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There's more to Tahiti than gorgeous strands and posh resorts. Here's a guide to the cultural heart of these beachy islands.

Development on these islands is still sparse—in comparison, with, say, Hawai’i or the Caribbean—leaving the customs of their people largely undisturbed. And that’s exactly what makes the flight across the Pacific so worthwhile. The Society Islands (which include Tahiti, as well as Bora Bora, Raiatea, Taha’a and Moorea) offer a blend of the culture of the ancient Polynesians and the customs of the French colonials who landed there in the 19th century. As a result, the islands have their own myths and songs, dances and crafts. Here are 10 ways to get past the beaches for a look at the inner life of the islands.

1. Be seduced by the islands’ rhythms.

Despite the fact that missionaries spent hundreds of years trying to convert the islanders to their ways, the Polynesians clung tightly to their ancient dances and music. Today, you can still hear the sounds of the pahu and to’ere drums, as well as those of a nose flute called a vivo, and see plenty of hip-swinging and skirt-flashing. Visit the Radisson Plaza Resort Tahiti on a Saturday night, when The Ahutoru Nui group, a competitive dance troupe, charges the stage in full regalia. (The dancers make their own skirts out of bark, leaves and shells.) But be prepared: They often pull spectators up onstage for a quick lesson in hip-shaking (radisson.com/aruefrp).

2. Share a simple feast.

Finding authentic local cuisine on Tahiti can be difficult, because islanders tend to dine at home and resorts cater to international tastes. But there's one place the locals do gather: at the wharf in Papeete, where, each night, a group of catering trucks known as Les Roulottes appears. Don't expect hot dogs and hamburgers, though: The menu options are positively gourmet. Choose from fresh grilled tuna, mahimahi or lagoon fish, served up with fried plantains. For dessert, experience the French side of the culture with a chocolate-banana crêpe. You can take your bounty to one of the wharf's picnic tables and dine together under the evening stars.

3. Say "I Do" all over again.

Book a cruise on Radisson Seven Seas Cruise's Paul Gauguin, and you'll visit six different islands. Onboard, a staff of Tahitians will teach you how to weave traditional shell bracelets and how to speak a few words of Tahitian. Best of all, you can take part in the weekly Tahitian wedding ceremony and seal your vows once again. It's held on deck at sunset and is free of charge. First, you'll be wrapped in a tifaifai (a decorative quilt), and then crowned with wreaths of flowers and leaves. The ceremony is beautiful, but not legally binding, so even unmarried couples join in the fun (rssc.com).

4. Exercise your flower power.

As soon as you've landed at Tahiti's international airport, in Papeete, the airport staff will present you with a lei of tiare—the perfumed, white-blossomed national flower. Love the smell? You can have your whole body drenched in this fragrance during a massage using native botanical oils known as manoï. Most spas provide the tiare-scented oil, but don't hesitate to ask about other local aromas, such as frangipani, papaya or bamboo. Our favorite place for this treatment: The Bora Bora Lagoon Resort and Spa. The spa is built high up in the tops of banyan trees, and the treatments are delightful (boraboralagoon.com).

5. See the deep.

The waters surrounding Bora Bora are home to some of the best dive sites in the archipelago. Book a dive with TOPdive to Tapu, a spot that's filled with black-tip reef and lemon sharks (both non-aggressive) as well as moray eels. Not ready to take a 35-foot plunge? Try snorkeling with manta rays, which gently flutter their bat-like wings. TOPdive also offers introductory tours for beginners and night dives (topdive.com).

6. Choose a gleaming souvenir.

Just about every new bride wants to return from Tahiti with a black pearl. The pearls might seem expensive, yet often it's the setting that hikes up the price and not the quality of the gem. (Our advice: Avoid elaborate mountings, with heaps of diamonds and tangles of gold.) Visit the Black Pearl Gem Company on Moorea, and you can buy a pearl in a sleek, modern pendant setting that you can slide onto various necklaces back at home. Call ahead (011-689-56-36-68), and you can arrange to be picked up from anywhere on the island and brought to the store (blackpearlgemco.com).

7. Say hello to sushi.

The national dish of Tahiti is poisson cru, raw tuna seasoned with coconut milk and served with fresh, hot bread. The dish varies from island to island, and restaurant to restaurant. In some places, it's flavored with hot green onions. In others, you'll taste the faintest touch of vanilla or a hint of papaya. On Moorea, visit a simple, no-frills eatery called Restaurant Irene. This thatch-roofed outdoor patio is where taxi drivers go to get their lunch, so you know it has to be good. The poisson cru is spicy, and the restaurant also serves a mean pineapple flambé. Irene doesn't have a street address or a phone, but the locals can show you the way .

8. Take the islands home in your suitcase.

Vanilla is the national spice but, while you can find it for sale almost everywhere, it's not all created equal. Fresh-tasting ground vanilla comes from the bean only, not a mix of the bean and the pod, so look for the words "pure ground bean" on the label. Or consider buying whole vanilla beans, as the locals do. You take them home, score them lightly with a knife, and soak them in a bottle of rum, which will pull the flavor into the liquid. After six weeks, you'll have a homemade extract that can add some "wow" to a ho-hum oatmeal cookie recipe. Also, while vanilla is sold on all the islands, most of the crop is produced in Taha'a, which is just a 45-minute ferry ride from Raiatea. Sign up with Vaipoe Tours, a company run by an actual plantation owner, for a visit to the fields where this yummy treat is grown (vaipoe.webnui.com).

10. Tie the knot.

The most comfortable, practical way to dress for the South Pacific heat is in a pareo, a hand-dyed cotton sarong that's loose enough to ruffle in the breeze. The most beautiful sarongs are made of hand-printed tropical fabrics, and many have lovely batik designs. Instead of signing up for a pareo-dyeing course, which most of the island hotels offer, take a pareo-tying lesson instead, in which you can master the twists and turns that transform this simple beach wrap into a cocktail dress. Sign up for a lesson at the Moorea Pearl Resort and Spa, where you'll learn how to create the different styles, from the one most popular on Moorea (off-of-the-shoulder) to the favorite on Raiatea (tied on the side). Lessons are offered every Thursday at 6 p.m. and, best of all, they're free, even if you're not a guest at the resort (pearlresorts.com).