Things to do in French Polynesia
The unmissables
Most booked
Moorea: Lagoon Snorkeling Tour & Motu Cooking Class with Lunch★ 4.92 (1,907) · 5h–6h
Top rated
Bora Bora: Full Day Lagoon Tour with Snorkeling & Motu Lunch★ 4.96 (1,691) · 6h
Best value
Tahiti Island Tour: West & East Coast with 6 Sites★ 4.89 (1,256) · 5h
Recommended (7)
Bora Bora: Reef Snorkeling with Manta Rays & Eagle Rays★ 4.96 (1,036) · 3h 30mUS$ 137View ›
Moorea 4WD tour: Pineapple farm, distillery & dual bays★ 4.88 (1,021) · 4hUS$ 67View ›
Moorea Snorkeling: Lagoon & Rays Small Group Half-Day★ 5.00 (1,007) · 4hUS$ 114View ›
Moorea: Magic Mountain & Belvedere Lookout Small Group Tour★ 4.90 (889) · 4hUS$ 64View ›
Bora Bora snorkeling tour: 3 or 4 lagoon sites, small groups★ 4.96 (765) · 3h 30mUS$ 130View ›
Moorea: Glass Bottom Boat Snorkeling & Private Motu Lunch★ 4.93 (752) · 5hUS$ 167View ›
Bora Bora Lagoon Cruise: Snorkel with Sharks and Stingrays★ 4.82 (717) · 6hUS$ 157View ›Top rated (10)
Moorea: Private Half Day Tour with Magic Mountain & BelvedereYou’ll wind up Magic Mountain for wild views over Moorea, taste homemade jams under the trees, wander muddy pineapple fields, and get stories from a local guide who seems to know everyone. Expect laughter, real flavors, and maybe even lose your hat if you’re not careful.
Papeete Food Tour: Raw Fish Breakfast & Market TastingsYou’ll start your morning in Papeete with a local guide and a bowl of raw fish in coconut milk for breakfast. Wander through colorful market stalls, taste snacks from your guide’s childhood, and hear stories about Tahiti’s culture as you go. Expect laughter over new flavors, hands sticky from fresh fruit, and a real sense of what daily life tastes like here.
Bora Bora ATV & Jet Ski Combo: Full Day with Motu LunchYou ride an ATV up through Bora Bora's interior for three hours—crater views, World War II cannons, and a working vanilla plantation where you taste the harvest. Then you switch to a jet ski for two hours circling the island and the lagoon center. Lunch is grilled fish and chicken on a motu, with local sweets and coconut. A native guide leads both legs, sharing island stories and culture. The full day means you're not rushed; you get both the high ground and the water in one outing.Is it for me?Right for travelers who want both the island's interior and its lagoon in a single day without arranging two separate outings—the full-day format is what lets you do the volcano, the plantation, and the water loop without feeling rushed. Plan for a physically active day with steep ATV sections and jet ski handling; it suits most fitness levels, but check the health restrictions first.
Tahiti Private Island Tour: Waterfalls & Black Sand BeachYou drive Tahiti's coasts in a private air-conditioned van, stopping at six landmarks: an archaeological site, a freshwater grotto, tropical gardens, waterfalls, a blow hole, and Venus Point with its Stevenson lighthouse and black sand beach. Your guide provides commentary at each stop, water is included, and restrooms are available throughout. The five-hour loop covers both sides of the island without requiring you to arrange separate transport or entry tickets.Is it for me?Book this if you want to see Tahiti's main natural and historical landmarks in one morning or afternoon without arranging separate transport, entry fees, or timing — the five-hour loop and small group size (max 6 people) mean you spend time at each stop instead of rushing between them.
Moorea Private Lagoon Boat Tour & Snorkeling with PhotosYou’ll float in Moorea’s lagoon beside stingrays and reef sharks, snorkel over bright coral with your guide nearby, snack on local fruit in salty air, and get GoPro photos so you can actually be present instead of fiddling with your phone. It’s relaxed, personal—sometimes funny—and leaves you thinking about that soft blue light long after you’re back on land.
