Tahiti Travelers Recommend

Three days in Tahiti are enough time to enjoy its natural and cultural riches, as well as go a bit farther afield to Moorea. Whether you want to totally chill out or add some activity to your island getaway, there’s plenty to see and do. Here’s how to make the most of a 72-hour stay on French Polynesia’s largest island.

Day 1: Check out the capital

As many travelers fly into Papeete, the capital of French Polynesia, it makes a handy base for exploring Tahiti. Spend your first day learning about the local culture on a walking, cycling, or Segway tour of the city. Wander the Municipal Market, the Black Pearl Museum, pretty parks and gardens, and European-style churches. In the early evening, take a romantic sunset cruise, then eat your fill of affordable local delicacies at the food trucks that set up along the waterfront from about 6pm. If it’s a weekend night, enjoy the live open-air music while indulging in local rum punch or wine made from grapes grown on a neighboring atoll.

Day 2: Get to know the island

Tahiti is a curiously shaped island, made up of two volcanoes that look like conjoined twins from the air. This means there’s plenty of coastline and forested interior to explore. Rent a car or join a tour, then visit a 19th-century lighthouse, a local marae (meeting house), and natural attractions such as a blowhole and a grotto. Or, just pick a beach and spend half a day soaking up the sun. Most of Tahiti’s beaches are made up of black volcanic sand, with a few white-sand ones here and there. Whichever direction you head from Papeete, you really can’t go wrong, as there’s beauty around every corner on this tropical island. 

Day 3: Visit Moorea

Round out your visit with a day trip out to Moorea, Tahiti’s closest island neighbor, just 27 miles (43 kilometers) across the water. Easily reached by ferry from Papeete, this lovely island offers white-sand beaches, secluded bays, first-rate snorkeling, vanilla and tropical fruit plantations, and much more. To see and do as much as possible, rent a scooter or join a guided tour. Otherwise, choose a beach and hang out there for the day, savoring the tranquil island life. 

Many travelers to French Polynesia pass through Papeete because the main international airport is there. The little South Pacific capital is worth more than just a fly-by visit, though. With three days in Papeete, you have time to see the sights, explore the island of Tahiti, and even get out to neighboring Moorea. Here’s how.

Day 1: Get to know Papeete

Papeete is a chilled-out town that combines elements of French and Pasifika culture. In the morning, stop by the lively Municipal Market, the old churches, and the tropical parks and gardens with their French je ne sais quoi. A guided tour is a good way to see the city’s highlights while learning about the culture and history of the islands. After lunch, while away the afternoon on a dolphin-spotting tour, a snorkeling trip, or a sunset cruise. Then at dinnertime, head to the food trucks along the waterfront, and get your fill of fresh seafood or crepes before getting the party started with some local rum punch or Tahitian wine.

Day 2: Explore Tahiti

Tahiti is only one of the French Polynesian islands. It’s the largest, though, so there’s a lot to see beyond Papeete—including miles of black-sand beaches (with a few special white-sand ones), and a mountainous, forest-clad interior. Spend your second day beach hopping on your own or on a guided tour, stopping at waterfalls, blowholes, and a famous lighthouse along the way. At night, sit down to a luxurious dinner at a fine-dining establishment back in Papeete.

Day 3: Take a day trip to Moorea

Just 28 miles (45 kilometers) northwest of Tahiti, Moorea is a major destination in its own right, where the geology and geography are quite different from Tahiti’s. Spend day three on this island paradise, being as active or relaxed as you wish. Go on a boat tour around Moorea’s coastline, stopping to swim and snorkel in sheltered lagoons, or enjoy the thrill of an off-road 4x4 adventure into Moorea’s mountainous interior. Visit pineapple and vanilla plantations inland, or just kick back on a white-sand beach. Joining a guided tour is an easy way to travel between Papeete and Moorea, but ferries are also available to independent visitors.

