Tahiti it is a French island that is synonymous with paradise. It is distant, exotic, exuberant, rich and expensive, but of course it is worth it if we want to give ourselves a taste in life. It is the largest island in the French Polynesia and it is waiting for us in the Pacific Ocean.
Are we going today to this magical and mythical destination? For that we will travel to the Society Islands where, between the islands of Huahine, Bora Bora, Maupiti, Moorea, Taha'a and Raiatea, Tahiti is located.
Tahiti
It is the largest island in French Polynesia and it is decorated with green valleys, mountains and waterfalls. Naturally the majority of the population resides on the coasts so the interior still exudes a certain isolation or a certain timelessness. Tahiti is inhabited for about 185 thousand inhabitants and has 646 square kilometers.
The capital of Tahiti is Papetee, a name that derives from the fact that it was the place where the ancient inhabitants collected fresh water. Today it concentrates hotels, shops, restaurants, markets, museums and services. The international airport is located five kilometers west of the city and there is also the domestic terminal. Between Paris and Papeete there are 22 hours of flightFrom Los Angeles there are eight and from Santiago, eleven hours.
Faa'a Airport also operates with domestic flights from Air Tahiti that can take you from island to island. These trips are easy to organize and very fast: there are only seven minutes between Tahiti and Moorea, for example. Domestic flights allow you luggage for 23 kilos or 46 kilos depending on the category of the ticket.
There are also Boat trips although not for all destinations. You can join Tahiti and Moorea by boat, for example, and there are also freighters that travel twice a week to the Marquesas and Austral Islands and once a month to Mangareva. The ferries They operate between the nearest islands, Tahiti with Mooera, Bora Bora with Maupiti and the gulet freighters, beautiful boats with cabins, that travel a little further, to the Gambier, Austral or Leeward Islands.
Tahiti has a blessed, tropical climate with many hours of sun and gentle Pacific winds that blow all year. On average it has 25 ºC although we can distinguish two major seasons, the wet and the dry. The dry season runs from March to November with temperatures between 21 and 27 ºC. The wet season runs from December to FebruaryOr, it is hotter and tropical rains abound. It should be noted that the wind helps a lot on the hottest days.
The local currency is Pacific franc, XPF. There are banks and exchange houses everywhere but credit cards are accepted in all hotels and restaurants and shops. Not in the markets, where cash circulates, or the smaller stores. The exchange rate is fixed with respect to the euro. There's Internet? YesFor some time now, the Internet service is very good because it works thanks to a submarine fiber optic cable that is connected to Hawaii.
Tahiti uses electric current to 110 or 220 volts. The official language is French but you can also handle yourself in English. Tap water is drinkable in Papeete and Bora Bora, but you have to ask on other islands. Do you have to get vaccinated? Yes, it is mandatory to be vaccinated against yellow fever if you come from a risk area.
But what does Tahiti offer for all its visitors? Tahiti offers activities related to nature: black sand beaches on the east coast, white beaches on the west coast, mountain hiking, diving, surfing and other water activities.
Without leaving the mainland you can explore the islands: there are many roads through the mountains that join beautiful viewpoints and you can walk them on your own or with the help of specialized guides. You can too horseback riding, cycling, 4 × 4 cars and in some places, by zip line. Other activities: parachutingor, both in Tahiti and in Bora Bora or the lagoons of Moorea, paraglider o tourist flights.
In the water you can practice surf, stand up paddle or bodyguard. In Tahiti there are only about thirty places where you can surf and three of them are world class: Maraa, Taapuna and Teahuppo. All year round you can surf on the south coast and only in southern winter on the north coast. You can also do kitesurfing, wind surfing or funboarding and taking advantage of the calm waters of the lagoons, it's great go canoeing or sailing.
Underwater French Polynesia is a paradise. The water has 26 ºC average so it's great for diving in and enjoying some sort of four million square kilometer natural aquarium where there are more than a thousand marine species, among them turtles, stingrays, more than twenty sharks, with points where the visibility is 30 meters. A spectacular thing. And if you go from July to November you can witness the humpback whale migrations, they go from the Antarctic to the coasts of Tahiti to feed and reproduce.
If you don't know how to swim or you can't practice diving or snorkeling you can always climb a glass bottom boat or the aquascopes, which allow you to enjoy the seabed without getting a hair wet. And yes, there is also semi submersible that take you to a depth of 50 meters or the possibility of diving with scuba.
Another charming tourist activity is sail between the islands, discover them from the sea, passing between the ocean and the lagoons. There are 118 islands with more than a thousand points where one can make a stopover. The boats are small and luxurious and of course, although it is a beautiful activity, it is one of the most expensive.
What shopping can you do in Tahiti? Typical summer zone things: swimsuits, dresses, pareos, typical handicrafts, jewelery or costume jewelery… A good place to go shopping is the Papeete market and another is the Vaima shopping center, since here you can buy a little of everything and many souvenirs. Don't forget to bring some vanilla, Tahiti exports eleven tons per year of this exquisite spice, mango, papaya, candies, scented flower honey, teas, monoi oil, based on coconut and flowers, and of course, pearls.
Pearls are grown in Tahiti in the Gamiery Islands of Tuamotu, and you get them commercially in costume jewelery or on their own. There are many prices according to the quality of the pearl and you can ask for a certificate of authenticity. While monoi oil is also a good souvenir gift from Tahiti since it is an artisan product that the grandmothers used to make and that is sold directly from the producers. You can get soaps, body creams, balms, or milks.
The pareos, the word we use derives in fact, from the Tahitian word pareu, it is another possible memory: the fabrics are colorful, with cheerful motifs, and the local people use it without distinction everywhere. And finally you can buy crafts made with bone, stone or wood. There are fountains, fruit bowls, statues, maces, graters, bags, baskets, hats, and more.
As you see this destination is amazing. It is expensive, there is no denying it, but once there you can adjust to your budget. Who could rent a luxury cruise between the islands, enjoy a spa every night and watch sunsets from the high seas! But even if that is far from our wallet there are still unforgettable experiences to live in Tahiti. You dare?