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Fun Sites to Visit

guide — Sun, 24 May 2009 03:35:45 +0000

People who visit Tahiti usually come to see the relaxing beaches along the azure sea against the backdrop of a most dazzlingly blue sky you can find anywhere in the world. However, Tahiti has more to it than oceans, beaches, scuba diving and surfing. With its rich cultural heritage and the unique geographical formation of the island, Tahiti along with the other islands in the French Polynesia has many other attractions to offer. I have discussed below five best things to see in Tahiti.
Harrison Smith Botanical Garden:
The rich diversity of tropical plants is displayed in the beautiful Harriet Smith botanical garden. A trip to this place enlightens us to the fact that Tahiti is the home of numerous species of orchids, other than the fragrant flowers for which all tropical countries are famous. The beauty of some of the plants and flowers will leave you spellbound.
Waterfalls:
Tahiti boasts many waterfalls in the lush green setting of the volcanic mountains on which the island is centered. Some of these are accessible by cars while others need hiking to reach them. You can bring swimsuits and enjoy taking bath under the cascading water of the streams. Faarumai, Vaiharuru, Vaimahutu and Topatari are some of the well-known waterfalls.
Archaeological Sites:
There are many archaeological sites, which consist of the ruins of ancient temples or maraes, amidst the picturesque beauty of the Tahitian inlands. The Papenoo valley also contains a lot of ruins as well as waterfalls. This will give you a chance to explore the rugged mountains and the lush rain forest of Tahiti closelt. It is advisable to take a guide in such tours.
Pearl Museum:
Tahiti has a Pearl Museum, the only one in the world of its kind, which has a wide collection of pearls and oysters.
Lagoonarium:
The Lagoonarium in the South coast is an underwater aquarium, which displays an amazing variety of marine species including shark, tortoise, moray eels and colorful tropical fish. You can also view shark-feeding here.

Popular Beaches

guide — Sun, 24 May 2009 03:34:18 +0000

In Tahiti, wherever you go, you will not be very far from a sea beach. Also, almost all beaches are suitable for diving, snorkeling and fishing. There are both pubic and private beaches in Tahiti. If you are staying in a hotel or resort with an access to a private beach, you are lucky. If not, you will still have abundant choices of public beaches, which are as lovely. If you would like to visit all beaches by yourself, get a map, rent a car or a scooter and start right on. The helpful locals will willingly direct you to the next beach at every stop. Here is a list of five best beaches in Tahiti.
Lafayette Beach
Located on the less crowded Eastern coast of Tahiti and facing the Matavi Bay, Lafayette is one of the best black sand beaches in Tahiti. The Tahiti Radisson Plaza resort is located right on this beach.
Papenoo Beach
This beach located in the North coast is another black sand beach. Also, if you are a surfer, you will probably prefer this beach to others because of the slightly more turbulent water.
Plage de Toaroto
This half-mile long white sand beach, located on the western coast is quite near the hotel Meridien. You can do snorkeling here as the water is shallow and the marine life is extremely rich. The dining experience in the restaurant Le Carre, on a wooden deck right on the beach, is quite breathtaking.
Venus Point Beach
At Venus Point on the east coast, you should visit the picturesque black sand beach which has an added attraction in the form of a tall, white lighthouse and a park. Interestingly, Venus Point is the place from where Captain Cook observed the transit of the planet Venus in 1769.
Pirae Beach
On the eastern coast, you will find another nice beach in suburb of Pirae. This one is also a black sand beach and is located near the Royal Tahitian Hotel.

Things to do in Tahiti

guide — Sun, 24 May 2009 03:33:12 +0000

A paradise can probably be defined by a place, which holds the same attraction for all people, in spite of their age or cultural differences. Tahiti is a perfect paradise in the sense that everybody will have something to do over here. Here is a list of the 5 must-do activities in Tahiti.
Shark feeding:
In Tahiti you will get to witness shark feeding, for the waters around the islands of the French Polynesia are full of toothy sharks. Rangiroa, an atoll near Tahiti is probably the best place for shark feeding, where you need to stand in shallow water to see sharks taking food from the hands of an expert diver.
Scuba diving:
If the color of the ocean around Tahiti disappoints you for being not so perfectly blue as the picture postcards, your heart will surely lift as soon as you dive under it. The water is so crystal clear and pollution free that you will not fail to see even the tiniest dot on a small fish. Kids as well as adults will enjoy diving equally, especially with the impossibly colorful fish and beautiful coral reefs for which this part of the Pacific Ocean is famous.
Getting married:
Tahiti is one of the most popular choices for honeymoon couples or for couples, married for a long time, wanting to renew their love life. There is a very interesting activity that will definitely attract you if you are planning such a romantic vacation. In Tahiti, you can get married in a beautiful Tahitian ceremony completed with a priest giving you traditional Tahitian names.
Circling the island:
You can tour the island by the 117 km road that circles it and gives you many glimpses of the lush green rain forest, waterfalls, beaches, museums, ruined temples and other beauties of Tahiti.
Visiting the spa:
Tahiti is also famous for its spas. No vacation can be complete without a relaxing spa massage amidst the fragrance of tropical flowers, ending with a body wrap of banana leaves, leaving all your muscles soothed and relaxed.

