Tahiti & French Polynesia ITMB

Anyone who has visited Tahiti retains fond memories of a wonderful Polynesian paradise.

This map provides a comprehensive layout of the major islands of French Polynesia, presented as a series of large insets on Side 1. Here’s what you’ll find:

• An overall inset map showing the many islands, with the ability to expand individual islands for greater detail.
• The largest island, Tahiti Nui, includes a detailed inset map featuring the capital city of Pape’ete (or Papeete in English).
  • Most visitors stay near Papeete, along the coast, where several popular resorts are highlighted.
  • A circular road surrounds the island’s shoreline, but there are no roads in the interior.
  • Tahiti Nui is connected to Tahiti Iti (Little Tahiti), a less-developed part of the island with roads extending only partway around it.

While most visitors are familiar with Moorea and Bora Bora, with their numerous coastal resorts, other islands like Huahine, Riatea, Tahaa, and Maiao are less known but equally enchanting. These islands, each with their own unique charm, can be accessed via inter-island transportation.

Additional highlights of Tahiti & French Polynesia:

• As a French Overseas Possession, Tahiti uses the Euro, so visitors should expect European prices.
• Tahiti is a popular destination for cruise ships, offering a unique way to explore the region.

Side 2: Mapping the Vast South Pacific Region

The second side of the map covers a part of the world that is almost impossible to map well. The region, known alternately as Polynesia or the South Pacific, encompasses:

• A vast expanse of water dotted with small islands, which are essentially the tips of mountains submerged far below the surface.
• Geographical landmarks:
  • Hawaii at the upper edge.
  • The northern tip of New Zealand at the bottom.
  • The Queensland coast of Australia to the far left.
  • The isolated Pitcairn Islands on the eastern edge.

In between, the map showcases:

• Cook Islands, Tahiti, Samoa, Fiji, the Solomons, Nauru, Kiribati, Micronesia, and the Marshall Islands.

This region is becoming increasingly attractive for cruise ship travel, as it offers an affordable way to visit these remote and breathtaking locations.

Unique features of the map:

• It displays undersea mountain chains and names dozens of islands you may have heard of or dreamed of visiting.
• Curious about locations like Niue or Fanning Island? This map pinpoints their exact positions.
• Did you know the USA has island colonial possessions across the Pacific? Explore places like Palmyra Atoll, Howland Island, the Bakers, or Swains Atoll.

Lan has truly created an enticing map that sparks wanderlust. As you examine it in detail, you can’t help but start making travel plans in your mind!