The largest island and international gateway to French Polynesia, Tahiti combines vibrant local culture with spectacular natural scenery. Explore the colorful markets and waterfront of Papeete, hike through lush valleys to waterfalls, surf legendary waves like Teahupo'o, and discover black-sand beaches. It's the best island for experiencing everyday Polynesian life, food, and culture.
Tahiti in pictures
Tahiti Tourisme
Tahiti TourismePlaces on Tahiti
55A pareo shop in the centre of Papeete, a few steps from the market.
A pareo shop in the centre of Papeete, a few steps from the market. The pareos are drawn by hand, with patterns that come from nature and from the tifaifai quilts of the grandmothers.
A small restaurant on the lagoon at Punaauia, on Tahiti’s west coast, with Moorea across the water.
A small restaurant on the lagoon at Punaauia, on Tahiti’s west coast, with Moorea across the water. Quiet and intimate, the kind of place for a dinner for two.
The parliament of French Polynesia, behind the main post office in Papeete.
Open in MapsThe parliament of French Polynesia, behind the main post office in Papeete. Its 57 members are elected for five years and vote the country’s laws. The garden around it is open to walk in, and the building stands where the palace of the Pomare queens once was.
Open in MapsA seafood restaurant on the water at Punaauia, on Tahiti’s west coast.
Open in MapsA seafood restaurant on the water at Punaauia, on Tahiti’s west coast. Ask for a table at the end of the pier and you eat with Moorea straight ahead.
Open in MapsA microbrewery in Papeete, open since 2020. Hoa means friend in Tahitian, and the place runs like one: beers brewed on site, concerts and open stages in the evening, and they show you round the brewhouse with a tasting if you ask.
Open in MapsA waterfall deep in the Papenoo valley, on Tahiti’s east coast.
A waterfall deep in the Papenoo valley, on Tahiti’s east coast. You reach it up the valley track, about two hours by electric mountain bike from the valley entrance, with rivers to swim in on the way.
In depth
Tahiti: everything you need to know before you go
Beyond the airport: the market, the valleys, Teahupo'o and the west coast - how to give the main island the days it deserves.
Most visitors use Tahiti as a door to the other islands. Stay a little, and you find the real center of Polynesian life. The biggest island, the highest mountains, the capital, the markets, and the most famous wave in surfing: give Tahiti days, not hours.
Where is it?
Tahiti is the main island of French Polynesia, in the Windward Islands. It is really two round islands joined by a narrow strip of land at Taravao: Tahiti Nui, the big part, with Papeete in the northwest - and Tahiti Iti, the wild peninsula. At its end sits Teahupo'o, where the road stops and the famous wave begins.
How do you get there?
You arrive here: all international flights land at Faa'a, and every island flight and Moorea ferry starts here. The real question is how to get around. Rent a car for the island, and take the ferry for Moorea. Plan extra time on the coast road - it is the only road, and everyone shares it.
When should you go?
May to October is the drier, cooler season. November to April is warm, wet and green. Humpback whales pass from about July to November. The big waves at Teahupo'o also come mostly in the dry months - so surf season and dry season are almost the same.
What to do
- Start at the Papeete market. Two floors of fruit, fish, monoï (the scented coconut oil), flowers and weaving - the island's living room. The market is at its best early in the morning, and earliest of all on Sunday.
- Drive into the valleys. The Papenoo valley cuts through the green heart of the island, past waterfalls and old trails - a 4x4 day trip into a Tahiti most visitors never see. The Faarumai waterfalls, near the north coast, are an easier short walk into the same green world.
- Go to the end of the road. Teahupo'o, at the tip of the peninsula, is a village first and a legend second. From a taxi boat you can watch the surfers on the wave. From the shore, you can feel why they respect it.
- Swim the west coast. Black-sand beaches, sunsets over Moorea, and easy snorkelling along the Punaauia coast. Tahiti's lagoon is simpler to enjoy than people think.
- Eat at the roulottes. In the evening, the food trucks set up and the whole island lines up together: grilled fish, chow mein, crêpes. It is the cheapest good dinner in French Polynesia, and the most local one.
Where to stay
Papeete keeps you close to the market, the ferries and the little nightlife there is. The west coast - Punaauia, Paea - has the beaches, the sunsets and most of the hotels. The peninsula is for surf and quiet. There are family guesthouses all around the island, and they are easy to reach.
Is Tahiti for you?
Tahiti is for travellers who want to see Polynesia at work: a real city, real traffic at rush hour, and under it all, the deepest culture, food and history in the islands. It is not the postcard lagoon - Moorea and the atolls do that better. Give Tahiti two or three days at the start or end of your trip. It may quietly become one of the reasons you come back.
Practical tips
- Rent a car - the island is bigger than it looks, and buses are rare.
- Go to the market early - by mid-morning the best fish and flowers are gone.
- Rain showers pass quickly on the north and east coasts - wait a little before you cancel a plan.
- Much of the interior is protected land - visit the valleys with a local guide.
- Bring a light jacket for the mountains - the interior is much cooler.
That is Tahiti.
23 places · 34 guides · 25 things to know
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Essentials · 4 min
Tahiti: Where to eat on the peninsula?