Tahiti Resort Hotels

guide — Sun, 24 May 2009 03:32:25 +0000

In any Tahiti resort, you will find the same hospitality, relaxed atmosphere, proximity to a beach and artless, bright smiles that will make you feel welcome immediately. Most resorts even have their own private beaches. Also, most of the high-end resorts offer overwater bungalows, the thatch-roofed cottages built above the ocean water, with waiters often coming to serve meals in a canoe!
Most 5-star hotels have room rates hovering around $180 and overwater bungalows may cost more than $300. On the weekends the rates may shoot up in all hotels. Here are five hotels in Tahiti, some of which are luxurious and some are budget hotels to fit a shallower pocket.
The Intercontinental Resort
This 5 star resort on the west coast of Tahiti, which offers both conventional rooms and overwater bungalows, is located amidst a 30 acres park. An added attraction for this hotel is the weekly show of Grands Ballets de Tahiti, which is based on the mutiny among the sailors of the historic ship HMS Bounty.
Le Meridien
Le Meridien is one of the largest resorts in Tahiti, with a European style building and overwater bungalows. It is a deluxe resort, overlooking a white sand beach. It is situated in the Punaauia region, around half an hour away from Papeete.
The Radisson
The Radisson is one of the newer resorts that offer a private beach experience along with rooms and overwater bungalows. The hotel is situated on the beautiful black sands of the Lafayatte beach and provides a 5 star accommodation.
The Sofitel
The Sofitel, a relatively less expensive hotel, located near downtown Tahiti, has room rates of around $150. It is quite near the airport and around 15 minutes away from the town.
The Mandarin
Mandarin is a 2-star downtown hotel, opposite the Town Hall in the heart of Papeete. The room rates starts from around $125. This hotel does not offer overwater bungalows but is a nice place to stay to have a feel of the urban Tahiti.

Geography of French Polynesia

guide — Sun, 24 May 2009 03:31:36 +0000

The French Polynesia, of which Tahiti is a part of, is a group of 118 atolls and islands in the southern Pacific Ocean. The names of the archipelago that the French Polynesia consists of are: Austral, Society, Gambier, Marquesas and Tuamotu. Tahiti, a part of the Society island group, is the largest of all islands in French Polynesia. Tahiti occupies a little over 1000 square kilometers of land and has a population of around 170,000.
The island of Tahiti consists of two almost round lands, joined by a narrow isthmus. The bigger island in the North West is called Tahiti Nui and the south west island is called Tahiti Iti. Each of these islands has a volcanic peak at the center, namely Mount Orohena in Tahiti Nui (2,241meters) and Mount Roonui (1332 meters) in Tahiti Iti. Both mountains have lush green rain forests covering them, many swift streams emptying into cool rivers and of course a wide variety of flora and fauna that will delight any nature lover.
As with any tropical island, Tahiti has a sunny, warm and humid weather almost throughout the year, but the heat never makes you uncomfortable because of the cool Trade Winds. The summer season lasts from November to April and the highest temperature rarely goes beyond 93 F (34 C). It can rain any time of the year, but in January the rainfall is usually the highest. From May to September, the weather is relatively dry and cool. However, even though it rains quite a lot, it is rare to find a day completely without sunshine. The winter is virtually non-existent here as the lowest temperature usually hovers around 61 F (16 C).
You cannot single out a season which will be the best time to visit Tahiti as the weather is almost the same throughout the year and it is impossible to predict when it is going to rain. You can plan your tour anytime of the year and will always be greeted by the warm, blue sea, the fragrant flowers, the bright tropical sun, azure sky and the welcoming smiles of the Tahitians.

