Traveling to French Polynesia - Part II (Huahine)

Huahine, pronounced as "whoo-a-hee-nay", is a hidden gem reachable with just 40 minutes of flight from Tahiti. It is a less traveled island with immense tropical jungle, with a population of approximately just 6,300 people.

Arriving Huahine on a rainy morning

The name Huahine, a variation of the Tahitian word vahine (woman), presumably refers to a mountain ridge resembling the outline of a pregnant woman—a symbol of the island's irrefutable fertility. The island is made up of Huahine Nui (nui means big in Tahitian) and Huahine Iti (iti means small or little in Tahitian) connected by a small bridge (also the longest bridge in Huahine).

The main town is Fare, the most happening place with the biggest supermarket on the island, boasting incredibly beautiful and serene beach.

I spent hours on the beach sunbathing, listening to the gentle waves hitting the shore, swimming in the shallow waters, and repeat. Huahine is a perfect place for complete relaxation.

As you turn your back on the beautiful beach, Huahine is close to lush vegetation. The immense tropical green makes me feel like it's straight out of Jurassic Park. There are also multiple ancient ruins across the island. The entire island makes you feel like you're traveling back in time.

Most of the locals speak only Tahitian and French, despite that, almost every local I met had greeted me "Ia Orana" (Hello in Tahitian) with a warm smile on their faces.

My vehicle in Huahine

Unlike the famed Bora Bora, Huahine doesn't boast shallow lagoons however still picturesque in its own way. What makes it more beautiful is none other than the locals, who live a humble and happy life. As it is not as developed as the other islands, it makes the it a real gem tucked among the hundreds of islands in the South Pacific Ocean.