Why French Polynesia Is a Queer Honeymoon Sleeper Hit

Consider (gay) paradise found.

I never went on a honeymoon . Not that I did n’t want to — my now - married woman and I had mellow Bob Hope of jetting off toTokyoor Venice , but the pandemic had other program . We stop up getting legally married during the midst of the pandemic , after which weroad - trip out around the Great Lakesand camped in theUpper Peninsulafor a week . Sure , it was nice , but sweat it out in a musty collapsible shelter with our dog was n’t precisely the reposeful honeymoon we ’d think way back when .

Had wehada honeymoon , however , we both knew that as a queer couple , we ’d have to take a few more precautions during the preparation stage . A spell ofMorocco , for example , sounds bright until you take into accounting the fact that same - sexual activity sexual activity is illegal in the largely conservative country — it does n’t mean a trip is out of the doubtfulness , of course , but it might deter from a locating ’s romantic ingathering . And while laws and attitude proceed to change and germinate on a global scale , the truth is that much of the universe still falls into this category in one way or another ( including , it should be say , great belt of the US ) .

It might seem like a no - brainer , but as a travel editor program , I move a lot . Sometimes it ’s trip of my own designing — occasionally , perhaps , even an actual vacation — but more often than not , I ’ll have been invite by a touristry board , brand , orhotelto come and experience what they ’re all about in case it might inspire a future story . This is a common manufacture practice , and it means my inbox sometimes role as a gateway to exploring the world outside my place office — which , of course , is undoubtedly awesome .

bora bora rainbow

Mike Liu/Shutterstock

But as an openly queen , gender - nonconforming somebody , that awesome can also be complicated . Much like the honeymoon procedure , I have to do a act more research about a destination before hop on a plane . DoI love soccermore than just about anything?Clearly . Yet I quickly turned down each of the half - dozen or so emails I get asking to fly me out to last winter’sFIFA World Cup . Being gay is illegal in Qatar , and the potential to be cast off into unsafe or even just uncomfortable situations just was n’t worth the gamble , Messi or no Messi .

So when an invitation toTahitiand Bora Bora cover my desk a few calendar month back , I did a few straightaway Googles and ascertained that yes , merry folk seemed to get along just fine in French Polynesia . My only faltering was my belief that Bora Bora , in particular , was fancy and beachy , and fancy and beachy can sometimes import awkwardness if one ’s formal and swimwear do n’t align with gendered anticipation . But , I figured , the route seemed chill enough to appease my trouble .

What I did n’t realize , however , was just how outwardly queer - favorable — and incredibly queer wild-eyed — these islands would be , from the instant I stepped onto the plane to my last sip of pineapple succus before catching my flight of steps place . So if you ’re planning the ultimate LGBTQ+ honeymoon ( or babymoon , engagement , marriage , even gay fiddling holiday ) it does n’t get much better than an escape to the breathtaking South Pacific archipelago of Gallic Polynesia .

The great outdoors is definitely fun, but luxurious? Not so much.|Photo by Meredith Heil

Pick an island, any island

Most visitors coming from the US aviate into Faa’a International Airport in the Tahitian capital of Papeete . A major few air hose serve the put down - back international gateway class - round — namely Air France , Air New Zealand , and United — but the favorite here isAir Tahiti Nui . The flagship bearer run veritable itinerary aboard its Boeing 787 Dreamliner - dominated fleet to and from Los Angeles and Seattle , with flight times ranging from about seven to nine and a one-half hours in the sky . indoors , Air Tahiti Nui ’s bright , sunny , island - inspired color palette and complimentary prime upon boarding is nothing curt of delightful . And the rainbow - lit DoI is just a humble taste of the air hose ’s on-key loyalty to welcoming and pick up its LGBTQ+ passengers .

Just last weekend , in fact , Air Tahiti Nui hosted a very special inflight ceremony to kick off Pride Month . Kris Perry and Sandy Stier , primal complainant in the pivotalPerry vs. Hollingsworth casethat make for California ’s Prop 8 to the Supreme Court back in 2013 , renewed their vows onboard one of the airline ’s cushy Dreamliners on their means to celebrate their 10th day of remembrance in French Polynesia . The tearjerking inflight entertainment tied intoAir Tahiti Nui ’s Luxury Vow Renewal Package promotion , an all - in - one romance spectacular that whisk seasoned lovebirds away to Bora Bora for five nights of mushy walking on air on the beach thoroughgoing with a personal wedding deviser , local officiant , two - tiered cake , and custom marriage ceremony certification inscribe on natural coconut fiber tapa .

Once youland in Tahiti , you ’ve get a couple of alternative . French Polynesia ’s most populous island yield visitor a much more local experience than its more touristic counterparts . There ’s just one right resort to speak of — the Hilton Hotel Tahiti — and many travelers find lodging in small and more rustic hotels and motels , hostels , or Airbnbs .

The great outdoors is definitely fun, but luxurious? Not so much.|Photo by Meredith Heil

Papeete boasts the area ’s largest cluster of homosexual - orient nightclubs by agency of the Mahu District , democratic hangout for locals and out - of - towner alike . Roam the strip around Rue des Écoles and you ’re sure to hit upon weekend drag performers , karaoke joints , and queer or queer - friendly restaurant and bars likeBora Bora Lounge , Le Paradise , Bar le Chaplin ’s , andDelirium Discoteque(f.k.a . Le Piano Bar , a historic favorite among gender - nonconforming Tahitians and their admirers ) .

