The island’s true beauty would remain a secret for one more night. April darkness falls early in Polynesia, and we were arriving just after 6 p.m. I had eagerly anticipated the beautiful views I’d encounter on our approach into Tahiti. The island stretched across the waters of the South Pacific, mountainous and bejeweled with twinkling lights, a velvet outline almost like a charcoal sketch in the waning light of day. It wasn’tthe blast of awe I had imagined, but it was a spectacular transition to “island time.”

The island of Tahiti is the center of commerce for French Polynesia, with the capital city of Papeete located on its northwest side. French Polynesia comprises five archipelagos — Society, Austral, Tuamotu, Gambier and Marquesas islands — encompassing 130-plus islands in a land mass similar in size to the European community.

The English, French and Spanish reigned over the islands during the 17th and 18th centuries. Most of us recall the islands as the setting for Mutiny on the Bounty. Widely chronicled in text and on film, the actual mutiny occurredin 1879 aboard the British Royal Navy ship HMS Bounty when 18 mutineers led by Fletcher Christian rallied against the commanding officer, William Bligh, setting Bligh and those loyal to him afloat in a small boat. Attracted to the Polynesian way of life, many of the mutineers settled on Tahiti.

Our first full day began with an early-morning sojourn to the Market of Papeete — early for us, at 6:15 a.m., but the Sunday market opens at 3 o’clock in the morning to give locals time to finish shopping by 10 a.m. when the deals are cut, prices are slashed and food stalls are closed.

Once I became immersed in the early-morning ritual, though, the time of day receded to the back of my mind and I was swept up in the throngs of local Tahitians getting ready for the day’s Ma’a Tahiti, a traditional feast of celebration.

The market, open seven days a week, is an enormous open-air complex with a two-story trading hall featuring everything from textiles and souvenirs to fresh fish and produce. On Sundays, the market is open on the first floor with vendors spilling out into the neighboring streets and alleyways. We perused fresh whole fish, pork and beef, all cooked to order and wrapped to bring home for Sunday dinner. Fragrant flowers — birds of paradise, gardenias and bougainvillea — added to the kaleidoscopic experience, while the allure of beautiful French pastry caught the attention of our appetites. We purchased such a bounty, we skipped the hotel breakfast and returned to our room to tuck into pastries, perfectly seasoned pork, fresh fruit and vegetables — our own Ma’a Tahiti.

The island of Moorea is close enough to Tahiti that you may think it is part of the same island. In fact, it is claimed that Captain James Cook called the archipelago the “Society Islands” because they “lay contiguous to one another.” Many Tahitians commute from one island to another to work or for weekends of fishing and motor scootering (even those living in paradise need to get away now and then). Further west is Bora Bora, where I made my own quintessential tropical getaway.

The name alone conjures an image of beauty. James Michener described Bora Bora as the most beautiful place on Earth, and I tend to agree. I had high expectations, but I was still in awe of the island’s natural beauty. While other motus in the Society Islands boast gentle hilly ranges, Bora Bora’s two peaks, Mount Otemanu (“high as the bird flies”) and Mount Pahia, provide clear evidence of their formation when volcanic activity rumbled from deep below the Pacific. I was drawn to their splendor as they appeared to change throughout the day, seemingly merging to form one peak and mystically attracting a small “crown” of clouds that formed and just as quickly vanished, even on a clear day.

Known as the “Pearl of the South Pacific,” Bora Bora is home to several villages and is surrounded by a ring of motus where most of the hotels and resorts are located. The airport, on one of the many islands, provides an easy transition to island time as locals greet visitors with the traditional welcome lei and gentle ukulele music. A courtesy ferry transports visitors from the airport to the town pier at Viatape on the main island, about 20 minutes away. While village shops cater to the tourist trade, a genuine atmosphere, void of excess, pervades. Here you can learn about the signature black pearls of Tahiti or chat with local artisans displaying their crafts. There’s also a market where you can purchase native foods to supplement the offerings at your hotel.

