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A Human Paradise Painted with Brushes and Palettes: Tahiti

Published: 2026-09-24 👁 101 views

Last updated 2026-09-24 — Thousands of years ago, humans sailed across vast distances to find their own paradise in Tahiti; thousands of years later, Western navigators, while discovering the New World, created the myth of Tahiti as an earthly heaven, and from then on, Tahiti became...

Text by TRAVELER Luxe Traveler Lin Zhiheng

Thousands of years ago, humans sailed across vast distances to find their own paradise in Tahiti; thousands of years later, Western navigators, while discovering the New World, created the myth of Tahiti as an earthly heaven, and from then on, Tahiti became synonymous with all things beautiful.

It’s hard to resist the urge to visit the stunningly beautiful Tahiti, but reality often falls short of our dreams.

The Tahiti most people know, according to modern national boundaries, is actually French Polynesia. After World War II, France finally incorporated Tahiti as a territory, which consists of five archipelagos: the Society Archipelago, the Tuamotu Archipelago, the Marquesas Archipelago, the Gambier Archipelago, and the Austral Archipelago. Among them, Tahiti Island in the Society Archipelago is the largest in area and population, hence “Tahiti” is often used to refer to the entire group.

A canoe with a Polynesian god statue of Tiki carved at the stern. (Photo by TRAVELER Luxe Traveler Lin Zhiheng)

A Naturally Perfect Human Paradise

For over two centuries, navigators, whalers, and traders have come and gone across the Polynesian islands. First came Western colonizers who forcefully occupied the land with guns and ammunition, staking out territories; then they introduced bacteria and viruses that Pacific islanders had never encountered in millennia, causing drastic declines in native populations, even leading to extinction; eventually, missionaries converted the locals to Christianity, completely transforming the traditional Tiki beliefs of the Tahitians.

Today, Tahitians harvest coconuts, fish, and farm pearls; attend church on Sundays and sing every mass hymn; eat traditional starchy foods like breadfruit, taro, and bananas, but also indulge in Western junk food and prefer French bread—resulting in an increasingly heavier build; islanders take great pride in their ancient Tiki culture, proudly discussing temple ruins and stone carvings in the jungle, yet are also devout Catholics and Christians; they love tattoos, an ancient tradition symbolizing social status and fine art in the past, but now purely for aesthetic reasons after the collapse of the old social systems; they claim not to like the French, yet willingly let the French manage everything here.

Whether by streams or on beaches, you’ll always encounter groups of carefree men, women, and children at play. (Photo by TRAVELER Luxe Traveler Lin Zhiheng)

Two centuries of colonization left the islanders caught between colonial rule and tradition, full of contradictions. It may sound somewhat bleak, but Tahitians are naturally optimistic and content, and with the tropical island setting as a catalyst, Tahiti has always remained the earthly paradise longed for by Westerners.

Crystal-clear waters, neon-blue lagoons, long stretches of white sandy atolls, freely swimming tropical fish, air always fragrant with tropical flowers, and volcanic islands resembling celestial mountains above the sea—all these naturally breathtaking sights have fueled Tahiti’s tourism industry, making it the region’s biggest business and primary economic pillar. Everything for tourists—from accommodation to food to entertainment—is designed to reach heavenly perfection, even if prices are sky-high.

Especially those top-tier overwater villas situated in the middle of the water, stretching from white sandy beaches into the blue lagoon. The rooms are furnished with high-end teak wood furniture, luxury bedding, and decorated with traditional Polynesian artworks; the high ceilings are adorned with thatched palm leaf roofs, and through the glass floors beneath your feet, you can watch the colorful fish swimming in the lagoon; lounging on sunbeds on the terrace offers sweeping views of the lagoon, and stepping down the terrace stairs allows you to wade directly into the sea and swim with the fish.

The most famous glass-floor chapel at the InterContinental Bora Bora Resort, specially designed for weddings. (Photo by TRAVELER Luxe Traveler Lin Zhiheng)

The Pacific Pearl: Bora Bora Island

Although French Polynesia has many islands, most visitors usually only stay on Tahiti Island, Moorea (Mo’orea), and Bora Bora in the Society Archipelago, with Bora Bora being the most dazzling of them all.

Flying about 50 minutes northwest from Tahiti Island, when the small plane arrives over Bora Bora, passengers seated by the left window invariably look down to see a circular barrier reef encircling a rugged, majestic volcanic island, enclosing a vast, calm lagoon. The water shimmers like neon light, displaying more than ten shades of light green, emerald, dark green, turquoise, azure, indigo, and deep black. “This is the place,” everyone says in awe. “It’s just like the postcards and travel shows.”

There are many places around the world known as the “Pearl of ___,” but not all live up to the name. If the many Pacific islands are like a string of pearls in a jewelry box, Bora Bora is undoubtedly the brightest one. Its unparalleled lagoon is what crowns Bora Bora, earning it the exclusive title of the “Pearl of the Pacific.”

Due to the incredibly generous gifts of nature, later developments here have been especially cautious, striving to shape it into an “earthly heaven.” Over 700 overwater villas are scattered across the most beautiful corners of the atoll. From the windows and terraces, the views are nothing but breathtaking ocean and mountain sceneries. But enjoying this earthly paradise comes at a steep cost—an average overwater villa costs over NT$20,000–30,000 per night.

The essence of Bora Bora lies entirely in its crystal-clear lagoon. Taking a boat tour around the lagoon, the dreamlike colors of the underwater and above-water ecosystem leave a lasting impression on visitors.

Luxury overwater villas located in the center of the lagoon have become iconic symbols of Tahiti. (Photo by TRAVELER Luxe Traveler Lin Zhiheng)

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