Nested in the cool Pacific waters, Polynesian settlers found a string of emerald islands, fruitful and fertile, carpeted with lush rain forests and vibrant life. Scattered over a vast, 2.5 million square kilometers area in the South Pacific, French Polynesia is made up of several series of islands, atolls, and archipelagoes, independently surrounded by lagoons and barrier reefs that create unique eco-systems and divine respites for the traveler weary of the usual getaway.