You Don’t Need to Go Far to Find Beauty Everywhere in Tahiti

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Day 49, 2026 Grand World Voyage

Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026; Papeete, Tahiti.

I expected to once again find Tahiti’s beauty in its luscious tropical flowers.

Or its vegetation-covered volcanic peaks soaring above turquoise water.

Or even the street art and French-inspired architecture of this capital city.

Instead, when it came time to paint, I was drawn to the container port across the harbor from the cruise ship pier. Leave it to this distant piece of France to bring beauty by simply indulging in colorful paint.

After spending seven days sailing west from South America – broken up by a day on Easter Island and a ship day when residents of Pitcairn Island came to us – we have reached the tropical islands of French Polynesia.

When many of us think of the South Pacific or Polynesia, we think of the French Polynesian islands. Actually, they are just the most eastern of those we come to as we sail west from Chile. On other cruises, we’ve sailed southwest from Peru or even south from Hawaii to many islands and countries scattered across the South Pacific Ocean – Nuku Hiva, Samoa, Fiji, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, Tonga, Rarotonga. In 2024, we even went west from Hawaii to Guam and Saipan.

I would argue that French Polynesia has the most beautiful of the South Pacific islands. I’ve yet to visit Bora Bora (it’s coming up in a few days), but Moorea, with its “Bali Hai” peak, resorts spreading over the water and lush bays, will be hard to beat.

Here’s a popular trivia question: What country has the most time zones? Many would guess Russia with 11, but it’s France with 12. France considers French Polynesia and its other overseas territories part of the country (which is why surfing in the 2024 Paris Olympics took place in Tahiti). Moorea, Raiatea and Bora Bora join Tahiti in the Society Islands, one of five island groups that make up French Polynesia.

On past visits to Papeete, I’ve toured the island beyond the city. Today I had hoped to return to what’s known as the Queen’s Garden in the center of town, which I visited in 2020. This once was the palace of Queen Pomare IV, queen of Tahiti between 1827 and 1877. Since my previous visit, the gardens have been redesigned and named the gardens of Tarahoi i Vaiete. Unfortunately, they were closed today, probably because it is Saturday and they are part of the buildings of the French Polynesian Assembly.

Instead, fellow cruiser Karen joined Elaine and me for the 1-mile waterfront walk described in the GPSmyCity app. We deviated first through the city…

… And then moved from park to park.

I didn’t make it quite the full length, as I stopped to sketch the view of Moorea, just about 11 miles away.

When they returned, we cooled off with drinks at an open-air bar over the water. Soon other friends from the ship joined us.

By the time we returned in the early afternoon, as we expected the city market had closed. We hadn’t planned to buy any of the souvenirs or fresh flowers for which the market is known, so we weren’t too disappointed.

Some fellow cruisers treated themselves to dinners in town or at the roulottes, or food trucks, parked at Place Vaiete just off the pier. I intended to do the same, but the combination of heat and humidity, plus turning our clocks back five nights in a row, left me a party pooper. When I wake up tomorrow morning, we will have made the short trip to Moorea.