Tahiti On a Budget

For an experience of the local city bustle, visitors might want to explore Le Marche in Papeete, a large, two-story market place selling local goods, clothing, and souvenirs like postcards, shell necklaces, soaps, and more-all enveloped in tropical scents and vibrant colors. Papeete is also host to a handful of museums dedicated to celebrating Polynesian art and culture. For example, guests can visit sites like the Robert Wan Pearl Museum (showcasing to pearl legends and jewelry-making) or the Musee de Tahiti et des Iles (which features exhibits and artifacts on local history and culture). In addition to Tahiti's beautiful beaches, other natural gems include Mont Orohena at Tahiti's center, an extinct volcano that visitors can hike, as well as Faarumai Waterfall, which also has a hiking trail that leads visitors past three large waterfalls amidst stunning natural scenery.
Top Tourist Attractions
For an experience of the local city bustle, visitors might want to explore Le Marche in Papeete, a large, two-story market place selling local goods, clothing, and souvenirs like postcards, shell necklaces, soaps, and more-all enveloped in tropical scents and vibrant colors. Papeete is also host to a handful of museums dedicated to celebrating Polynesian art and culture. For example, guests can visit sites like the Robert Wan Pearl Museum (showcasing to pearl legends and jewelry-making) or the Musee de Tahiti et des Iles (which features exhibits and artifacts on local history and culture). In addition to Tahiti's beautiful beaches, other natural gems include Mont Orohena at Tahiti's center, an extinct volcano that visitors can hike, as well as Faarumai Waterfall, which also has a hiking trail that leads visitors past three large waterfalls amidst stunning natural scenery.Papeete is the capital city of French Polynesia, and the main city on the island of Tahiti. Its harbor is busy with all kinds of water-traffic from cargo ships to luxury liners and yachts. The downtown is concentrated near the waterfront. Here visitors will find a few developed park areas (Place Vai'ete, Bougainville Park, and Pā'ōfa'i Gardens) busy with a collection of food trucks, walking paths, fish ponds, gardens, and carnival-like attractions. There are also plenty of sidewalk cafes, shops specializing in French fashions, souvenir stores selling things like shell jewelry and handicrafts, as well as a wide variety of restaurants serving a mix of Tahitian, French, and Asian cuisines. Faa'a is just southwest of Papeete and hosts the island's main airport. Also located here is an information counter, snack bar, restaurant, shops, and vehicle rental offices.
Beyond the island, Tahiti is a part of an island group known as the Society Islands. Some of the others in this group include Bora Bora, Raiatea, Taha'a, Huahine, and Tahiti's sister island, Moorea. These islands can be easily visited via local plane or ferry.