10 Awesome Things to Do In Papeete, Tahiti

If you have ever wondered if there are any fun things to do in Tahiti, and more specifically, if there are fun things to do in Papeete, Tahiti for more than one day, wonder no more. The capital city of French Polynesia is a great place to begin your Tahitian adventures.

Tahiti consists of 118 islands and atolls scattered across this South Pacific paradise. You’ll be mesmerized by the blue turquoise lagoons, pristine sandy beaches, romantic overwater bungalows, towering mountains, and coral habitats. 

Think of Papeete as the beginning of your Tahitian dream vacation.

10 Things to Do in Papeete, Tahiti

The recommendation for travel when planning fun things to do in Tahiti is to actually spend only one day in Papeete before transferring to one of the outlying islands. Many US flights arrive at the Faa’a International Airport (about 5 km from Papeete) late in the evening.

If a layover in Papeete is your plan, before transferring to Moorea or Bora Bora, you will need to find lodging for the night and then take additional transport to your island destination and Tahitian resort of choice.

However, Chris and I were offered a special rate through Hilton Hotel Tahiti at the time of our booking to stay two nights and get the third night free (with breakfast included). Note * Specials vary and may not be available when you book.

Chris and I said “yes” to that and began looking for things to do in Papeete that would fill our days.

1. Lounge at the Pool at Hilton Hotel Tahiti

Chris and I are not usually sit-by-the-pool-and-do-nothing kind of travelers, but after a week in French Polynesia, we might be converted to laid back tropical paradise vacations!

And… once we saw this lux Tahitian resort in person, we were thrilled with our decision to stay for more than one day in Papeete and enjoy the Hilton Hotel Tahiti. You may appreciate these perks:

• Breakfast on the dining room deck overlooking the ocean watching the fish below
• Sunbathe on your hotel room deck
• Enjoy the sun-warmed water of the pool
• Use the Sun Bum Sunscreen and Sun Bum After Sun Gel provided at this Tahitian resort pool

I will invest in Sun Bum Lip Balm and Sun Bum Leave-in Conditioner for our next trip (if you are curly haired, you might appreciate the anti-frizz qualities of the leave-in conditioner). The benefit of Sun Bum products is that they are vegan friendly, reef safe and provide broad spectrum moisturizing UVA/UVB sunscreen with vitamin E.

2. Visit the Papeete Market and Shop in Downtown Papeete

When you search Things To Do In Papeete on Google, you’ll no doubt read about visiting the Papeete Market. Tahitians often rise with the sun, so if you are an early riser, you may wish to visit the market when it opens around 4 am. That is a little too early for many people.

Most of the market is up and running after 5:30 am and is frequented by locals buying their fresh fruits and vegetables for the day.

If you are inclined to sleep in, you can still visit the market later in the day. You’ll find black pearls, vanilla, colorful cloths, shirts, dresses and produce.

3. Find the PK 0 Marker

Tahiti uses PK markers to measure road distance from Central Papeete (near the Cathedral) as very few business have geographical addresses on the larger islands. PK—Point Kilometer—milestones are located along the perimeter road making it easy to find sites.

Addresses include the following:

• Seaside or Mountainside-the location of your address compared with the one perimeter road circling the island of Tahiti
• East or West coast
• Kilometers

If the address you are looking for is PK 15 /Mountainside West coast, the address would be found on the west coast of Papeete at 15 kilometers away from downtown Papeete on the mountain side of the perimeter road.

On the smaller islands, people use major points of interest to reference an address.

4. Explore Papeete Nui on 4×4 Jeep Tour

Travel to the heart of Tahiti Nui into the crater of the island’s inactive volcano on a 4×4 safari. Your guides will share local lore and legends, discoveries of native trees and flowers, waterfalls, and a swimming hole where you’ll stop for lunch.

This tour features off-roading on trails that are filled with potholes. Our guide classified the tour is “bumpy” and “more bumpy”! As you leave the busyness of the city, stand up, hang on to the bars in the back of the truck, and enjoy the ride.

My review on TripAdvisor

Check the availability of this tour with Viator

5. Eat at the Roulottes (Food Trucks) in Downtown Papeete 

The roulottes are popular choices for dinner in downtown Papeete. Bring cash as few take bank cards (credit cards).

Chris and I found that most of the food trucks offered some variety of Chinese Food, burgers, fish, and sweet and savory crepes. While restaurant pricing in Papeete is generally high (often between $20-$40 per entree), the roulottes offer somewhat cheaper pricing. The servings are pretty large as well—big enough to share.

