French Polynesia is an overseas territory of France, consisting of 118 islands sprinkled over an area of ocean almost the size of continental Europe. Of its five archipelagoes, the Society Islands are perhaps the best known to foreigners: Bora Bora, Tahaa, Raiatea and Huahine are less than an hour by air northwest of Tahiti. Enchanting Bora Bora and its neighboring islands embody the South Pacific fantasy. The sheer physical beauty of these lush and mountainous islands is astonishing. An eight-hour flight from Los Angeles, the international airport is located on the island of Tahiti. Since most flights arrive in the middle of the night and depart early in the morning, it is often necessary to spend a night in Papeete.