Question:

My partner and I visited the Maldives earlier this year, which were incredible beyond words - but not being ones to want to fall into a rut, we wanted to choose another exotic, exclusive location for next year. We were toying with French Polynesia or maybe the Seychelles, but we are worried nothing will compare to the pure white sand, crystal water, and amazing undersea life of the Maldives. What are your thoughts?

Answer:

Yes indeed, the Maldives are a slice of heaven, as are other Indian Ocean island groups like the Seychelles. Maybe I’m biased, since I've lived in both Hawaii and New Zealand, but I think the isles of Polynesia are right up there with any tropical bucket-list destination in the world.

And it will be a completely new experience for you, since the cultures of the Indian and Pacific Oceans are so different.

I thoroughly enjoyed French Polynesia, a sprawling Pacific region the size of Europe which encompasses several distinct island groups.

Tahiti is, confusingly, both the name of one of these groups and the name of the main island of Tahiti, where most travelers land. The island group of Tahiti includes the famous isles of Moorea and Bora Bora, both a short flight from the capital of Papeete on Tahiti. Both have incredibly luxurious lodgings, mostly built on stilts over gin-clear lagoons. Bora Bora is my personal favorite, with its rocky pinnacles and sparkling lagoon, like out of a dream. A ring of resorts resides on the atoll surrounding the island – I stayed at the St. Regis, which I would heartily recommend.

If you want to try a second French Polynesian isle off the beaten path, I would say head to Hiva Oa in the Marquesas Islands. This isle is the one French painter Paul Gauguin lived and died on, and is portrayed in many of his famous works. It’s tiny and slow with just one (very nice) hotel perched on a mountain. But you’ll see why Gauguin chose to live his last days here – it’s otherworldly. The Marquesas are a five-hour flight north from Tahiti, but well worth it. The Marquesas have a distinct culture from Tahiti, with their own language and art forms. The people are not jaded by tourists, and you truly feel like you are at a paradise at the end of the Earth.

French Polynesia is not cheap and you may gasp at some of the prices, even in the supermarkets. But it is the trip of a lifetime, believe me.

The Tahiti Tourism Board actively courts the LGBT market – check out http://www.tahiti-tourisme.com/discover/GayTahiti/Introduction.asp. Of note, the French Polynesian culture is very accepting of gender identities, so don’t be surprised to see many rae rae (local transvestites) working in hotels and restaurants and accepting without question.

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Matthew Link, a writer for Orbitz,  is the founding editor of two travel magazines, The Out Traveler and Sherman’s Travel, and he was also guidebook pioneer Arthur Frommer’s right hand man at Budget Travel magazine.