Polynesian Culinary Workshop in Paopao Valley, MooreaA Polynesian culinary workshop in Paopao Valley, Moorea, where you make raw fish in coconut milk, po'e (fruit dessert) and coconut bread in a professional kitchen space next to a production laboratory, then share the meal you've prepared. The session runs about three and a half hours and includes all ingredients, lunch, snacks, coffee and tea. Children are welcome from age 7, and guides Stevenson and Audrey teach in English, Spanish or French.Is it for me?The three and a half hour session leaves the rest of your day free, so it fits easily into a morning or afternoon without consuming the whole day. If you want to cook and eat rather than watch a demonstration, this hands-on format is the difference—you make the dishes yourself, not observe someone else making them.
Bora Bora: ATV Island Tour, WWII Sites & Fruit TastingYou’ll zip through Bora Bora’s heart on an ATV tour with a local guide, climb up for wild lagoon views, sample fresh island fruits right from a family plot, and wander among WWII relics above Faanui Bay. Expect laughter, ocean air in your lungs, and moments that stick with you long after you leave.
Va'a sailing tour in Moorea: Traditional Polynesian canoeA 4-hour sailing tour on a traditional va'a in Moorea's lagoon where you take part in hoisting sails and steering the double-hulled canoe while your guide shares stories of Polynesian seafaring. The boat was hand-built over four years and is the first double-sail va'a approved in Polynesia. Morning and afternoon departures available; snorkeling gear, drinks and local snacks included; suitable for ages 4 and up with no sailing experience needed.Is it for me?Handle the va'a yourself, learn traditional sailing techniques, and discover hidden lagoon spots where you'll anchor to snorkel and taste local food—the ocean becomes your experience, not your scenery.
Bora Bora Lagoon Snorkeling: Private Boat, 3.5 HoursA 3.5-hour private snorkeling tour of Bora Bora's lagoon by boat, with hotel pickup included, stops at 3–5 locations where you choose how long to stay at each. You'll see manta rays, eagle rays, sharks, moray eels and coral gardens in their natural habitat, with all snorkeling gear, towels and light refreshments provided; the boat carries a small cabin for shelter and dry storage.Is it for me?The private boat means you're not waiting for a group or moving on anyone else's schedule — linger at a coral garden or follow a manta ray as long as you want, then move to the next spot when you're ready.
Moorea Street Food Tour: 10-12 Tastings & Local SpotsYou get picked up from your hotel, spend four to five hours tasting 10-12 local dishes from Tahitian, Chinese, and French vendors with a native guide, and return with a real sense of how Moorea eats. All tastings and transport are included, and the small group size means you're not rushing between stops.Is it for me?Book this if you want to eat like a local without figuring out where locals actually eat — the small group and native guide are what make the difference between a food tour and a real neighborhood walk.
Lowest price (10)
Moorea: Transparent Kayak Lagoon Tour & Snorkeling StopsYou’ll paddle a transparent kayak across Moorea’s lagoon, watching fish and rays glide beneath you while your local guide shares stories and points out hidden coral spots. There’s time to snorkel among tropical fish, taste fresh fruit or homemade cake, and maybe even sip a cocktail if you choose the longer tour—leaving you with salt on your skin and those wild colors stuck in your mind.
Papeete Walking Tour: Tahiti History & CultureA two-hour guided walking tour of Papeete, Tahiti, led by a local guide in English or French, covering the market, Town Hall, Territorial Assembly and surrounding neighborhoods. The route includes three itinerary options: the back of the city with street art and religious schools, the center with Notre Dame Cathedral and government areas, or the seafront with the port and Pā'ofa'i garden. The tour ends at Tu Marama Place on the waterfront near restaurants overlooking Moorea Island. Tours are customizable and wheelchair accessible.Is it for me?Book this tour if you want to understand Papeete's real history and identity beyond the surface—a local guide who knows the forgotten stories makes the difference between a quick walk and an actual education about how the city came together.
