Papara

Papara is a small commune of French Polynesia, an isolated French island in the Pacific Ocean with a variety of tourist accommodations and a reasonably dark sky. Hotels, vacation lodges, and campgrounds are all available across the island. However while a beautiful destination for casual gazing, Papara is not recommended for serious observations. It’s a beautiful black sand beach situated on the south side of Tahiti Nui, and given its user-friendly nature, it is also one of the most popular places to surf. In terms of stargazing, one EarthSky friend says it offers “a dark sky view to the south over water, and a tropical atmosphere.”