Raiatea

You'll notice the rich scent of vanilla the moment you step off the ship onto this stunning island, with its vanilla plantations scattered throughout. Visit one or two, visit a pearl farm, snorkel the clear waters of the surrounding reef, or take a kayak trip along the Faaroa River. Known in legends as Hawaiki, "the homeland," many cultures believe that this is where the great Polynesian migration began, from which large double-hulled sailing canoes set out to colonize Hawaii and New Zealand.