Moorea 4WD Shore Excursion: Bays & Pineapple DistilleryYou get picked up at the cruise pier, driven through pineapple valleys and up to two clifftop viewpoints overlooking both bays, then stop at the island's only distillery to taste local fruit products. The 4-hour excursion is timed to your ship's arrival and departure, so you don't have to negotiate your own return — the guide handles it.Is it for me?Book this if your ship stops in Moorea and you want the main viewpoints and interior valleys without arranging your own transport or worrying about missing the boat — the fixed timing is what makes a full island loop possible in a port day.
Moorea: Half-Day Small Group Tour, Bays & Fruit TastingYou’ll ride through Moorea’s dramatic bays with a local guide, hear island legends at Belvedere Lookout, walk among ancient marae stones by the river, taste fresh tropical fruits at Opunohu Agriculture School, and sample juices at Rotui factory—all in half a day. Expect laughter, new flavors, and moments that linger long after you return.
Bora Bora: 4WD Island Tour with WWII Sites & Local FarmYou’ll circle Bora Bora by 4WD with a local guide, stopping at WWII canons hidden in lush hillsides and meeting artisans who make sarongs by hand. Taste fresh fruit at a small family plantation and catch glimpses of daily island life along the way. Expect salty breezes, easy laughter, and moments that stick with you long after you leave.
Moorea: Afareaitu Waterfall Hike & Fruit TastingYou hike a stony, flower-lined trail through Moorea's sacred valley to Afareaitu Waterfall, swimming in natural pools and exploring ancient temple remains with a guide who explains Polynesian legends and plant uses along the way. Fresh fruit tasting by the river is included, and all entry fees are covered — you just show up with good shoes and a swimsuit.Is it for me?Pick this if you want to see Moorea's interior and swim at a real waterfall without spending a full day hiking — the four-hour format fits a morning or afternoon and leaves your other half-day free, while the guide handles the history and navigation so you just walk and swim.
Snorkeling in Moorea: Private E-Board lagoon excursionA private E-Board excursion in Moorea's lagoon with a qualified guide, snorkeling stops at the coral garden, and photos and videos delivered the same day. The E-Board offers exceptional stability and a different vantage on the seabed than traditional snorkeling. Excursions are personalized to all fitness levels, and children from age 7 can join (under 10 can ride with an adult on one board). Non-alcoholic drinks are included.Is it for me?The guide speaks English or French, so choose the language that works for you when you book. The E-Board's stability and personalized pacing suit all fitness levels, from first-timers to confident water travelers—you're not racing or keeping up with a group pace.
Snorkeling Tahiti: Wrecks and tropical fish in a small groupSmall-group snorkeling in Tahiti at a wreck site called The Aquarium, with a maximum of five people per departure. You cruise ten minutes from Marina Taina into the lagoon, snorkel for around 70 minutes among three wrecks (one plane and two boats) and tropical fish, then return to the marina. Your guide speaks English or French and provides all snorkeling equipment and underwater photos by email.Is it for me?The five-person maximum means you're snorkeling with a small group instead of a crowded boat, which keeps the water uncrowded and the guide's attention distributed. The ten-minute boat ride from Marina Taina leaves most of your afternoon free, so this works if you want snorkeling without a full-day commitment.
Bora Bora: 4x4 Island Safari Tour with Artist Visit & Fruit TastingYou’ll meet local artists in their home studio, taste fruit straight from the trees in Faanui Valley, bounce along hidden tracks by 4x4 with your guide sharing stories, and pause at an exclusive panoramic lookout over Bora Bora’s lagoon. Expect laughter, real conversation, and moments that stick with you long after you leave.
Moorea: Underwater Helmet Walk & Lagoon Fish ExperienceYou’ll step straight into Moorea’s lagoon wearing a special diving helmet—no swimming skills needed—guided by a local instructor who keeps things relaxed. Expect close-up encounters with colorful fish, gentle coral gardens beneath your feet, and that odd but peaceful feeling of hearing only your own breath underwater.