We ate at the food trucks on two separate nights and found the trucks closer to the hospital were more to our liking.

6. Take a Tour to Waterfalls

There are many waterfalls on Papeete. The strength of the waterfalls depends on recent rainfall.

As you drive along on your 4×4 Jeep Tour through Papenoo Valley you may see some amazing waterfalls:

• Topatari Falls
• Vaiharuru Falls
• Puraha Falls

Scouting out the waterfalls is definitely one of the fun things to do in Tahiti when you are staying in Papeete for more than one day!

7. Book a Tahitian Massage

Ahhhh, you had me at massage.

Book an amazing couples massage with Hina Massages. The setting is ideal with a seaside, open-air bungalow, a gentle breeze blowing, and the sound of the waves crashing against the shore. Coordinate your massage with Barbara from their Facebook Page which includes a Whats App number and a gmail address.

Getting a massage is one of the BEST things to do in Papeete (especially if you schedule your jeep 4×4 tour the day before). You may also find massages available at the Hilton Hotel Tahiti or your Tahitian resort of choice.

Check availability for your stay at the Hilton Hotel Tahiti through Booking.com

8. Walk Along the Marina of Papeete & Visit Paofai’s Garden

The walk from downtown Papeete along the harbor is filled with beautiful sites of the ocean, amazing overwater restaurants (you may wish to make an evening reservation), and the Paofai Gardens.

The gardens are a great get away from the hustle and bustle of downtown Papeete. Enjoy a relaxing walk through the park with amazing views of the harbor; entrance to the park is free and offers paved trails along the waterfront. Paofai Gardens stretch from To’Ata Square to Vaiete Square.

9. Enjoy the Black Sand Beaches

One of the fun things to do in Tahiti is to visit the famously known black sand beaches. Some of the popular beaches close to Papeete include:

• Venus Beach: Approximately 20 minute drive from Papeete
• Lafayette Beach: Approximately 15 to 20 minute drive from Papeete
• Plage de Vaiava: Approximately 20 to 30-minute drive from Papeete
• Taharuu: Approximately 1-hour drive from Papeete

We happened to visit Venus Beach during a week-long school break for students in Papeete. It was fun to watch families coming and going from the beach all day long and enjoying time together.

There are restroom facilities, a tourist shop, outdoor showers, and small snack shacks available at the beach and surrounding park.

10. Take The Ferry to Moorea

Whether you plan to find things to do in Papeete for a few days before leaving the island for your final destination in French Polynesia or if you only stay in Papeete for one night, if you are going to Moorea island, you will need to take the ferry (or schedule a flight).

We booked passage with the Aremiti ferry line on their ferry that transferred us and our rental car from the Papeete port to Moorea’s Vaiare marina.

You have the option between two ferry companies: Aremiti or Terevau. It worked for us and our schedule to use the Aremiti line and the transport of our rental car.

This is one place where speaking more French would have been handy. It isn’t always clearly marked where to park to wait to board the ferry.

If you are taking a vehicle to Moorea, the driver must stay with the car and drive it onto the ferry. All passengers will need to leave the vehicle and check-in at the terminal and walk on to the ferry. Be sure to send the digital tickets to your “passengers” via email, screen shot, or message app.

The ferry ride to Moorea is approximately 45 minutes. Many of the passengers make a beeline for the cafeteria. You can purchase food or bring your own food on board to enjoy. If you hurry, you can reserve window seats for you and your group and enjoy the view.

There are restrooms onboard.

As you get close to Moorea, everyone in your party will be directed to return to their vehicle where you will ALL drive off the ferry together.

Where is Tahiti Located?

Where in the world is Tahiti? Check out this Tahiti map.

Tahiti is located in the Pacific Ocean approximately five hours by flight beyond Hawaii. Leaving from San Francisco (SKO), the flight is 8 hours.

Frequently Asked Questions

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Final Thoughts on 10 Awesome Things to Do In Papeete, Tahiti

One of the fun things about planning a vacation to a new destination is doing the research and building the anticipation for your trip.

When you plan a tropical getaway, you’ll need to consider the best time to go, what to take for your beach vacation, and bring lots of sunscreen.

Searching for things to do in Papeete during your visit to French Polynesia highlights many of the fun things to do in Tahiti that you don’t want to miss. Stay in a Tahitian resort? Yes, please. How about lounging by the pool at the Hilton Hotel Tahiti? Definitely.

You’ll find your days filled with sunshine, adventure and beaches!

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