Final answer:
The Polynesians never reached Antarctica. Their voyaging canoes were suited for warmer Pacific waters, and Antarctica was not sighted until 1820 by European explorers.
Step-by-step explanation:
The continent that the Polynesians never managed to get to is Antarctica. While the Polynesians were expert navigators and colonized many islands across the Pacific Ocean, their voyages did not extend to the Antarctic continent. Antarctica was first sighted by explorers in 1820, long after the peak of Polynesian exploration, and it is a continent which is not politically controlled by any government and covered in ice, notably different from the tropical and temperate climates of the Polynesian islands.
Renowned explorers such as Captain James Cook made contact with Polynesian people, and European expeditions eventually expanded global geographical knowledge. However, the Polynesian voyaging canoes were best suited for transiting the warm waters of the Pacific, and considering the vast distances and harsh conditions, it is not surprising that the Polynesians did not reach the frigid shores of Antarctica.