Journey up to the Marquesas, the islands at the top of the French Polynesia chain, and you’ll see islands not much changed from the primal, mystical landscapes that Paul Gauguin found when he fled there in the 1890’s-- thousand foot waterfalls, lush valleys, religious sites shrouded in mist. But it’s the other island groups, the Tuamotus and the Society Islands including the main island of Tahiti and its most famous, Bora Bora, that typify the popular image: blindingly blue water, powdery beaches, the craggy outlines of volcanoes and a vibrant undersea world, all with an overlay of jet set French culture. With these islands’ fame have come waves of development, though, meaning careful choices of island and resort are essential
