Landscape

Tahiti lies between Australia and California, seven and one-half hours by air from Los Angeles, slightly below the Equator.

Many of the islands are volcanic, with cone-shaped mountains or remnants of same, some with craters up top. The highest peak is Mount Orohena, on the Tahiti itself rising to 7352 feet. Lava that flowed down to the sea pulverizes into fine sandy beaches, white and black. Coral atolls lend a robust turquoise hue to hundreds of quiet lagoons. Lush interior rain forests ring with birdsong from many brillantly plumed creatures. waterfalls cascade into refreshing pools, a contrst to the warmer waters in ocean lagoons, while flowers bloom everywhere all year.