Tahiti.

Where we stay

1. Day 1 · Sun 11 Jul

   Sunday at the market

   We start where Papeete starts: the market on a Sunday morning, then the cathedral a few streets away.

   • Papeete Market1.5 h

     The central covered market of Papeete. Tahiti Tourisme recommends going on a Sunday morning, when the town is up early.

     What to see

     • The fish and fruit stalls
     • The flowers
     • The handicraft stalls

     Time

     An hour and a half.

     Tip

     Go as early as you can on Sunday, before the heat, and buy a flower garland for each other.

     To eat

     Poisson cru, raw fish in coconut milk, and a fried firifiri doughnut.

     Photos
   • Notre-Dame Cathedral45 min

     The Catholic cathedral of Papeete, in the centre of town. A calm stop after the market.

     What to see

     • The facade
     • The quiet interior
     • The streets around it

     Time

     Forty-five minutes.

     Tip

     It is a working church, so visit outside Mass on Sunday and keep your shoulders covered.

     To eat

     A pain coco, a sweet coconut bread roll, from a bakery.

2. Day 2 · Mon 12 Jul

   Where Cook watched Venus

   A drive east to the point where Captain Cook set up his observatory, then back to the gardens by the sea for sunset.

   • Pointe Vénus2 h

     A peninsula on the north coast, about 8 km east of Papeete. In 1769 James Cook set up an observatory here to watch the transit of Venus.

     What to see

     • The lighthouse
     • Matavai Bay
     • The black-sand beach

     Time

     Two unhurried hours.

     Tip

     Come in the morning, when it is cooler and the light is softer on the bay.

     To eat

     Fresh pineapple or coconut from a roadside stall on the way.

   • Paofai Gardens1.5 h

     Gardens on the Papeete seafront, a short walk past Place To’ata, with lawns that families use for picnics and a Protestant temple nearby.

     What to see

     • The lawns by the water
     • The Protestant temple
     • Moorea across the water

     Time

     An hour and a half around sunset.

     Tip

     Arrive an hour before sunset and sit facing the water, because Moorea’s outline is the whole show.

     To eat

     A picnic of bread, fruit and something cold to drink.

     Photos
3. Day 3 · Tue 13 Jul

   Across to Moorea

   A morning ferry to the neighbouring island, a lookout over two bays and a quiet valley of ancient stone platforms.

   • Belvedere Lookout, Moorea2 h

     A lookout reached through the Opunohu Valley, with views of Mount Rotui, Cook’s Bay and Opunohu Bay.

     What to see

     • Mount Rotui
     • Cook’s Bay and Opunohu Bay
     • The road up through the valley

     Time

     Two hours with the road up.

     Tip

     Ferries cross from Papeete to Vaiare, Moorea’s main wharf, several times a day. Take an early one to have the afternoon for the valley.

     To eat

     Fruit from a roadside stall on the island.

   • Marae Titiroa1 h

     A stone temple platform among banyan trees in the Opunohu Valley, reconstructed in the late 1960s. Many other marae stand along the valley road.

     What to see

     • The stone platform
     • The banyan trees
     • Other marae along the road

     Time

     About an hour.

     Tip

     These are sacred places, so don’t climb on the stones or take anything away.

     To eat

     A picnic in the valley shade before the ferry back.

     Photos
4. Day 4 · Wed 14 Jul

   The 14th of July

   The morning ceremony and parade on the avenue, then an easy evening with dinner from the food trucks on the seafront.

   • 14 July ceremony and paradeMorning

     The avenue where the High Commissioner of the Republic presides over the 14 July ceremony: a troop review, a medal ceremony and a parade.

     What to see

     • The troop review
     • The military and civil parade
     • The crowd along the avenue

     Time

     The morning.

     Tip

     In 2026 the ceremony started at 9.30am and was open to the public, so arrive early for a spot along the avenue. Confirm the 2027 time with the High Commission’s announcement.

     To eat

     Breakfast first, with a pain coco, because it is a long standing morning.

   • Place VaieteEvening

     A square on the Papeete seafront where about a dozen roulottes, or food trucks, set up each evening.

     What to see

     • The roulottes
     • The harbour lights
     • The evening crowd

     Time

     An easy evening.

     Tip

     The roulottes only open in the evening, so come after sunset and share a few dishes to try the Chinese food, the fish and the crêpes.

     To eat

     Chinese noodles, grilled fish and a sweet crêpe, all from different trucks.

5. Day 5 · Thu 15 Jul

   A last walk and a museum

   A walk along the waterfront, then the museum of Tahiti, open on Thursdays, before the flight home.

   • Seafront and Place To’ata1.5 h

     A landscaped seafront promenade of about 1.5 km, from the ferry terminal to Place To’ata, where the Heiva i Tahiti is normally held each July.

     What to see

     • The seafront promenade
     • Place To’ata
     • The ferries to Moorea

     Time

     An hour and a half.

     Tip

     A non-competitive festival of song and dance is planned at To’ata in 2027 in place of the Heiva, but its dates are not yet published.

     To eat

     A coffee and a pain coco by the water.

   • Museum of Tahiti and the Islands2 h

     The main museum of Polynesian culture and nature, on the coast about 15 km south-west of Papeete, with about 30,000 objects.

     What to see

     • The ethnographic collection
     • The Atea ethnobotanical garden
     • The feather belts and wooden tiki

     Time

     Two hours.

     Tip

     The museum is open Wednesday to Sunday, so Thursday works. Tuesdays are reserved for school groups, and Mondays are not listed.

     To eat

     A last poisson cru by the coast on the way back.

     Photos

Typical weather for these dates, not a forecast: the average of 2016–2025, with data from Open-Meteo.com (ERA5). The chance of rain is an estimate.