Tahiti, known as the gateway to French Polynesia, is a beautiful island and modern society with a four-lane highway that links the capital city with suburban districts and suburbs that creep up the mountainside. It has refurbished its waterfront to include a nice park where festivals are celebrated and a cruise-ship terminal. On the urban side, one can find a busy Municipal Market and chic shops. For those seeking an earlier era, the south and east coasts are just the spot with three great museums like the Musée de Tahiti et Ses Isles, the Museum of Tahiti and her Islands, and the Musée Gauguin that give visitors a look into a era long past.
