Scenery, French Polynesia, June 2006

Some of this may be a bit of a visual cliché. Others ... hopefully less so. :-)

With 118 islands large and small spread out across an expanse of ocean the size of Europe, visitors without lots of time should expect to do a certain amount of flying. On the left is a Twin Otter leaving Tahiti bound for Moorea. On the right, an ATR Turboprop approaching Raiatea.

The lagoons of the Society Islands. Below left and center: Moorea. Below right: Maupiti.

Left: lagoon-side road on Maupiti. This stretch of road is surfaced with crushed coral.

Right: dairy farm upcountry in Tahiti Iti.

Three successive views of sunrise on the lagoon of Maupiti.

Fishing on the lagoon at dusk, Maupiti.