Best French Polynesia

Temae Beach offers a beautiful coastal experience in northern Moorea, French Polynesia. Located along a protected lagoon, it’s known for its calm waters ideal for snorkeling and swimming. The beach features scenic views of the reef and distant Tahiti. It is popular with visitors seeking relaxation,...

Tetiaroa Lagoon resides within a coral atoll of French Polynesia. It’s notable for its pristine tropical waters and unique ecological setting. The lagoon is a destination primarily for travelers seeking secluded experiences in the Pacific Ocean, particularly those interested in sustainable tourism a...

Maupiti Lagoon is a protected tropical lagoon situated on the remote atoll island of Maupiti in French Polynesia. Its notable feature is the abundant marine life, particularly manta rays, attracted to the calm, clear waters and surrounding coral reefs. The lagoon offers opportunities for snorkeling...

Rangiroa Lagoon is a vast tropical lagoon situated within the Tuamotu Archipelago of French Polynesia. It’s notable as the second largest atoll lagoon globally offering remarkable biodiversity and diving opportunities. The lagoon's complex geography, including features like Tiputa Pass, supports div...

Fakarava Lagoon is a significant atoll within French Polynesia’s Pacific Ocean. It's recognized as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve due to its exceptional marine biodiversity. The lagoon supports an abundance of coral and fish species including the renowned “Wall of Sharks” formation within Tumakohua Pass...

Matira Beach is a renowned public shoreline located on Bora Bora, French Polynesia. Its significance stems from consistently pristine white sands and a remarkably calm, shallow lagoon ideal for swimming and water activities. The beach’s location at the island's southern point offers spectacular suns...

Moorea Lagoon protects a significant tropical ecosystem surrounding the volcanic island of Moorea in French Polynesia. The lagoon’s notable clarity supports thriving coral reefs and abundant marine life including sharks. It is a popular destination for snorkelers and divers seeking to explore Pacifi...

The Gambier Lagoon is a significant Pacific atoll located within French Polynesia near Mangareva. It’s notable for its role as a crucial location during the 19th-century arrival of Catholic missionaries. The lagoon provides a vital ecosystem and remains important to the local Polynesian population w...

Tikehau Lagoon is a tropical lagoon within the Tuamotu Archipelago of French Polynesia. Its notable feature is a nearly perfect circular atoll structure supporting extensive coral reefs and abundant marine life. The lagoon provides habitat for diverse bird populations and offers opportunities for sn...

The Raiatea-Taha’a Lagoon encompasses a significant portion of the Pacific Ocean shared between the islands of Raiatea and Taha'a in French Polynesia. Its notable features include complex navigable channels and its historical importance as a center for vanilla production, a key ingredient in global...

Niau Lagoon is a remote, closed-atoll lagoon situated within the Tuamotu Archipelago of French Polynesia. Its notable feature is its lack of an ocean entrance, creating a unique and isolated environment. The lagoon offers opportunities for marine observation including shark sightings. It’s primarily...

The Huahine Lagoon is a body of water surrounding the two islands of Huahine in the Society Islands of French Polynesia. It is known for its clear waters and coral reefs, as well as its cultural and archaeological significance. The lagoon contains ancient Polynesian fish traps and underwater stone s...

Manihi is a coral atoll in the Tuamotu Archipelago of French Polynesia, consisting of small islets surrounding a large, deep lagoon. The lagoon is known for black pearl farming, which represents a significant economic activity for the atoll's approximately 700 inhabitants. Manihi holds historical im...

Mataiva Lagoon is a highly distinct body of water located within the Mataiva Atoll in the Tuamotu Archipelago of French Polynesia. It is scientifically recognized for its exceptional internal geography, characterized by a network of approximately 70 deep, submerged sinkholes. These deep basins are a...

Ahe Lagoon is a coral atoll situated in the northern Tuamotu Archipelago of French Polynesia. The atoll features a large central lagoon with passages that facilitate water exchange with the Pacific Ocean. Ahe has become one of French Polynesia's important centers for black pearl cultivation, with nu...

Kaukura Lagoon occupies the interior of Kaukura, a coral atoll in the Tuamotu Archipelago of French Polynesia. The long, narrow atoll encloses an extensive lagoon containing reefs, shallow coral formations, and navigable waters connected to the surrounding Pacific Ocean. Local activity includes fish...

Apataki Lagoon occupies the interior of Apataki, a coral atoll in the Tuamotu Archipelago of French Polynesia. The lagoon communicates with the Pacific through navigable passes and contains reefs, islets, and sheltered waters used for fishing, pearl cultivation, and boat access. It is relevant to sa...

Takapoto is a coral atoll in the Tuamotu Archipelago of French Polynesia, located in the South Pacific Ocean. The atoll is roughly oval in shape and features a closed lagoon with no navigable pass connecting it to the open ocean. The lagoon environment is known for its populations of giant clams and...

Kauehi is a coral atoll in the Tuamotu Archipelago of French Polynesia, located in the central Pacific Ocean. The atoll's large interior lagoon is connected to the open ocean by the Apakou Pass, a navigable channel that allows boat access. The Tuamotu Archipelago is the world's largest chain of cora...

Raroia is a coral atoll located in the Tuamotu Archipelago of French Polynesia in the Pacific Ocean. The atoll consists of a central lagoon encircled by a ring of coral reefs and small islets known as motus. It is historically notable as the endpoint of Thor Heyerdahl's 1947 Kon-Tiki expedition. The...

Arutua Lagoon is a large body of enclosed saltwater situated within Arutua Atoll in the northwestern region of the Tuamotu Archipelago in French Polynesia. The lagoon is entirely surrounded by a continuous triangular ring of coral reef and low-lying land. It connects to the Pacific Ocean through nar...

Anaa Lagoon is a prominent aquatic feature located within the Tuamotu Archipelago of French Polynesia. It encircles the Anaa atoll, which is historically notable for the powerful and destructive tidal bores that frequently struck the island in the 19th century. The lagoon's extensive coral reefs and...

Situated in the Tuamotu Archipelago of French Polynesia, Takaroa Lagoon is notable for its rich phosphate deposits, which were heavily mined during the early 20th century.

Hao Lagoon occupies the interior of Hao Atoll in the Tuamotu Archipelago of French Polynesia. The atoll became an important French military logistics center because its facilities supported operations connected with nuclear testing at Mururoa and Fangataufa, rather than serving as a test site itself...

Located in the southern Tuamotu Archipelago of French Polynesia, Tureia Lagoon is notable for its proximity to the former Fangataufa nuclear test site utilized until 1996.