Lonely Planet Tahiti & French Polynesia is your passport to the most relevant, up-to-date advice on what to see and skip, and what hidden discoveries await you. Swim in the sparklingly clear waters, hike to waterfalls, dive into coral wonderlands, then sips cocktail by the beach; all with your trusted travel companion.

Tahiti and her islands represent a dream trip of a lifetime for many North Americans, an enchanted and beautiful place where one can escape to a mysterious South Seas island paradise. "Tahiti and French Polynesia Guide" offers the best of the area's 118 islands and atolls, giving a wide range of lodgings and restaurants across all price ranges. Maps throughout.

There's more to this earthly paradise than beaches and blue sky. Climb mountains, dive deep and dance to the rhythms of an ancient culture with this guide to French Polynesia. * over 40 maps covering all five archipelagos * detailed sections on archaeology, tattooing, dance and diving * Tahitian and French language guides tips on where to sleep and eat well, on any budget * comprehensive information on hopping from island to island

Everything you need to know about this South Seas paradise: Tahiti, Moorea, Huahine, Raiatea, Tahaa, Bora Bora, and other smaller isles. Details: 272 pages, 90 harbor charts, 163 photos, 26 diagrams, street maps of major settlements, folded regional and general charts.

Tahiti Nui is an account of the survival of a Polynesian society in the face of successive settlements of missionaries, traders, and administrators. Beginning with the first explorers and Captain Cook's scientific observations at Point Venus, Dr. Newbury has separated the various strands interwoven in the fabric of Tahitian society, tracing their development and showing how they interacted at successive stages. Missionaries and foreign traders, administrators and Polynesians, planters and immigrant Chinese have all contributed to the distinctive flavor of French Polynesia, with Tahiti and Tahitians becoming increasingly dominant, not just as the focus of the French administration in Pape'ete, but in the social networks and trading patterns that have evolved.

Open Road's best-selling travel guide is fully updated with new hotels, restaurants, cruises and activities. We've trimmed down where necessary but added all new maps, plus a beautiful new color photo insert section. Readers will find complete coverage of Tahiti, Moorea, Bora Bora, Huahine, Tetiaroa, Maupiti, Rangiroa, Raiatea, Tahaa, Tikehau, Manihi, and the Outer Islands. Find out which cruise option is best, where the great scuba diving is, whale and dolphin watching, where to go for the tastiest Tahitian feasts, unique places to stay, and much more!