Nightlife in Tahiti

guide — Sun, 24 May 2009 03:29:08 +0000

Tahiti is synonymous to romance. The blue lagoons, the lazy ocean lapping at the white shores, the shady palm groves, the fragrance of tropical flowers, the aroma of seafood are the ideal prescription to melt the heart of the most cynical people on Earth. Tahiti consists of stuff that all romantic dreams are made of. However, all images of Tahiti that we have in our mind are that of sunny beaches and sun-drenched forests.
Well, sun does set in Tahiti and the tropical night brings with it cool breezes and a clear starry sky unspoiled by smoke or fog. Tahiti may not be urbane, but Tahitian nightlife offers some unique attractions that even the most chick metros in the world cannot offer. Here are 3 top attractions of Tahitian nightlife.
Tahitian Dancing:
Viewing or participating in Tahitian dancing is one major attraction in Tahiti. Tahitian dancing is sensual and wild and retains the flavor of the ancient traditional Tahitian culture that is nearly lost. Most resorts offer weekly dance shows, which also include traditional Tahitian feasts. These dance shows are enchanting experiences that you should never miss.
Bars, Clubs and Pubs:
Tahiti has many bars, nightclubs and pubs. Most nightclubs will have an entry fee of around $10. Many of these are grouped in the waterfront road near the main dock in Papeete and in the Eastern Papeete near Club Paradise. There are strip clubs also. The restaurant in Hotel Le Royal Tahitien, in Pirae, offers good food along with live bands for dancing on Friday nights.
Everywhere you will encounter a mixed crowd of Tahitians and foreign tourists coming from all over the world. Some of the popular bars are Le Mana Rock Caf, LIbiza, Le 106 and Le Paradise. The Piano Bar is popular with homosexual tourists.
Shopping:
Reserving all the sightseeings for the daytime, you can shop to your hearts content at night in the numerous shops and boutiques in Papeete. You can buy handicrafts, shell jewellery, pearls, vanilla pods, French cheese and French perfumes.

History of Tahiti

guide — Sun, 24 May 2009 03:27:44 +0000

Tahiti was the home of Polynesians who started to come and settle here from around 300 AD. Tahiti, like the other Polynesian islands in the Pacific Ocean was completely secluded from the influence of any European or Asian civilizations and developed their own cultural characteristics. The soil of the fertile island and the fish-rich tropical ocean provided the Tahitians adequate food. They were skilled sailors, canoe-makers as well as extraordinary craftsmen. Dancing consisted a part of all occasions, some forms of which still survive through otea, the traditional dance of the Tahitians.
It was probably in 1606 that the existence of Tahiti was made known to Europe as a Spanish ship spotted the island. It was much later, in 1767; an Englishman Samuel Wallis visited Tahiti as the first European to set foot there. He as well as other Europeans, who arrived later, was impressed by the uncommon beauty of the island and the hospitable, good-looking people that inhabited it. In 1768, a very important year in the history of Tahiti, the French explorer Louis-Antoine de Bougainville, visited Tahiti and made the island famous in his book Voyage autour du monde. Captain James Cook arrived in 1769 and went back with samples of Tahitian flora and fauna along with a rough map of the Polynesian islands.
The British and the French started fighting over the control of the area. European fortune-seekers, missionaries, whale-hunters started to arrive in the islands. Slowly, the pristine atmosphere of the islands gave way to evils such as the introduction of prostitution and alcohol, spreading of infectious diseases and gambling. After the Tahitian Queen Pomare IV accepted French protection, Tahiti fought a long and bitter war against the French occupation. Still, in 1946, the French Polynesia became a French Overseas Property.
At present, the French Polynesia is a French Overseas community and its people are French citizens. The French Polynesia has its semi-autonomous government with its own president, currency and laws. France looks after only the education and defense departments.

