Read More: Guided Tours in Tahiti
A trip to Tahiti - the largest of the French Polynesia Islands
Introduction
Somewhere at the middle of the Pacific Ocean, in the
southern hemisphere of the planet, there are hidden
islands of the French Polynesia which Tahiti is the
largest among them.
Papeete, The capital city of the
French Polynesian islands is in Tahiti island.
The map of the Pacific Ocean:
These islands are divided into five major groups over a huge surface like the size of Europe and include in total 118 islands of which 67 are populated. The total population of the country is 270,000 people, some are pure Polynesians and some are mixed with many Chinese immigrants who arrived in several waves to the islands with Europeans, mainly French who settled here.
The French Polynesia is a protectorate of France with an autonomous government and the official language is French.
The only international airport in the country is located on the island of Tahiti, so it is the only possible way to arrive French Polynesia from other countries around the world thru the island of Tahiti. The closest country with direct flights is New Zealand (4.5-hour flight). Other direct flights are from Los Angeles, Tokyo and several flights from Honolulu. The arrivals at the airport are greeted with typical Polynesian songs and dances.
Singing and dancing at the airport in Tahiti:
The local currency marked XPF is the French
Polynesian Franc. The driving here is done on the
right-hand side like France.
The French Polynesian
economy is developed on a medium level and is based on
tourism, agriculture and budgetary support by the French
government.
The presidential residence in Papeete:
The tourism is developed, especially in the island chain called the “Society Islands”, which includes Tahiti, Bora Bora, Moorea and a few other islands. You can find high class and luxurious hotels including many hotels with cabins “on the water”.
The island of Tahiti
Tahiti is the largest island in the French Polynesian islands in which the islands’ capital is in the town of Papeete. The only international airport for the islands is in Tahiti. In some of the other islands there are airports for domestic flights between the islands run by the Air Tahiti airline.
Most of the Island’s population, about seventy percent, live in Tahiti (about 180,000) and mainly in the town of Papeete.
Most of
the residents of the different islands have immigrated
to Tahiti because it is the island's center for
business, culture and politics and it is easier to find
there employment, education and entertainment.
The
geographic structure of the island is divided into two
parts: the north-western part called Tahiti Nui and the
south-eastern part called Tahiti Iti.
The large center of Tahiti is high forested mountains, which usually have clouds over them, and hardly inhabited and most of the residences and hotels are centered around it and along the west coast of the island.
A chain of corals are spread along the southwestern beaches of the island and it blocks the waves from the open sea and therefore on these beaches the waters are calm without waves. There are few sandy beaches on the island recommended for swimming.
Le Meridian beach:
There are beaches with black sand and there is one small beach by the Le Meridian hotel with white sand.
On a few of the
beaches there are sea cucumbers and a type of prickly
snakes and it is recommended not touching them. In
general, you should swim here in the sea with water
sandals or shoes suitable for water.
This is not the
island for recreation and leisure in the sea, but a
place to learn about the local culture, the habitants,
the rich vegetation and mainly it is for tourists a
starting point for flights or sailing to other islands
filled with stunning beaches. It is recommended taking
here a couple of days to see the best of what this
island offers.
A local water sport in the island is
canoeing and there are events and competitions held
around that theme.
There are in Tahiti many music
and dance festivals, murals etc.
The locals are
warm, gentle and hospitable.
The entire island is
filled with roosters and chickens roaming around freely
around the island, including next to the luxurious
hotels in the center of the island.
A chicken running freely by the hotel:
The chickens were brought over in the past to eat the centipedes who was the only dangerous animals on the island and since then the chickens have multiplied undisturbedly. In the French Polynesia, there are no snakes or dangerous carnivores. In short – paradise!
The flag of the French Polynesia:
The flag consists of two horizontal red stripes and one white stripe in the middle, these are their national colors. In the center of the white stripe there is a circle which its bottom part are waves with gold bars over it which represent the sun. Over the waves there is a canoe (rowing is their national sport) with five rowers marked as starts which represents the five island chains of the French Polynesia.
Market in Papeete:
Hotels
Most of the hotels in Tahiti are located on the southwest part of the island which is characterized by the small amount of precipitation due to the high mountains blocking the clouds.
Recommended hotels:
Le Meridian
A quality and luxurious hotel located on the beach with
a small strip of white sand beach, the only one in
Tahiti. The beach is pleasant for swimming but it also
has rocks, sea cucumber and strange sea snakes
resembling a sea cucumber but thinner and longer with
short hair.
However, the hotel has a large sandy
pool excellent for swimming.
The hotel has large and spacious rooms and cabins on the water but no descent to the water. The view from some of the rooms overlooks the ocean and other rooms to the pool and garden. The hotel has a tennis court, beach volleyball, ping pong and kayaks. There are two restaurants and two bars in the hotel, the hotel also offers in some evenings different musical performances, including typical Polynesian music. It is located fifteen minutes’ drive south of the airport, close to the museum of Tahiti and the islands and about a 20 minutes’ drive from Papeete.
InterContinental Tahiti Resort and Spa
A luxurious spa hotel close to the airport in the town of Faaa, about a ten-minute drive from Papeete. The hotel has a swimming and a private artificial sandy beach. It also has regular rooms and cabins on the water. The hotel has a diving center, an aquarium, tennis courts, a spa and a beautiful restaurant on the water.
Guided Tours in the
island of Tahiti is most reccommended. More details
and recommendations you can find in that linked article.
Weather
The weather on the island is
perfect most of the year and there isn’t any season that
is unsuitable for a visit and a vacation there. The
weather is tropical but the trade winds cool and
moderate the temperatures.
The average daytime
temperature ranges between 28 C in the “cooler” months
to over 31 C in the warmer months while at night the
temperature ranges between 22-24 C. The sea water
temperature is 27-29 C.
November to April are the
hottest, most humid and wettest months, especially
January – February, while during May to October, there
is very little rain and the weather is less humid but
the winds are stronger.
More articles on French Polynesia:
Bora Bora - Vacation and Travel Attractions
Trips and tours in Bora Bora
Vacation on Moorea island
Guided Tours in Tahiti