It’s a pleasure getting to know Papeete (also spelled Pape’ete), the vibrant capital of French Polynesia, on the island of Tahiti. The city’s mix of Polynesian and French culture is on display in the cuisine and architecture, and the natural beauty is 100 percent South Pacific. Here’s how to make the most of a day there.

Morning: Take a city tour

Get an overview of the city and optimize your time by joining a guided tour. You’ll see markets, gardens and parks, churches, museums, and hidden places you might otherwise overlook. See the sights by vehicle, on foot, or for the more adventurous, by Segway or e-bike. As Papeete can be hot, be prepared with plenty of water, a hat, and sunscreen. At the end of your tour, grab a light lunch at the Municipal Market, and don’t forget to try some of the delicious local fruit.

Afternoon: Join a dolphin-watching cruise

After lunch, head out onto the water to appreciate Tahiti’s spectacular natural beauty. A dolphin-watching cruise is a fun excursion that travelers with a range of interests will enjoy, including kids. Your chance of spotting dolphins is good, but even if you don’t manage to catch a glimpse, cruises typically include time for swimming and snorkeling at a sheltered spot. You might also check out some skilled surfers at play.

Night: Dine on food truck fare

At night, dozens of food trucks set up along Papeete’s waterfront, and there’s no better place to enjoy an inexpensive local dinner and, sometimes, live music. Try a variety of delicacies—think fresh seafood, crepes, frites, and more. If you’re in the mood to celebrate, sample some of the local punch made with rum, lime, and sugar.

Papeete is a good jumping-off point for exploring Tahiti and the other islands of French Polynesia. With a hybrid culture, delicious food, and beautiful nature, the city and environs have plenty to see and do. Read on for our top suggestions for a 2-day itinerary.

Day 1: Tour around town

**Morning:**Get an overview of the city on a guided walking, cycling, or Segway tour. You’ll stop by churches, gardens, museums, and hidden places you might otherwise overlook. Afterward, experience local culture and pick up a light lunch or some tropical fruit at the bustling Municipal Market. 

**Afternoon:**Take a boat ride around the coast of Tahiti. Dolphin-watching cruises are fun for travelers of all ages, and you also typically get to swim or snorkel in a lagoon. Alternatively, relax over a long, leisurely lunch, then join a sunset cruise to take you into the evening.

**Night:**Every evening, Papeete’s waterfront comes alive with food trucks and, sometimes, live music. Sample delicacies that combine the best of Polynesian and French cuisine. If you want to get the party started, seek out some local punch made with Tahitian rum.

Day 2: Explore Tahiti

**Morning:**Tahiti is more than just Papeete, so head out to see the island. Guided tours lead you to more remote places, such as traditional meeting houses (marae), caves, waterfalls, and an iconic lighthouse.

**Afternoon:**After an active morning, spend the afternoon chilling out on one of Tahiti’s black-sand beaches. The one closest to Papeete, Bain Lot Beach, is within walking distance of the center of town.

**Night:**On your last night in Papeete, try some first-rate cuisine combining French and Tahitian ingredients and flavors. Freshly caught seafood features prominently on most menus, as does French wine. Or taste Tahitian wine, produced from grapes grown on neighboring Rangiroa Atoll.

Whether Tahiti is your final destination or you’re passing through on the way to other French Polynesian islands, you’ll find plenty of natural and cultural attractions to keep you occupied. If you have only one day there, stay near the water. Here’s how to make the most of 24 hours in Tahiti.

Morning: Join a dolphin-watching cruise

One of the highlights of French Polynesian travel is spending time on—and in—the water, and a dolphin-spotting cruise is a fun way to do so. Your chance of seeing one of the sea mammals is high—and even if you don’t, you’ll likely also have time to swim and snorkel in calm waters. In addition, you’ll see other marine life while savoring views of Tahiti’s forested volcanoes. 

Afternoon: Chill out at a beach

In contrast to some of the other islands of French Polynesia, most of Tahiti’s beaches are made up of black volcanic sand, giving them a dramatic look. If you’re staying in Papeete and don’t want to venture far, Bain Lot Beach is the closest to town. If you want to go a bit farther afield, head to Plage de Toaroto for good snorkeling, Plage Lafayette for fewer crowds, and La Plage de Maui for white sand (less common on the island). 

