What to do in Tahiti

Discover the activities to do in Tahiti! During a trip to French Polynesia, Tahiti is the departure point for tourists arriving from the island's international airport. They spend one or two days there before leaving for Moorea or Bora Bora, and yet, it deserves to be visited more. Indeed, there are many things to do in Tahiti!

Tahiti is the largest island of the Society Archipelago and is part of the Windward Islands along with Moorea, which is located 15 km to the west. It is composed of two parts: Tahiti nui, also called Big Tahiti, and Tahiti iti, Little Tahiti or also called the Taiarapu Peninsula, being connected to Tahiti nui only by an isthmus (the isthmus of Taravao). Each of these two parts is centered on extinct volcanoes that have given them several peaks, the highest of which is Mount Orohena. Tahiti is indeed the highest island in all of Polynesia with a very mountainous and wild interior landscape. The houses are therefore concentrated on the coastline, from the south of the island while going up the west coast bordered by lagoons, to the northern tip. Papeete, capital of Tahiti but also of the whole of Polynesia, is located in the northwest.

Because of its size and location, it is impossible not to know what to do in Tahiti!

On the cultural side, Tahiti is known for its monoi, as well as its pearl farms whose pearls are of a superb black color. It is also home to the largest marae in all of Polynesia, the Arahurahu marae, a historic site to visit. You can also enjoy traditional dance performances by the famous vahines, while tasting a typical dish of the region, raw fish. It is also recommended to taste the local gastronomy thanks to the trailers, the food-trucks of Tahiti. Don't hesitate to watch Polynesians practicing their national sport, the va'a (traditional Polynesian canoe), or even to accompany them to go fishing, a must on the Polynesian islands!

As for discovering the island's fauna and flora, there are many activities that will allow you to visit Tahiti while having fun!
Hiking remains the most common activity to enjoy the island's sumptuous mountainous landscapes, but also one of the most sporty: if you want to reach the top of Mount Orohena on foot, for example, culminating at 2,241 m, count on six hours of walking to complete your journey! If you want to enjoy nature in a less tiring way, you should not hesitate to go on a quad or 4x4 excursion: these activities will also allow you to see the beautiful waterfalls of the island (Loti waterfall, 3 waterfalls of Faarumai), to explore the Papenoo valley, as well as to admire the Vaihiria lake, the largest natural lake of Polynesia. It is also possible to go horseback riding, and to enjoy a completely different view, helicopter tours or paragliding. The more adventurous can even try activities such as aerobatics, skydiving, or piloting a small tourist plane to discover new sensations and enjoy the view of Tahiti from the sky.

Canyoning is also a must in Tahiti, especially to discover the famous lava tunnels (lavatubes), to go down the natural slides that have formed in the streams, but also to take advantage of the basins for a refreshing swim.

Once you've had your fill of land-based activities, there are still plenty of water-based activities to discover! Swimming and snorkeling are of course the basis of the beautiful white sand beaches, such as Vaiava, Rohotu, or the one at Le Meridien hotel. But Tahiti is also famous for its magnificent black sand beaches: the beach of Pointe Vénus, with the only lighthouse on the island, the beach of Tautira on Tahiti iti, or the beach of Taharuu, a very good place to surf. Surfing is also a must in Tahiti, which has one of the most impressive surf spots in the world, the Teahupoo wave (which means "wall of heads" in Tahitian). If you are not an experienced surfer, it is better to go there by boat to be able to safely observe this wave among the most dangerous in the world. Otherwise, you can try surfing, kitesurfing or wakeboarding in other spots around the island. There is no shortage of it!

And as in all of Polynesia, diving is a must during a stay in Tahiti. The island has many dive sites in its lagoon as well as in the Pacific Ocean. And if wildlife attracts you, don't hesitate to take a boat, sailboat or even jet ski tour: you will have great chances to see dolphins! And if you don't want to go too far from the shore, you can also rent a paddle or a kayak to discover the lagoons without getting in the water.

If you were considering Tahiti as a stopover before going to Bora Bora or Moorea, don't hesitate to rethink your trip to give it a little more time: as you have just seen, there are many things to do in Tahiti!