Editorial: Maeva LAUTRET
The Tahiti Peninsula, also known as Tahiti Iti (as opposed to the larger island, Tahiti Nui), is a small preserved gem away from the hectic pace of the “city,” offering breathtaking landscapes and idyllic beaches.
If there’s one question that comes to mind during a getaway to the peninsula or a tour of the island, it’s where to eat!
Whether you’re looking for a quick bite or a full meal…
Whether you prefer burgers and pizza, or raw fish in coconut milk and grilled lobster…
…the peninsula offers a multitude of options, and we’ve gathered them all for you.
All that’s left is for you to make your choice.
If, after reading this article, you’re still hungry, I recommend the Eating section.
Restaurants
Hoanui Mataiea Réservations au 40577080 Open daily from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. #cuisinelocalepolynésienne #dessert #bellevue #vuesurlamer #atypique
Nuutea Mataiea Reservations at 89773377 Open Tuesday to Saturday, 10:30 a.m. to 2:3 p.m. - Friday and Saturday, 6 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. #cuisinelocalepolynésienne #terrasse #specialitepoisson
Gauguin Museum Bar Pk 50.5 côté mer, Papeari Reservations at 40571380 Open Tuesday to Sunday, 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Web #cuisinelocalepolynésienne #cuisinefrançaise #dessert #bellevue #vuesurlamer #atypique #terrasse
Terre-Mer Sea side, Phaeton Bay, Taravao Reservations at 40570857 Open Sunday to Tuesday from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and Thursday to Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. #cuisinelocalepolynésienne #cuisinefrançaise #dessert #bellevue #vuesurlamer #atypique #terrasse
Le Manoa Located in Taravao Reservations at 40577101 #cuisinefrançaise #climatisation #cuisinelocalepolynésienne #dessert #terrasse
Chez Loula et Rémy Rue du Tavana Olivier, Taravao Reservations at 40577499 #cuisinelocalepolynésienne #cuisinefrançaise #dessert #climatisation
Tū’ati Pk 60, Taravao Reservations at 40579856 Open Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday from 11:30am to 3pm and Friday to Saturday from 11:30am to 3pm and from 7pm to 9pm. #cuisinelocalepolynésienne #cuisinefrançaise #dessert #atypique #terrasse
T.K.T Panda Taravao Taravao Reservations at 40571260 Open Monday to Thursday, 11am to 1.30pm and 6pm to 8.30pm; Friday and Saturday, 11am to 1.30pm and 6pm to 9pm. Closed on Sundays. #cuisinelocalepolynésienne #cuisinechinoise #dessert #climatisation #animations
La plage de Maui Pk 7,7 côté mer Toahotu Reservations at 87747174 Open all week from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. #cuisinelocalepolynésienne #dessert #bellevue #vuesurlamer #atypique #terrasse
Taumatai Tairapu Est Reservations at 40571359 Open Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday from 11:30 a.m. and Friday and Saturday from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. #cuisinelocalepolynésienne #dessert #decorationlocale #jardinluxuriant
Tavania Tairapu Ouest Reservations at 40577235 Open Monday to Thursday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. #cuisinelocalepolynésienne #dessert #terrasse
Vanira Lodge Teahupoo Reservations at 40577018 or 87726962 Breakfast from 7am to 9am - Dinner from 6.30pm to 8.30pm #cuisinelocalepolynésienne #dessert #bellevue #vuesurlamer #atypique #enmontagne #jardinluxuriant
Snacking / Roulotte
Ô Tumu Mape Teva I Uta Reservations at 87222009 Open Wednesday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Saturday to Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. #cuisinelocalepolynésienne #dessert #hamburger #terrasse #aemporter #jardinluxuriant #decorationlocale #bellevue #vuesurlamer
Croqmaster Tuatara en face de l’opt, Taravao Reservations at 40481011 #sandwiches #terrasse
La Kantine Pk 1,3 Afaahiti à Taravao Reservations at 87245212 Sunday to Thursday from 4pm to 9pm and Friday to Saturday from 4pm to midnight #pizza #terrasse #crepe #aemporter
Motu de Mymy Taravao Reservations at 87798758 Open Wednesday and Thursday from 5 to 9:30 p.m. and Friday to Sunday from 7:30 to 10:30 a.m. and then from 5 to 9:30 p.m. #cuisinelocalepolynésienne #dessert #bellevue #barbecue #healthy #vegan
Poke Taravao, opposite Macdonald’s Open Sunday to Wednesday, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Thursday to Saturday, 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. #cuisinelocalepolynésienne #terrasse #healthy #smoothie #dessert #petitdejeuner
Pizza
Presqu’île Pizza Taravao Reservations at 89537900 Open Tuesday and Thursday from 10:30 to 14:00 and 16:00 to 19:00 and Wednesday, Friday and Saturday from 10:30 to 14:00 and 16:30 to 20:00. #pizza #livraison #platsaemporter #placesassises
Pizza folies Taravao Taravao Reservations at 87715628 Open Thursday to Tuesday, 4:30 to 9 p.m. #pizza #livraison #platsaemporter #placesassises
La Sicile à Tahiti in Taravao Taravao Reservations at 89442443 Open Wednesday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. plus 5 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. and Sunday from 5 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. #pizza #livraison #platsaemporter #placesassises
Pizz&Co Taravao Reservations at 89201000 Open daily from 4:30 pm to 9 pm #pizza #livraison #platsaemporter #placesassises
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