Much more than a group of islands, Tahiti is a wonderful state of mind, seducing honeymooners, romantics, adventurers, and vacationers looking for a tranquil escape. Here, around these South Seas isles, a romantic sunset sea sends giant curls of turquoise breaking onto the colorful reefs that protect the tranquil lagoons of warm, bright-emerald waters and white coral-sand beaches.

Easier to travel to than you might imagine, Tahiti's Faa'a Airport is under 8 hours by air from Los Angeles LAX airport, with nonstop flights leaving nearly every day. As far south of the equator as Hawaii is north, Tahiti is halfway between California and Australia, on the same side of the International Date Line as North America, and in the same time zone as Hawaii - (only two hours behind California April-October and three hours behind California November-March).