The Raiatea base
French Polynesia's charter fleet is based at Raiatea, the sacred heart of the Society Islands, roughly 40 minutes' flight from Tahiti. The base has the facilities you'd expect — provisioning, briefing, fuel — and its position gives quick access to Taha'a (which shares Raiatea's lagoon), Bora Bora and Huahine within a comfortable week's sailing.
The Society Islands lagoons
This is lagoon sailing, not open-ocean passage-making — each island sits inside a protective coral reef, creating vast, calm, impossibly blue lagoons. Navigation is by eye between coral heads (motus), so good light matters, but the sailing itself is gentle and the anchorages are the stuff of postcards.
| Location | Highlight | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Taha'a | Vanilla island, coral gardens | Shares Raiatea's lagoon |
| Bora Bora | Mount Otemanu, luxury motus | The iconic anchorage |
| Huahine | Quieter, lush, authentic | Fewer crowds |
| Raiatea | Sacred sites, Faaroa river | The base island itself |
Island highlights
Bora Bora is the bucket-list stop — the dramatic peak of Mount Otemanu towering over a turquoise lagoon ringed with motus. Taha'a is famous for vanilla and its coral gardens. Huahine is the quiet, lush, authentic one. Most nights are spent anchored in the lagoons, often off a resort motu where you can go ashore for dinner.
Practicalities
Provision thoroughly at Uturoa on Raiatea before departure — the outer islands have limited, pricey supplies. Navigation through coral requires care and good light, so plan lagoon entries for midday sun. It's mostly anchoring rather than marinas. A sailing resume is required for bareboat; charter companies can provide a local skipper if preferred.