high islands, only six of which are inhabited (Nuku Hiva, Ua Pou, Ua Huka, Hiva Oa, Fatu Hiva and Tahuata) as well as one atoll. The 9,350 inhabitants, living on a land surface of 1,000 km² (386 mi²), represents 3.6% of French Polynesia’s population. The landscapes are spectacular: rocky peaks, imposing cliffs, deep bays, and steep valleys. There are many important archaeological remains including striking stone tiki.

The ancient Marquesan culture – for which tattoos are an important symbol of cultural identity – is expressed through traditional dances (haka) as well as through the art of sculpting wood and stone. Famous occidental artists (Melville, Loti, Gauguin, Brel…) have contributed to making the name of these agricultural islands, notable for their citrus production.

Austral islands

Situated the furthest South, the Austral Islands include five high islands (Raivavae, Rurutu, Tubuai, Rimatara, Rapa) and the atoll of Maria, giving a total land area of 175 km² (68 mi²). Sparsely populated, with only 6,970 inhabitants, the Austral Islands compensate for their isolation by their more temperate climate which permits agricultural production of taro, potatoes, vegetables, and coffee that are exported to Tahiti. On Rurutu, coastal cliffs, formed by uplifted coral reef, are riddled with caves. Tubuai keeps alive the story of the Bounty’s mutineers that tried to settle there, before finally choosing Pitcairn. Among other things, the Austral Islands are also reputed for their crafts, most notably woven hats and tīfaifai.

Tuamotu islands

The Tuamotu Islands are composed of 76 coral atolls that do not rise more than a few metres above sea-level. They are sprinkled across 1 million km² of ocean, making up just 775 km² (299 mi²) of land. The population of 15,460 individuals is just 6.5% of the total French Polynesian population. With their extensive groves of coconut palms, planted in the 19th century, the archipelago’s economy is built around the production of coprah (dried coconut meat, which is sent to Tahiti to make in to coconut oil). The creation of Tahitian cultured pearls has also significantly influenced the inhabitants of Paumotu. The Tuamotu Islands are a real aquarium and an unmissable destination for those who love scuba diving.

Gambier islands

Located 1,650 km (1,025 mi) southeast of the island of Tahiti, extending on from the Tuamotu Islands chain, the Gambier Islands are made up of 8 high islands (the 4 main ones being Aukena, Taravai, Akamaru and Mangareva, with a combined area of 22,8 km² or 9 mi² ), a few islets and an impressive atoll, Temoe. The population of around 1,420 people, since the 19th century, turned this isolation to their advantage by using the huge lagoon, that encircles the 8 islands, in to the largest producer of nacre (mother of pearl). Today it is also one of the main pearl farming centres. On Rikitea, the 19th century Catholic missionaries, Caret and Laval, ordained the building of an impressive architectural complex. Construction took place between 1830 and 1870, included the creation of Saint Michel’s Cathedral, which was recently restored in 2012.

All cruises aboard the Aranui depart from the island of Tahiti and return to the island of Tahiti, where Tahiti Faa'a International Airport is located.