Tahitian Food and Culture

guide — Sun, 24 May 2009 03:26:46 +0000

Tahiti culture has distinct characteristics, thanks to the seclusion from the influences of outside world until as late as the 1767, when Samuel Wallis became the first European who visited the island. Tahitians developed a village-based society with farming and fishing as main sources of income. Also, probably the surrounding beauty of nature, made them skillful craftsmen and artists, who decorated every objects from their fishing hooks to their canoes.
Tahitians also loved to decorate themselves. The image of lovely Tahitian women with flowers in their hair is intimately associated with the image of Tahiti as a whole. Wearing a flower also has social significance. If a woman wears a flower on the left ear, this means she is available. An interesting trivia about Tahiti is that the word tattoo was probably originated from the Tahitian word tatau with the same meaning.
Dance set to the traditional music of drums and conch shells was the soul of Tahitian culture. Many forms of traditional dances are lost. However, the modern Tahitian dance, which retains some of the ancient flavors, is still very much popular.
Food consists of a major part in Tahitian culture. The staple food of Tahitians in ancient time used to be meat, tropical fruits, vegetables such as yam and breadfruit and seafood. With time, Tahitian cuisine was influenced by the British, French and Chinese cuisines as lot of people from these countries came and settled over here. Tahitian food today is a delightful mixture of Polynesian, French, and Chinese cuisine, though a lot of people still cook in traditional ahimaa (earthen oven).
You must taste local delicacies such as poisson cru (a raw fish preparation in the gravy of rich coconut milk), papaya chicken (a delicious combo of coconut milk, papaya and chicken) and Banana Poe (a mouth-watering dessert). Tahitian cuisine uses a lot of lemon juices, coconut milk and of course vanilla for which the island is famous. Also, if you are visiting Tahiti during the summer season, dont forget to taste the wide variety of tropical fruits available in local markets.

Tahiti Attractions

guide — Sun, 24 May 2009 03:25:44 +0000

Tahiti offers a number of attractions such as beaches, scuba diving, museums, nature tours, surfing and so much more. You can also visit the island of Moorea, (accessible by ferry service) with lovely white beaches and an added attraction the coral reefs. Rangiora, the second largest atoll in the world with a turquoise lagoon in the middle, is also a short flight away from Tahiti. However, here are the five best attractions in Tahiti itself.
Overwater Bungalows:
If you visit Tahiti and do not stay in one of the overwater bungalows even for a single day, you are going to lose the best thing about staying in Tahiti. These small bungalows are built on wooden platforms above the ocean water and sometimes have glass floors making you feel as if you are standing on the ocean.
The City of Papeete:
The capital of the French Polynesia, Papeete, which literally means water bucket and where the traditions and modernity of Tahitian culture coexist, is vibrant with life. The central market of Papeete, Le March is a must-visit to get a glimpse of the local life as well as the heaps of exotic fruits and vegetables. Also, dont forget to have dinner from les roulettes, mobile vans that offer traditional delicacies in low prices.
Gaugain Museum:
The famous post-impressionist painter Paul Gaugain made Tahiti his home until his death. This museum pays a tribute to the painter and has a collection of sketches, paintings and memorabilia of the painter.
Venus Point:
Many explorers, including captain James Cook anchored their ships near this place, which now boasts an old lighthouse, a beautiful black-sand beach and a lush green park. The name Venus Point came from Cooks observation of the transit of planet Venus from this point.
Cruise Ships:
With natural jagged edges, which are helpful for anchoring, Tahiti is a wonderful place for sailing. One unique attraction of Tahiti is the sailing experience in a luxurious yacht, catamaran or cruise ship over the deep blue water, a dream-come-true for every romantic.

Tahiti – The Big Island

guide — Sun, 24 May 2009 03:24:47 +0000

There are often some very demanding tourists who want to get the best of everything: fluorescent green sea beaches, blue lagoons, mountains covered with lush rain forests, an untainted, interesting local culture and wonderful climate at any time in the year – at one go. If you are one of them, no place will seem more perfect to you than the earthly paradise of the island of Tahiti, the biggest island in the group of French Polynesian Islands, in the Southern Pacific ocean, between Australian and American continents.
The ultra-romantic image of Tahiti has been fostered by the ancient whispered tales among sailors of an island-Eden in the Pacific, the idea of Tahitians as noble savages with their uncorrupted simplicity and natural wisdom, the canvases of Paul Gauguin wild with tropical colors and the images of thatched overwater bungalows. The best thing about Tahiti is that the greedy hands of commercial developments are yet to mar the picturesque beauty of the island. The skyline is free of high-rises and signboards, the beaches are free of noisy tourists, the local people free of guile and connivances.
With the breathtaking loveliness of the warm tropical beaches you will also get all first-class modern amenities that your heart may desire. You can either go for scuba diving or fishing in the lazy waters of the Pacific Ocean, dance the night away with the ever-smiling, lovely Tahitians or simply hike around in search of those numerous scenic views of haunting beauty that Paul Gauguin made his lifes work to render to his canvases.
If you feel a bit more adventurous, you can go for surfing or better still, shark feeding into the sea. If you are with kids, you will surely not want to miss visiting the natural dolphin habitat in the water and swim and play with the delightful creatures. In any French Polynesian island, the warm water of the ocean will caress and invite you all year long. You will never need to wear a warm suit.