1. Stay in an overwater bungalow in Tahiti
These days, you can find overwater bungalows all around the world—the Caribbean, the Maldives, even Qatar. But if you're looking for the birthplace of the villa on the water, you'll find it in Tahiti. That's where the first overwater bungalows were built in 1967, on the island of Raiatea, as a way to get around the island's lack of white sand beaches.
Those accommodations were such a hit that you can now find them all around Tahiti, with the largest concentration on the paradisiacal Bora Bora. There are plenty of activities around the islands, of course—snorkeling among the coral, walking the beaches, exploring lagoons on paddleboards. But the best way to experience Tahiti may still be to simply take it slow in your bungalow, watching the fish through a glass floor or lounging in your own private plunge pool.