Polynesian islands include Samoa, Tonga, Cook Islands, French Polynesia and Easter Island while Fiji, New Caledonia, Vanuatu and the Solomon Islands are Melanesian.

Tahiti is the largest island in French Polynesia, the South Pacific archipelago. Shaped like a figure-8, it's divided into Tahiti Nui (the larger, western section) and Tahiti Iti (the eastern peninsula). With black-sand beaches, lagoons, waterfalls and 2 extinct volcanoes, it's a popular vacation destination. Explored by Captain James Cook, it was also frequently painted by French artist Paul Gauguin. 

Bora Bora is a small South Pacific island northwest of Tahiti in French Polynesia. Surrounded by sand-fringed motus (islets) and a turquoise lagoon protected by a coral reef, it’s known for its scuba diving. It's also a popular luxury resort destination where some guest bungalows are perched over the water on stilts. At the island's center rises 727m Mt. Otemanu, a dormant volcano. 

Mo'orea is a high island in French Polynesia, one of the Windward Islands, part of the Society Islands, 17 kilometres northwest of Tahiti. 

Rarotonga is the most populous island of the Cook Islands, with a population of 10,572, out of the country's total resident population of 14,974 

Fiji, a country in the South Pacific, is an archipelago of more than 300 islands. It's famed for its rugged landscape of blue lagoons and palm-lined beaches, and eco-activities from mountain climbing and surfing to soft-coral diving and zip-lining. Its major islands, Viti Levu and Vanua Levu, contain the lion’s share of the population, meaning much of the country is uncrowded. 

The Cook Islands, the South Pacific archipelago nation, lies southwest of Tahiti. Of its 15 islands, the largest is Rarotonga, site of the capital city, Avarua, known for its white-coral churches. At Avarua’s Saturday market, with offerings from black pearls to sarongs, traditional Polynesian drummers and dancers perform. The country’s blue lagoons and extensive reefs make it a popular scuba-diving destination. 

Samoa is an independent nation comprising the westernmost group of the Samoan Islands, in Polynesia. Many of its islands have reef-bordered beaches and rugged, rainforested interiors with gorges and waterfalls. The islands include Upolu, home to most of Samoa's population, and Savai'i, one of the largest islands in the South Pacific. The others range from islets with small villages to uninhabited wildlife sanctuaries.