Tahiti holiday guide
A little bit of France in the South Pacific Ocean, Tahiti is synonomous with tropical island getaways. It is subsequently a favourite destination for couples, beach-loveres and of course, honeymooners. Tahiti has also recently gained increasing popularity as a niche travel destination with surfers, snorkellers, and fans of big game sports fishing.
Holidaying Tahitian Style
Spread across an area roughly the size of Western Europe, Tahiti and her neighbouring islands (eg, Moorea, Huahine, Bora Bora, Tuamotu's, Marquesas) have a lot to offer to fans of tropical beaches, warm water and verdant mountain vistas . Boasting some spectacular scenery, Tahiti has dramatic waterfalls, rugged mountains, colourful history, vibrant marine life and white sand beaches (although note that Tahiti also boasts a fair number of volcanic black sand beaches).
Accommodation in Tahiti
Tahiti is one destination that is certainly not shy of luxurious accommodation, spas, and hotel bungalows that quite literally site above tropical reef lagoons. Budget accommodation on Tahiti is rare; even more so Bora Bora which is especially targeted at high-spending travellers. When planning a trip to Tahiti, you can frequently save money on hotels by booking a hotel-flight holiday packages such as Honeymoon Specials, Cruise Specials, Diving Specials, Spa Specials and even Gay & Lesbian Specials. You can opt to stay at any of the plush 5-star hotels to the cheap and modest inns, lodges, and bed and breakfasts. Some of the places where you can put up at are Punatea Village, Hotel Kia Ora Sauvage, Fare Suisse Tahiti, Taaroa Lodge, Sofitel Maeva Beach Tahiti, Tahiti Airport Lodge, Chez Fifi, InterContinental Resort Tahiti, and Tiare Tahiti Hotel.
Flights from Australia to Tahiti
Many of the major international airlines have flights into Tahiti from Australia. These include Air Tahiti Nui, Qantas, Air France, American Airlines, Air New Zealand, Aerolineas and United Airlines. Australian passport holder require no special visa for tourist visits of up to three months in French Polynesia. However please note the entry requirements and customs regulations may change so it is always better to contact our travel experts on 1300 130 483 before planning a holiday in Tahiti.
Island of Tahiti - Queen of the Pacific
Located in the Pacific Ocean's Society Islands, Tahiti is the largest and most populated island of French Polynesia. Although it is actually the name of a single island, "Tahiti" is also commonly referred to when describing any of the 118 French Polynesian islands and atolls. The island of Tahiti is crowned by a circle of majestic peaks that plunge dramatically down the edge of the sea lagoon. The island is full of mountainous interior shelters, clear streams, flat coastal lands, fields of tropical flowers and most of French Polynesia's population. Papeete, the capital and the gateway of the territory, has world-class hotel resorts, restaurants, spas and nightclubs. Tahiti also boasts the largest variety of accommodation and cheap hotels in French Polynesia. It is common for holiday package travellers to do an overnight stopover in Tahiti before continuing on to the neighbouring islands.
Moorea - The Magical Island
Moorea, the Magical Island has a lot to offer its tourists from poetic waterfalls to soft-fern cliffs. The locals are extremely laid-back and tourist activities generally here follow suit. Relaxation is the key: quiet beaches, snorkelling, pineapple fields, unique shops, bright green valleys, lush forests and health spas are common. Several of the big hotel resort also offer jet skiing and parasailing.
Bora Bora - The Romantic Island
With a lagoon that resembles an artist's palette of pale blues and greens, it is hard to not fall in love with Bora Bora. Lush tropical slopes, valleys with hibiscus blossoms, white-sand beaches, emerald waters, and stunning coloured fish liven up the coral reef diving. Some of the most popular activities and sites for the tourists include Bora Bora lagoon tours (some even include breakfast via canoe), shark and sting-ray feeding, guided scuba dives and open-decked yachting tours. Bora Bora also has some truly world-class holiday resorts and is extremely popular with cashed-up honeymooners.
Huahine - Garden of Eden
With lush forests, quaint villages, and untamed landscape, Huahine is more primitive than the main island of Tahiti. A deep sea lagoon surrounds the island. Some of the well-liked sites and activities that can keep you busy are the Circle Island tour of historical Polynesian sites, the Hawaiki Nui Va'a canoe race, Fare Village, jet skiing, diving, snorkelling, guided walking trips, and sail boat charters and motor boat rentals.
Some of the other islands that you can plan your holidays at are Raiatea - The Sacred Island, Rangiroa - The Endless Lagoon, Manihi - Island of Pearls, Tikehau - Pink Sand Island, Fakarava - Island of Dreams, The Marquesas Islands - The Mysterious Islands, Gambier Islands, Mangareva - Islands At The End of the World, and Austral Islands.
