Finding Tranquility on Huahine, French Polynesia

Tucked away in French Polynesia’s Society Islands, Huahine feels like the South Pacific’s best-kept secret. It was my favorite of the 5 Society Islands that I visited while taking a Windstar small ship cruise. Small ships are usually the only way to get here, as there aren’t any ports for larger cruise ships. Often overshadowed by its more famous neighbors like Bora Bora and Moorea, Huahine is a breath-taking, laid-back island with peaceful lagoons offering a peaceful escape. It is comprised of only eight small villages with 5000 residents and has very few tourists. Fare Beach is one of French Polynesia’s best beaches and it is not rare to have it all to yourself. Since there aren’t any large resorts, it means you won’t find crowds of people blocking you from enjoying something. There are only a couple of hotels on the island, so it was nice to have our accommodation be a luxury 300 passenger yacht that was small enough to pull into the harbor that other ships could not.

The scenery was beyond my wildest imagination with the lush green jungles and turquoise waters. When you think of a tranquil island getaway, this is probably the closest thing to whatever your imagination can come up with. Our guide told us that Huahine was the hardest hit island during the covid pandemic. They do not get the regular tourism other islands normally receive, so the residents found themselves reverting to the old teachings that they learned from their ancestors. Each village would assign jobs, such as who would hunt, who would fish, who would go to the mainland of Tahiti to try to sell vegetables and fruits. I was fascinated upon hearing all of the stories; they truly are amazing survivors. The island itself offers wonderful vanilla plantations as well as many ancient ruins that are considered some of the world’s most important Polynesian sites. There is a lot to do on this island from hiking, bicycling, watersports and some of the best snorkeling and scuba you will find on the planet. You can even go with an experienced guide to see the sacred blue eyed eels in the river. Whether you’re biking through tiny villages, wandering through ancient marae (sacred temples), or chatting with locals at the daily market, Huahine welcomes you with a sense of connection and calm that’s hard to find anywhere else.

Don’t forget to check back for the next adventure, Away From the Crowds.