I decided to take in the view from the water while pursuing my dream of learning to scuba dive. Through preliminary research, I had discovered several companies on Bora Bora, including Top Dive and Bora Bora Dive, that cater to novice divers. The team at Top Dive, including Marylyn and Benoit, could not have been more helpful, offering on-board instruction and calming my last-minute jitters so that I could enjoy my first undersea exploration.

The following day I had planned a snorkel excursion to a coral garden, followed by lunch on a nearby motu. My dive experience had been so incredible, I was afraid I’d be disappointed “just snorkeling.” I was wrong. Snorkeling was its own adventure. Due to a minor miscommunication with the operator, we ended up joining a Japanese-language tour. I don’t understand a word of Japanese, but the glitch turned out to be an advantage. We were able to kick back and enjoy the gorgeous view on the way to the snorkel site. Once there, we marveled at the shimmering color of the undersea world, discovering schools of tropical fish and stunning coral formations. Then it was on to what appeared to be a deserted island — in fact, there was a lean-to shack right around the corner where locals were selling ice-cold beer from a cooler — where our guides laid out a lunch of fruit, meat and cold, seasoned vegetables. Following lunch, we headed out for more snorkeling and the opportunity to feed sharks and stingrays. By afternoon, we had circled the entire island of Bora Bora, viewing its dramatic peaks from all angles.

West of Bora Bora, the sister islands of Taha’a and Raiatea (“Faraway Heaven”) share a lagoon and coral reef. An airport on Raiatea serves both islands. Raiatea also offers limited shopping, while Taha’a is more secluded. We were headed to Taha’a, where the peace and solitude were perfect for the final days of our trip but may have been too much of a culture shock on day one.

Taha’a, nicknamed the “Vanilla Island” in reference to its natural bounty, is dotted with vanilla farms; and when the breeze is right, the sweet scent of vanilla perfumes the air. We explored the island via a guided 4-wheel-drive tour, bouncing along rutted roads through the tropical rainforest, savoring spectacular hilltop vistas and enjoying the ocean breeze from all angles.

Our stay on Taha’a coincided with the inauguration of Tahiti’s first high-speed ferry service, so we headed to the town pier to partake in the celebration as locals welcomed the arrival of the King Tamatoa. The ferry, which transports both cars and passengers, opens a new era in inter-island travel.

The islands of French Polynesia gave me the gift of time for both physical and spiritual exploration. I was never without adventure, whether I was reveling in the glow of accomplishment following my first scuba dive or simply swaying in a beachfront hammock strung up between two trees. The ultimate lesson of Tahiti is a lesson in time: Let days unfold at their own pace, savor every moment and slow down enough to notice the surrounding beauty.

Lodging

Hilton Bora Bora Nui Resort & Spa
The Hilton is the epitome of elegance in a private-island setting. Guests come for the overwater bungalows but return for the beautiful hillside villas.Vaitape, Bora Bora, tel 689 60 3300, $$$$

Radisson Plaza Resort Tahiti
Enjoy urban convenience in a peaceful setting on the black-sand beach of Matavai Bay. Lafayette Beach, Tahiti, tel 689 48 8888, $$$

Le Taha’a Island Resort & Spa
Offering pampered service in a serene environment on Motu Tauta coral reef, Le Taha’a is a sanctuary for total relaxation. Taha’a, tel 689 60 8400, $$$$

Dining

Bloody Mary’s
Boasting, “where on any given night, anything can happen,” Bloody Mary’s specializes in fresh catch-of-the-day dishes along with burgers, sandwiches and local favorites. Bora Bora, tel 689 67 7286 $-$$

Ohiri
The fine-dining venue at Le Taha’a Island Resort is located among the trees in a garden setting. Le Taha’a Island Resort & Spa, Taha’a, tel 689 60 8400, $$$$

Les Roulottes
“Rolling food trucks” that serve everything from salads to pizza and crepes to grilled meat and fish become social hubs on Papeete’s main wharf each evening. Papeete, Tahiti $