If your vacation dream is relaxing on a beach with an exotic cocktail with one of those neat umbrellas, Tahiti is for you. You can swim, sun bath, snorkel, dive, surf and, well, just relax and let your worries slip away. GetAway Travel is in the business of making sure you have a worry-free vacation. We can help you with a weekend getaway or a bucket list vacation overseas.
Wonderful water activities
Papeete is not only the capital of Tahiti, it’s also the capital of French Polynesia and it’s a perfect jumping off point for your activities. Sure, you may get bored with beaches after a couple of days, but start out your relaxing vacation by hitting the beach. Since much of Tahiti and the surrounding islands are part of a volcanic chain, the sand on the beaches, for the most part, is black.
But one of the most popular beaches, La Plage de Maui, about 40 miles southeast of Papeete, has white sand. And it’s pretty spectacular white sand, too. Visitors describe it as “pearly white.” It’s a beautiful long stretch of sand that frames calm, clear, warm lagoon waters. The snack bar serves fresh seafood.
Another sun bathing option that includes surfing, is Papenoo Beach about five miles east of Papeete.
The Plage du Taharuu beach is about 25 miles southeast of Papeete and it’s a nice, wide stretch of volcanic black sand so there’s plenty of room. Relax on the beach or under the nearby palm trees. The deep, blue water sometimes hits the beach hard enough to be accommodating to surfers.
Before you hit the beach, find out if it’s a beach that usually is visited by food trucks, or has it’s own food stands. You may need to take a lunch and some beverages. Local taxis ferry visitors to the beaches. Remember to arrange a time for the driver to come pick you up!
If you are interested in enjoying a little hiking, take a short trip to Fautaua Valley. The Fautaua Waterfall is fabulous with the water cascading into a large pool It looks even better shimmering in the rain so don’t let a cloudburst deter you.
Visit other islands, museums, markets
The Museum of Tahiti and Her Islands showcases the attributes of Tahiti and her sister islands. It educates visitors about this popular tourist sport. Divided into four sections, the museum highlights geography, pre-European culture, colonization and natural wonders. Displays are labeled in French and English and don’t skip a visit to the gift shop.
If black pearls intrigue you, you’ve come to the right place. Papeete is home to the Black Pearl Museum. Learn all about pearls, pearl harvesting and see all varieties, sizes and shapes of pearls from around the world as well as the largest Tahitian pearl in the world!
The Vaipahi Gardens are on Tahiti’s southern coast in Mataiea. The lush gardens contain more than 75 plant species from all over the world. Enjoy the exotic flowers, a lily pond, small waterfalls and steams that wind through the gardens.
Your GetAway Travel advisor can help arrange tours and trips, including diving trips, while you are on Tahiti so visit nearby Huahine and Moorea. Moorea, a sister island to Tahiti, is a bit more rugged so you can enjoy hiking or take an ATV tour. There are numerous beaches on the North side of the island including the popular Temae Beach. Try zip lining through the jungle.
Bora Bora – so nice named it twice
Get up close and personal with the local aquatic residents at the Huahine Natural Aquarium. The natural lagoon aquarium lets you observe from a platform or go into the shallow waters with a guide.
Papeete’s Municipal Market is a two-story enclosure with fresh vegetables, flowers, fruit, meat, fish as well as hand-crafted Tahitian quilts and wraps and black pearl jewelry. If you go close to lunch time, the local food trucks have a wide-variety of international cuisine to choose from.
Speaking of food….
Island food selections are varied and delicious. Poisson cru is raw fish, tuna a lot of the time but it could also be shrimp, crab, mussels, eel, octopus or prawns, marinated in coconut milk and lime juice mixed with diced vegetables. Chevreffes is freshwater shrimp cooked with coconut milk and vanilla. Poulet Fafa is chicken cooked the traditional way wrapped in taro leaves and put in a special oven or a heated pit. Onions, garlic, spices and coconut milk combine with the chicken for a flavorful dish. Traditional desserts include Po’e, a creamy taro pudding flavored with banana, vanilla, papaya or pumpkin and topped with a coconut sauce. Kato are coconut biscuits that go great with coffee and Firifiri are coconut-flavored doughnuts dipped in coffee.
If it’s the colder weather, stress or just the need to go somewhere — GetAway Travel is ready to help you take the trip you’ve dreamed of. Call (262) 538-2140, or e-mail: sue@getaway.travel
