Polynesia

There are over 10,000 Polynesian islands in the central and southern Pacific Ocean. The region is generally defined by a triangle stretching from Hawaii in the north, to Easter Island in the east and New Zealand in the west. The main groups of Polynesian islands include the Cook Islands, French Polynesia, Samoa, Tonga, Tuvalu, and various others.

Birds are probably not the first attraction most people think of when dreaming about visiting the Polynesian Islands. But once you get your fill of glistening waters in every possible shade of blue, grand landscapes that tower like skyscrapers, gregarious indigenous cultures, and gorgeous tropical sunsets, the islands’ forests are well worth exploring.

Polynesia draws visitors with the promise of its dazzling beaches, coral coves brimming with tropical fish, rich Tongan heritage, and warm hospitality.

For at least 2,000 years, Polynesians have decorated their bodies with tattoos. Known variously as tatau, moku, patutiki , and uki, tattooing served as a form of communication among peoples across Oceania.

In 1976, University of Hawaii professor Ben Finney set out in a traditional Polynesian, twin-hulled canoe on the 2,700-mile-long voyage from Hawaii to Tahiti.

Brad Climpson is a marine biologist who spent the last 20 years living on the edge of Australia's Great Barrier Reef. His passion for the underwater realm has taken him to Fiji, Indonesia, Bermuda, and the Maldives.