This Edenic island, only 12 miles across the Sea of the Moon from Tahiti, is a visual roller coaster of needle-sharp peaks and plunging valleys filigreed with green. Rumor has it that this spectacular island of Moorea was the model for author James Michener’s mythical Bali Hai. Since it is one of the most visited French Polynesian islands, there’s plenty of action on the beaches and in the many resorts.Read more: The Sensuous Island of Moorea