Rapa Nui, the indigenous name of Easter Island, astounds with sights unlike anywhere else in the world. The creative Polynesian inhabitants of the 13th to 16th centuries built monumental stone statues, known as moai, of which 1,000 still dot the island. Carved human figures with massive heads, they represent ancestral chiefs facing inland to protect the community. Some are lined up in imposing rows (Ahu Tongariki, Ahu Nau Nau), others are staggered over hillsides and craters. What boggles the mind is how the inhabitants of this incredibly remote island, 2,300 miles (3,700km) from the Chilean coast, managed to carve and move such colossal sentinels, many weighing between 10 and 12 metric tons. Solidified volcanic ash was their material and ropes, levers, and log rollers believed to be their method. Beyond the statues, petroglyphs depicting birdmen can be seen at Orongo Ceremonial Village. Today's occupants live in Hanga Roa village, your welcoming entry to this astonishing island.

Rapa Nui, the indigenous name of Easter Island, astounds with sights unlike anywhere else in the world. The creative Polynesian inhabitants of the 13th to 16th centuries built monumental stone statues, known as moai, of which 1,000 still dot the island. Carved human figures with massive heads, they represent ancestral chiefs facing inland to protect the community. Some are lined up in imposing rows (Ahu Tongariki, Ahu Nau Nau), others are staggered over hillsides and craters. What boggles the mind is how the inhabitants of this incredibly remote island, 2,300 miles (3,700km) from the Chilean coast, managed to carve and move such colossal sentinels, many weighing between 10 and 12 metric tons. Solidified volcanic ash was their material and ropes, levers, and log rollers believed to be their method. Beyond the statues, petroglyphs depicting birdmen can be seen at Orongo Ceremonial Village. Today's occupants live in Hanga Roa village, your welcoming entry to this astonishing island.

Of all the curious places to visit in the world, Adamstown is surely one of the most intriguing. This tiny community is the only settlement in the four volcanic Pitcairn Islands, which are strewn across hundreds of miles of the largest marine reserve in the world. Its 35 residents are almost all descendants of the 18th-century mutineers from HMS Bounty and the Tahitians who accompanied them.

A coral island melting into a turquoise lagoon, life feels simple in Raroia in the Tuamotu archipelago. Visit a pearl farm, snorkel amid psychedelic reef fish, lounge on the sands, these are easy pleasures. Yet, this atoll in French Polynesia was the scene of the climax of the epic voyage of the Kon-Tiki, a raft hand-built by the Norwegian ethnographer Thor Heyerdahl and his crew, who sailed it across more than 4,000 miles of ocean from Peru in 1947. You can see a small monument on the spot where it made landfall on an island just off the coast, a good place, too, for some birdwatching.

Few islands melt the heart like the 100 or so that make up French Polynesia. Cast adrift in the South Pacific, midway between California and Australia, this large atoll is a semi-autonomous territory of France, part of the Tuamotu archipelago, northeast of the main island of Tahiti. Together with six neighboring islands, it proudly bears the UNESCO stamp on its biosphere reserve, which is home to an astonishing array of coral and other marine life, from colorful clouds of surgeonfish to sleek manta rays. Intrepid divers come from across the world to swim with great grey reef sharks at Fakarava's southern edge – snorkeling, kayaking, and paddle boarding are among the tamer watersport choices. Rotoava is the sleepy main village, and slower pleasures include wandering its few streets, shopping for the lustrous pearls farmed here, and wiggling toes in the island's white sands.

A mesmerizing atoll in French Polynesia, where endless turquoise lagoons, vibrant coral reefs, and a laid-back island atmosphere provide the ultimate South Pacific sanctuary. As the second largest atoll in the world, this ring-shaped island is known for being a popular spot for scuba diving due to its diverse marine wildlife. Situated in French Polynesia, this tropical paradise offers many other activities such as dolphin watching, surfing, fishing or visiting the peaceful villages of Avatoru and Tiputa.

The bustling capital of French Polynesia, where vibrant markets, lively nightlife, and a fusion of Polynesian and French cultures come together in the heart of picturesque Tahiti. Stroll along the wide waterfront-boulevard and marvel and the gorgeous waters and perfect beaches. Tahitian locals and shopkeepers welcome you as you explore the carefree spirit of their island.