There is quite possibly no place more evocative of romance than French Polynesia, a group of five archipelagoes in the tropical waters of the South Pacific. Names such as Tahiti, Bora-Bora and Rangiroa have captured the imaginations of outsiders since English explorers found their way to Tahiti in 1767.
The English names attached to Tahiti have become legends in themselves: Captain Cook, Captain Bligh, Fletcher Christian and his mutiny on the Bounty. Not to mention Frenchman Paul Gauguin, who arrived in 1891 and immortalized the grace and beauty of the islanders through his paintings.
Relations with France, which colonized Polynesia in 1880 (and in 1984 granted it internal autonomy), have been positive and cooperative, but tensions grew last year when the French refused to stop nuclear weapons tests in the islands in the face of a global ban and censure from the world’s governments. Testing has been completed and allegedly will not be resumed.
As might be expected, tourism is Polynesia’s foremost industry and takes advantage of the islands’ stunning natural beauty and the friendliness of its people. Costs are high, but the farther one gets from Papeete generally the more affordable things become. Crime is low throughout the islands.
Tahiti, Moorea and Bora-Bora get the highest volume of tourists, and all have much to recommend them: first-class resorts, good food, beautiful beaches and a slow, relaxed pace.
Snorkeling and diving are popular, and depending on where you go can be quite good or just average. Much of the coral around Moorea and Bora-Bora has been damaged by storms in recent years, and marine life is not as bountiful as in outlying islands such as Rangiroa. Serious divers would do better in other areas of the South Pacific, but for the occasional snorkeler there is plenty to explore.
Hiking into the interior of the islands is a fine way to discover the lush and varied life of the rain forest. Ask around or take a guide to avoid getting lost, and be sure to take insect repellent and plenty of water. The main islands have flat roads that circle their peripheries and are perfect for cycling. Traffic is light in most places.
Exposure to Polynesian culture is possible at the resorts, but the best way to get a feel for local traditions is to travel out of the main tourist areas. Interisland air service is extensive. Copra boats go to most of the remote islands and for the traveler who has the time this is the best way to get a glimpse of local ways of life. Boats range as far as the Marquesas Islands, where Gauguin died. A trip across the seas to this remote archipelago can be full of magic and wonder.
The best time to visit is in the dry season, June through October. Temperatures are pretty constant year round, but rain can be heavy from November to May. The sun is intense, so take precautions against sunburn.
Worldwide updates
Australia: Anthrax has returned to Australia after an absence of almost 100 years, killing scores of cattle in northern Victoria in February. The spores are spread by dust, carrion-eating birds and grazing animals. Symptoms include nausea, swelling, fever and rapid death in serious cases. Humans are normally infected only by handling carcasses, skins or wool of diseased animals. Avoid handling such materials especially if visiting the towns of Stanhope and Tatura. The disease is not spread by dairy products. Cases have also recently been diagnosed in Thailand, blamed on diseased cattle imported from Burma.
Brazil: The Brazilian currency, the real, was devalued by 7.5 percent relative to the dollar Feb. 18 in a move that was praised by market analysts as helping guarantee the country’s economic stability. It might also make for better bargains for visitors.
China: China’s method for assimilating far-flung territories has been to promote migration of Han Chinese until the people in outlying regions become minorities in their own land. This policy has been used in Tibet with predictable consequences–resistance and conflict–and it’s happening again in far-western Xinjiang province. Violence is increasing. Rioting by Turkic Uighurs, who for now outnumber Han Chinese by 2 to 1 in the region, occurred in the town of Yining near the Kazakhstan border allegedly sparked by the execution of 30 Uighurs. A curfew has been imposed in the town and some thousand protesters have been arrested. Travel here with caution.
Egypt: The government has been waging a campaign against Islamic fundamentalist militants for the last few years and has successfully neutralized their attempts to destroy the tourism industry, but now it seems the government has found another adversary in its midst: devil worship by Egyptian youth. Signs of the devil include young people wearing baseball caps, baggy trousers and oversized shirts, listening to rock music and dancing with abandon. Some 78 youths were arrested Jan. 22, and 20 of them remain in prison. While the merits of American popular culture may be debatable, especially in the context of traditional cultures such as Egypt’s, it seems a bit rash to imprison youths for the crime of having a good time. If you’re young and of Arabic descent, be careful how you dress if you go out on the town in Cairo.
Indonesia: Ethnic violence has flared in western Kalimantan on the island of Borneo in the towns of Anjungan and Pontianak. The conflict between Dayaks, the indigenous people of the area, and immigrants from Madura has taken hundreds of lives during the last two months and thousands have been displaced. The Indonesian army is patrolling the area and has become embroiled in the hostilities, killing 15 Dayaks in one incident in early February. Tensions between the two groups date back to the 1970s when the Indonesian government launched a transmigration program encouraging emigration from densely populated Java and Madura to less populated islands such as Sumatra and Borneo. Little attention was paid to the effect of such immigration on the local inhabitants, who relied on the rain forest for their livelihood. As palm oil and coconut plantations have replaced the rain forest, the Dayaks have slipped to the bottom of the economic ladder. Travel with caution.
Mexico: In an attempt to stem police corruption, soldiers from Mexico City have been brought in to replace the entire federal police force in Baja California. The replacement was announced only days after corruption charges were filed against an army general who had been assigned the duty of cleaning up corruption in the country’s anti-drug forces. Drug crimes are federal offenses, so the federal police have jurisdiction in drug cases. It’s unclear what effect, if any, this move will have on local police enforcement and the typical traveler’s encounters with the law.
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Because conditions can change overnight, always make your own inquiries before you leave home. In the U.S., contact a Passport Agency office of the State Department in Washington, D.C.; abroad, check in with the nearest American embassy or consulate.
