Hokulea could make landfall in French Polynesia Sunday

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - Polynesian voyaging canoe, Hōkūleʻa, and sister canoe Hikianalia could make landfall in French Polynesia this Sunday according to the Polynesian Voyaging Society. They left Hilo on June 2 to restart their Pacific wide...

Freediving Through Moorea, French Polynesia

Set in Moorea’s turquoise lagoons, this ~10-minute short is a pure immersion into breath-hold freedom. Opening with sun-filtered shafts of light, the camera follows freedivers through coral valleys and dense schools of reef fish. Every movement is...

French Navy vessel makes first visit to American Samoa

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — On June 28, the American Samoan community was welcomed onto the French Navy vessel Teriieroo a Teriierooiterai during its first time in the territory with a reception and tour, hosted by Captain Philippe Dumee....

Clark warns in new Pacific book renewed nuclear tensions pose ‘existential threat to humanity’

Asia Pacific Report Former New Zealand prime minister Helen Clark has warned the country needs to maintain its nuclear-free policy as a “fundamental tenet” of its independent foreign policy in the face of gathering global storm clouds. Writing in...

Ooh La La! Tahiti Is Closer Than You Think

From the Bounty to Brando, French Polynesia stirs our most primal escapism. Lush, verdant peaks teetering above gin-clear lagoons, filled with a brilliant, sapphire menagerie — it only begins to describe the allure, as does the scent of gardenias...

I ditched UK for ‘Europe’s Maldives’ with fab beaches & £1 beer…childcare’s FREE & bills cost less than KFC Family Feast

IT’S known as the “Maldives of Europe” thanks to its stunning white sand beaches and crystal clear turquoise waters. Add to that an insanely cheap cost of living that's a jaw-dropping 61 per cent lower than the UK, and it was a no-brainer for...

Our voyage to Statehood, 60 years on: understanding the nature and practice of free-association as we reflect on our development journey 

Prime Minister Mark Brown. SUPPLIED. This year, the Cook Islands marks 60 years of self-governance, an historic milestone in our voyage to statehood, by Mark Brown, Prime Minister of the Cook Islands. In 1965, our people chose to shape our own...

French Polynesia Announces World’s Largest Marine Protected Area at UN Ocean Conference

A school of fish swim over a coral reef in the Gambier Islands of French Polynesia on Feb. 17, 2018. Alexis Rosenfeld / Getty Images Why you can trust us Founded in 2005 as an Ohio-based environmental newspaper, EcoWatch is a digital platform...

Pacific News Briefs: Award-Winning Māori Short Film

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — An award-winning short film, which honors the resilience of Māori youth, has been named a finalist at the New Zealand International Film Festival. Written and directed by Aroha Awarau (Ngāti Maru, Ngāti Porou, Niue,...

The Ritz-Carlton’s Luxury Liner Is Debuting in French Polynesia and Hawaii in 2026

The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection wants to help you escape the cooler months. The cruise line just unveiled itineraries for winter 2026–2027, providing travelers with an array of exciting new yachting experiences across French Polynesia, Hawaii,...

French Polynesia creates world’s largest marine protected area

French Polynesia has announced the creation of the world’s largest marine protected area. Speaking on the first day of the United Nations Ocean Conference in France, French Polynesian President Moetai Brotherson said the MPA will cover the...

How Many New Priests Will Be Ordained in France in 2025? These Are the Figures

(ZENIT News / Paris, June 28, 2025) – On the occasion of the Feast of the Apostles Peter and Paul, the French Episcopal Conference released the figures for priestly ordinations in the country in 2025. The figures are as follows: 90 priests will be...

Australian Task Force Targets Cocaine Shipments in Pacific Islands

Drug smugglers are constantly on the lookout for new ways to get narcotics past customs agents, and containerized freight is an area of constant innovation for organized crime. The invention of new smuggling routes, concealment methods and...

Hokulea and Hikianalia near French Polynesia milestone

French Polynesia unveils world's largest marine protected zo...

French Polynesia's President Moetai Brotherson on Monday announced that his country is on track to create the world's largest marine protected area (MPA). The ambitious objective, spanning nearly 23 percent of the archipelago's waters, came on the...

French Polynesia will create world’s largest Marine Protected Area

The government will create an artisanal fishing zone – collectively covering 186,000 square kilometres – that extends 15 nautical miles from the Austral, Marquesas, and Gambier islands and 30 nautical miles around the Society Islands. The...

Sustainability in hospitality: a profitable imperative

Sustainability in hospitality is no longer optional; it is a core strategy for long-term profitability. Hotels implementing sustainable practices are not only reducing environmental risks but also improving operational efficiency. This article...

French Polynesia Sets Aside 400,000 Square Miles of Ocean for Conservation

On Monday, French Polynesia announced the creation of one of the world's largest marine protected areas. The French territory has designated an area equal to 23 percent of its exclusive economic zone for conservation, free of industrial fishing -...

A drop in the ocean? Pacific nations tap local know-how for marine conservation

Pacific island nations are racing to enhance marine conservation, establishing sweeping “no-take” zones and pledging to sustainably manage vast swathes of their territorial waters despite facing limited resources and geopolitical pressure. Among...

French Polynesia president announces huge highly protected marine area

RNZ Pacific French Polynesia’s president has announced his administration will establish one of the world’s largest networks of highly protected marine areas (MPAs). The highly protected areas will safeguard 220,000 sq km of remote waters near the...