But if chilling out on the beach is more your speed , you ’ll want to deepen sheet in Papeete for a pool - jumper headed to one of the island concatenation ’s famed vacation destinations like Moorea or , my personal good word , Bora Bora . There , sprawling resorts , many equipped withoverwater bungalows , are the average , making them a prime fix for lovebirds in lookup of some post - nuptial R & R.

Get to know queer culture in French Polynesia

Despite have its own popularly elected president and a substantial amount of administrative autonomy , French Polynesia is officially point an overseas commonwealth of the French Republic — import , at the end of the day , it manoeuver under French practice of law . Thanks to France ’s irresistibly reformist position on LGBTQ+ issues , the island corporate maintainsa gross Equality Index score of 100 points . A legion of anti - discrimination statutes , key rights like same - sex union and adoption , effectual grammatical gender variety without surgery , and the power to give blood and attend in the military disregarding of gender indistinguishability or sexuality , plus a full - on ban against conversion therapy make French Polynesia more queer - affirming than the United States . In short , funny pair are far more protected vacationing in Tahiti than they are hang out in Miami . Go public figure .

Culturally , it ’s more of the same . LGBTQ+ travelers and residents alike are in general accept throughout the island nation , with local organizations likeCousins Cousines de Tahitiproviding community imagination and putting on public Pride solemnisation . societal attitudes toward gender variance are particularly open - minded here . Polynesians have traditionally incorporated a third grammatical gender calledMāhū , characterized by exhibit a combination of both masculine and womanly qualities but not necessarily involving aesculapian transition . Some unwritten history suggest Tahitian syndicate with multiple sons and no daughters would historically elevate the oldest child as Māhū to assist the female parent in caregiving , further enforcing their important and singular role in social club .

“ Perhaps one of the most powerful illustrations of the integration of Tahitian māhū multitude into mainstream kinship structures is their involvement as parents in traditional adoption arrangement — something that , although only recently document , is not an infrequent occurrence , ” save legal scholar Aleardo Zanghellini in a2013 upshot of the journalLaws . “ This reflects their relatively full integration into French Polynesian club , including their participation in the mainstream saving … In particular , Tahitian māhū people often lick in the cordial reception diligence , as societal proletarian and nurse , or as administrators . ”

Air Tahiti Nui plane interior

Air Tahiti Nui performs a special inflight vow renewal ceremony for Kris Perry and Sandy Stier.|Photo courtesy of Air Tahiti Nui

Since the sixties , however , this third grammatical gender construct has evolved to encompassRae Rae , a term that delineate transfeminine people who more often medically modulation via endocrine treatment and other forms of grammatical gender - affirm precaution . Both Rae Rae and Māhū people live openly in French Polynesia , and while prejudice or acts of secernment are far from out of the interrogation , these anatomy of gender saying are predominantly respected as well as protect from a legal standpoint .

Where to stay in French Polynesia

pouch of Papeete apart , Gallic Polynesia is not a late night destination regardless of your option of dancing partner . duet here incline to switch rowdy cabana party and thumping clubs for cozy , low - fundamental dinner , sunset catamaran rides , hand - in - hand snorkel diving expeditions , or lazy beach twenty-four hours . And if it ’s romance you ’re after , Bora Bora is doubtless the office to be .

arise with tourism in mind , the island outcrop is dominated by straggle luxury resorts feature top quality spas , eclectic eatery , and sequestrate villas that project out over crystal clear waters . During my recent trip , I spotted markers of queerness everywhere , from the transwoman checking folks into the hotel to a young Latine sapphic couplet sipping rum by the pool to a silver - haired gay duet garb in matching swim trunk and holding hands on the beach . for sure , there were plenty of non - queer guests , as there so often are , but I ’m not sure if I ’ve ever seen so many LGBTQ+ couple of dissimilar backgrounds seamlessly blending into the variety of upper echelon resort I had so long associated with the square , white , and uber - wealthy .

According to Pauline Himpens , marketing and communicating manager for the stunningConrad Bora Bora Nui , that ’s because romance has no grammatical gender or sexuality . “ We merely believe in erotic love , ” she says . “ There are countless dissimilar way to celebrate romanticism on prop . A secret dinner party , private islet escape to Motu Tapu , sunset champagne , tailor - made activities , engagement , wedding , vow rehabilitation — we offer up an raiment of software , services , and enhancements that promise to get the dreaming wedding to life , no matter the sexuality of the pair . ”

gay bar pepeete tahiti

Papeete’s Mahu District is at the heart of gay Tahitian nightlife.|Le Piano Bar PAPEETE TAHITI

or else , singular honeymooner can take to the water , limp a ride ona dedicated gay cruisecircumventing the archipelago . Ships are a great mode to break out French Polynesia , especially if you ’re interested in determine more than one island . Several companies black market these programs throughout the yr , includingWindstar , GaySail , Olivia Cruises , Vacaya , andOut Adventures , among others ( a few are even habiliment - optional , if that ’s your thing ) . reckon on the itinerary and head trip duration , ports of call can include less populated spots like Raiatea , Tahaa , and Huahine , in increase to Bora Bora , Tahiti , and Moorea .

No matter where you pick out to celebrate , we ’re reminded this month and every calendar month that sexual love is love . But in Gallic Polynesia , that love comes with your very own slice of island nirvana .

men paddle boarding tahiti