Night: Dine on food truck delicacies

Spend the evening in Papeete and grab a casual dinner from the food trucks parked along the waterfront from about 6pm. French Polynesia’s cuisine is a unique blend of French and Pasifika influences, and the food trucks are the way to go if you want to try lots of different things without committing to a whole meal. Sample fresh seafood, French snacks such as crepes and frites, and local rum punch. There’s live music on the weekends, too.  

You can never really have enough time in paradise, but a couple of days in Tahiti give you the chance to experience the island’s natural riches and cultural attractions. Spend a day around the capital, Papeete, and another farther afield exploring beaches, water, and forests. Here’s how to have two memorable days in Tahiti.

Day 1: Get to know Papeete

**Morning:**One of the best ways to get a feel for the city is to take a walking tour, or for the more adventurous, a cycling or Segway tour. Check out the Municipal Market, the Black Pearl Museum, tropical parks and gardens, and more. 

**Afternoon:**Soak up some sun and play in the sand and sea. Convenient if you’re staying in town, the beach closest to Papeete is the black-sand Bain Lot, whose waves, curiously, break in both directions.

**Night:**Sample a range of affordable local cuisine at the food trucks that set up along Papeete’s waterfront every evening from about 6pm. There’s live music on weekends, too. 

Day 2: Explore the island

**Morning:**Hire a car or join a guided tour of the island, then head out to see some of Tahiti’s other treasures: the Arahurahu Marae, the old Point Venus lighthouse, the Vaipahi Gardens, the Arahoho Blowhole, and the Maraa Grotto.

**Afternoon:**Get out onto the water and spot marine life while taking in sea and coastal views of Tahiti. Dolphin-watching cruises are a fun family-friendly activity, and often include time for swimming and snorkeling. Alternatively, wait until early evening and set out on a sunset cruise.

**Night:**Splurge on an upmarket meal in Papeete on your last night in Tahiti. Fresh seafood and French-style meats feature prominently on the menus of Tahiti’s finest restaurants. Wash it down with some locally made wine, produced with grapes from the neighboring atoll of Rangiroa. 

The largest island in French Polynesia, Tahiti serves up some of the most idyllic scenery in the South Pacific; there are photo-worthy panoramas of green mountains, turquoise lagoons, and multi-colored sand beaches everywhere you turn. Here are just a few of the best beaches in Tahiti. 

Lafayette Beach

A black-sand beach sheltered by lush green cliffs, Lafayette Beach (Plage Lafayette) is one of the most popular Tahitian beaches. Located in Matavi Bay in front of the Pearl Beach Resort, the public beach rarely gets crowded and is a great spot for swimming.  

Toaroto Beach

One of a handful of white-sand beaches on Tahiti, Toaroto Beach (Plage de Toaroto) perches on the west coast, just south of Papeete. It’s a sheltered spot for swimming and snorkeling, and is well equipped with a restaurant and showers. 

Bain Lot Beach

Bain Lot Beach, Papeete’s main beach, is situated within strolling distance of the town, making it the first port of call for new arrivals. Famous for its unusual waves, which break in both directions, it’s a popular for swimming, snorkeling, and water sports such as sail boarding. There’s also a golf course overlooking the coast.

Teahupoo Beach

Teahupoo is renowned for its giant waves and world-class surf breaks; the most impressive time to visit is during the Tahiti Billabong Pro competition, held each August. While the strong current and rough waves are only suitable for experienced surfers, visitors can still watch the pros do their thing—you’re bound to see action any day of the year.  

Maui Beach

A stretch of shimmering white sands fringed with palm trees at the southern end of Tahiti, Maui Beach (Plage de Maui) is one of the most beautiful beaches on the island. After topping up your tan, stroll to the nearby lagoon to cool off with a swim or enjoy a scenic walk through the surrounding rainforest.