After seeing the beautiful waters and mountains from above, where is a better place to kick off your trip than right in Papeete, Tahiti? This is the capital of French Polynesia and is a great place to have both the island vibe as well as a small city feel. We stayed in Tahiti for 3 nights and got to relax, explore and experience the culture.
Where We Stayed:
We stayed at Intercontinental Tahiti Resort & Spa for the first 3 nights of our trip, where we were blown away by the spectacular views that the resort has to offer right on the main island of Tahiti. The Lagoonarium and pools were both places to dip in the water and cool off. We felt like we were truly in “paradise” relaxing by (or in) the water and soaking in some rays. This resort is in an ideal location for those who also want to explore the city for shopping, dining and nightlife.
Adventure:
4 Wheel Drive Safari Tour
After our long travels and catching up on some relaxation at the resort, we were ready for an adventure! We went on a 4WD Safari Tour with Marama Tours where we traveled to the heart of the island exploring the valleys, rainforests and waterfalls. The weather wasn’t on our side for most of the day, as it was foggy with some heavy downpours, but that did not stop us from enjoying this excursion. Going up and around the Papenoo Valley was no joke as it was steep, narrow, and slippery, but the views were worth the ride. We enjoyed swimming in one of the many natural pools such as Vainavenave to cool off from the humidity in the air during the tour. Mid day we enjoyed a traditional Polynesian meal at Relais de la Maroto before continuing on with our day. The views were breathtaking and the food was fantastic! To end the tour, we explored the ancient Village of Fare Hape. It was fascinating to see the ancient remains where Tahitians once lived. Overall, we had a fantastic experience on this tour. Our tour guide showed us all of the picturesque spots and stopped throughout the tour so we could take in the nature and beauty. Make sure to include this safari tour on your trip to Tahiti!
Culture & Food:
InterContinental Tahiti
The resort offers many restaurants and bars to enjoy your evening on the property. We made reservations for Le Lotus Restaurant which is located over the water and away from the main area of the hotel. This is what initially attracted us to the restaurant to enjoy a private dinner. Although the prices were on the higher end, it was one of the best meals that we had in Tahiti. This is the most popular restaurant on property and we recommend that you make reservations in advance.
Downtown Papeete
After a full day of fun exploring the island, what better way to continue embracing the culture than go into the town of Papeete itself? We took a taxi to downtown and went into many of the local shops. We also stumbled upon a market with many local vendors which was a great place to buy some souvenirs. Papeete is known for Les Roulottes, or food carts, in the evenings. We knew this would be the perfect way to end a busy day! There was a great variety of options with several dozen food trucks in a park like setting with picnic tables around them. The location was central to downtown, convenient for tourists and locals. The food portions were generous and prices were very affordable. This was such a neat experience for us as we enjoy trying food trucks in the USA. We loved the crepe truck, but there were many other styles of food such as: Chinese, Italian, French, burgers, seafood, etc. This is a must do in Papeete!
Thirsty after those food trucks? Go check out Les 3 Brasseurs – Tahiti’s own micro-brewery. One of our favorite activities when traveling is to taste local beer and wine. We were pleasantly surprised when coming across this brewery in the heart of Papeete. The beer was tasty and quenched our thirst. This is a great way to end the night in town!
Tahiti was a great first stop on our vacation around French Polynesia. The people were so friendly and welcoming, wanting us to truly learn and experience the culture for ourselves. Continue the adventure on the island of Moorea.