French Polynesia - Tuamotu & The Society Islands

Sailors come to Fakarava to dive. The world’s most secret scuba spot is a 1,000km² lagoon, on which 1,000 lucky locals fish and play.
The mile-wide Garuae Pass welcomes sailors into the protected lagoon. Ocean currents coax in over 100 species of sea life. Ohotu Reef is renowned for its tuna, rays and deep-water drop-offs. Use the yacht’s underwater camera to capture the kaleidoscopic shallows of Pufana Reef.

Captain Cook spied Toau’s golden sands back in 1774. This effortlessly beautiful coral atoll has been beguiling sailors ever since. With just a handful of inhabitants – and a whole lot of coconuts – the action lies not above the waves, but below. Guests will see an endless UNESCO-protected coral garden on show.
Two peerless dives sites make Toau worth the trip alone. Pacific currents drift through the Otugi Pass. Crew will secure divers to a flexible mooring as silvertips and tuna funnel past. Visibility on the Anse Amyot Wall is second to none. Surgeonfish, butterfly fish, morays and grouper all join in the fun.

Rangiroa means Vast Sky in Tuamotuan. That’s because it’s the second largest atoll in the world. Over 400 motus, islets and sandbars form a 200km ring around a turquoise lagoon. That’s a lot of nodding palm trees. And a lot of empty sand.
Unsurprisingly, Rangiroa’s 1,500km² lagoon is a scuba diving mecca. Hundreds of marine species – including manta rays, green turtles and humphead wrasses – cruise into the shallows for lunch. Your captain can hover near the Tiputa Underwater Pass for this daily sea life procession. Or take the RIB to Dominique Auroy's Vin de Tahiti domaine for a spot of South Sea wine tasting before lunch.

Travel writer Arthur Frommer declared Moorea’s mix of limpid lagoons and rainforest peaks “the most beautiful island in the world”. The twin bays of Opunohu and Cook's on the island's north side are a haven for tropical sea life. Streams, hiking trails and wild jungle tumble from 1,207m-high Mount Tohivea. The sunset views from this dormant volcano are among the finest in the world.
While filming Mutiny on the Bounty in 1962, Marlon Brando fell in love with the neighbouring island of Tetiaroa. The price? Just $200,000. The Brando is now a five-star private island eco resort of 35 beach-edge villas.

Surf’s up on Huahine. Crew lead guests to the outer lagoon by jetski, where endless tubes break over the reef. But leave your Louboutins onboard. Huahine’s golden sands are either beach bum bliss or barefoot chic.
Huahine is actually two islands in one. In true Polynesian simplicity, they’re named Huahine Nui (Big Huahine) and Huahine Iti (Little Huahine). Big Nui boasts tropical lagoons and horse safaris, while little brother Iti hosts jungle temples and outrigger canoe races. Braver guests can walk on water via a sandbar between the two at low tide.

Raiatea means 'faraway heaven'. Never has a name been more apt. The second largest of the Society Islands is more focused on pineapples than tourists, and there’s hardly a soul about.
Unleash your kayaks on the Faaroa River. The only navigable waterway in Polynesia is a whitewater dash under jungle canopy. Waterfalls gush down from Mount Temehani to the seashore. Its lofty summit can be scaled on foot, on horseback or by 4x4. Privacy knows no bounds on the dozen islets in the surrounding bays. Try the sandy speck of Motus, a real-life treasure island.

The morning commute on Taha’a is paradisiacal. Kayak to a powder sand beach then saunter through a vanilla plantation. Braver guests can windsurf to the seldom-visited island of Raiatea. The truly hardcore can swim with Taha’a’s resident pack of friendly sharks. As Herman Melville tells of these mythical islands: “When the clouds floated away, and showed peaks standing like obelisks against the sky, the tears gushed from his eyes.” Such scenes have brought tears to the eyes of many a luxury yacht guest. Literary travellers can read Melville’s tales in their Jacuzzi.

Bora Bora is a den of fine dining and deep water diving. Paradise protected by a perfect barrier reef. Hibiscus and coconut palms drip down from Mount Otemanu. Explore with a 4x4 safari or by amphibious jeep. But it’s the translucent lapping water that makes Bora Bora special. Paddleboard swimming pool shallows. Rays, sharks and dolphins guard the coral grottos of Tupitipiti Point. Crew can upload the day’s underwater images back onboard. For a secret Eden, kayak to the white sands along Bora Bora’s southern shores. Energetic guests can challenge locals at football on the black volcanic coastline of Venus Point Beach.

After breakfast head for the “main island” of Tahiti with your charter yacht. Cruise past the north end of the island and then enter Pape'ete – the bustling capital of French Polynesia. Dock right in the centre of town where guests can walk directly off the yacht straight into the main shopping streets. After a day’s shopping, guests will be collected from the yacht and driven to the nearby international airport.