My beliefs about Tahiti were pretty much stereotypical: a honeymooner’s paradise, a place to laze about and suntan, where decadent French food was plentiful ... and while opportunities abound for those kinds of experiences, I was intrigued to discover Tahiti’s more adventurous side.

Tahiti’s primary point of entry is on the main island of Tahiti–the perfect pit stop to get acclimated to the island way of living. I spent the night on the main island after a seven-hour flight from Los Angeles and wasn’t able to see the mythic turquoise-colored waters under the starry sky, but hearing the waves crash against the sand would suffice. The Sofitel Tahiti Resort in Faa’a, just over six miles west of Papeete, is close to the airport and boasts incredible views of the mountains and lagoons, making for the perfect spot for an island stopover before visiting one of the other 118 islands. The Sofitel also has resorts on the islands of Moorea and Bora Bora, which feature spa treatmens and gourmet restaurants.

My adventure began the next day in Nuku Hiva. Located in the Marquesas, the island grouping furthest from Tahiti, Nuku Hiva is carved out for adventure. The island has very few beaches and is more mountainous than the other islands. I checked in to the Keikahanui Nuku Hiva Pearl Lodge and booked an island tour that introduced me to archaeological sites, such as Hikokua and Kamuihei, featuring some of the most fascinating temples I’d ever seen–including one that was notorious for human sacrifice, and still had a wayward femur bone to prove it.

Afterwards, I hiked to the waterfalls of Hakaui and took a short boat ride to the other side of the island. I walked through lush, tropical gardens, through a river or two and then stopped at a waterfall that hurtled into a swimming hole, complete with cavernous coves and a guard eel who–thankfully–kept to himself. But few things are as thrilling as diving into fresh water and working your way around a rock formation to position yourself under a waterfall in your own private corner of a Tahitian island.

Next island: Huahine, with rich, tropical forest-like vegetation perfectly paired with the white, sandy beaches Tahiti is known for. After visiting the sacred eels–and watching the frenzy that ensues when they’re fed canned fish–I opted to conquer a long-standing fear and go shark feeding. I strapped on snorkel gear and got right into the water with the guide, who sprinkled chum around like confetti, bringing so many fish in front of my face that I almost couldn’t see water anymore. And then they came: sharks. Everywhere!

Even the sleepy little island of Manihi had excitement to offer. Though it is only four miles wide and so flat that you can clearly see from one end to the other, a snorkeling excursion to The Drop-Off was so dramatic that I found myself contemplating my own mortality. While the fish swam animatedly only 50 feet below, suddenly a steep, sharp shelf dropped off to deep, dark, blue water, immediately reminding me of the vastness of the sea. Just as fun was a motu picnic excursion that put me in touch with my inner hunter/gatherer. On the way to a deserted island, the boat captain handed me a hand line so I could fish for my lunch, which I did, and caught some snapper, while a boatmate snagged a shark. Then it was off to the island to cook our catch, scale a coconut tree to drink fresh, young coconut milk, and wrestle a shark out of the water and onto the sand.

While there were the requisite snuggling newlyweds, copious rays and delicious cuisine, my multi-island Tahitian excursion also revealed the adrenalin-pumping experiences the area has to offer. Now, no business experience can shake me. After all, I swam with, fed and wrestled with sharks.