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Located south of the equator, halfway between Australia and California, Tahiti is the largest of the 118 islands and atolls that make up French Polynesia. |
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 This legendary island, comprising two dramatic volcanic mountains joined by an ithmus, is covered in lush vegetation. Frangipani can be seen everywhere and their intoxicating scent fills the air, especially after rain.
Tahiti’s population of around 170,000 people live mostly in the capital Papeete, located on the island’s north-western coast. The official languages are Tahitian and French, but in tourist areas, English is widely spoken. Travellers with a basic knowledge of French and some Tahitian greetings will be much appreciated.
For getting around the island, the public bus system is inexpensive and reliable. There are two types, open-air trucks and large white buses. You can also hire a taxi or car at the airports, ferry terminals and at most hotels. A Circle Island tour meanders through the small villages on the island, giving you a feeling for everyday Tahitian life.
The helicopter tours fly over the island’s dramatic volcanic peaks and you can skim onto the lagoon at sunset on a motorised outrigger canoe and watch as sharks are fed. There are also shopping tours to small villages, where you can buy traditional handcrafts such as stone carvings, wooden sculptures, bowls and dishes, colourful pareu (sarongs) and quilts, and original paintings.
Places to stay in Tahiti
 There is a wide range of accommodation on Tahiti, from 5-star hotels such as Radisson Plaza Resort Tahiti, to overwater bungalows, perched above the waters of the lagoon. From your private balcony, you can watch the sun set over the turquoise sea, and admire the colourful tropical fish swimming below. Breakfast is often delivered by canoe. Many of Tahiti’s resorts offer world-class ‘Polynesian’ spas. Indulge yourself in a fresh flower bath, try a heated stone massage and a body scrub with sand, rice and grated coconut, then finish up with a banana leaf body wrap – like those offered at Helene Spa at the InterContinental Resort & Spa and Mandara Spa at the Sheraton Hotel Tahiti.
A water sports paradise
With air and water temperatures averaging a comfortable 26C water sports such as scuba-diving, snorkelling, surfing, and sailing are very popular activities. But you can also try waterskiing, kiteboarding, parasailing and windsurfing or just have a nice relaxing swim. You can also hire canoes or if you’re feeling lazy, go for a tour around the reefs in a glass bottomed boat. Tahiti’s warm, pristine waters, clear lagoons, coral gardens, and dramatic drop-offs are famous among dive enthusiasts. The marine life is prolific and varied – a drift dive along the outer edge of a nearby reef is sure to be one of the highlights of your visit.
The island also offers plenty of land-based sports: golf, tennis, hiking, horseback riding, bicycle riding and volleyball being just a few. For the more adventurous, several operators in Papeete offer excursions that involve climbing, trekking, and lava tube exploration.
There are several ways to tour the Tahitian waters, from a trip aboard a luxurious cruise ship to a hired yacht where you navigate your own way. At the top end of the price range, you could hire one of the many super yachts complete with skipper and crew.
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