Teahupoo is world famous among surfing circles for its monster wave. Until the early 2000s, the Teahupoo wave was only known to local surfers. It now ranks as one of the most photographed and powerful waves on the planet – on a par with Pipeline in Hawaii. Teahupoo (pronounced tee-ah-hoo-poh-oh -- please don't say 'poo') is a left that breaks over a very shallow reef, producing a perfect, awe-inspiring barrel.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
27.7 MILES
There’s a popular surf break just before the headland that signals the start of the small village of Papenoo. A long bridge crosses the Papenoo River at…
29.78 MILES
Part of Captain Cook’s mission on his three-month sojourn in 1769 was to record the transit of Venus across the face of the sun in an attempt to calculate…
Bain de Vaima & Vaipahi Spring Gardens
11.54 MILES
Bain de Vaima (Vaima Pool) is where locals come from all over to bathe in the icy but exceptionally clear waters that are thought to have healing…
24.07 MILES
Through the village of Tiarei where the road swoops around a black-sand beach, you’ll see a sign on the mountain side of the road for the exceedingly high…
10.68 MILES
The 137-hectare Jardins Botaniques has walking paths that wind their way through the garden past ponds, palms, a massive banyan tree and a superb mape…
15.82 MILES
Just east of the village of Papara, the Marae Mahaiatea was the most magnificent marae on Tahiti at the time of Cook’s first visit (according to Cook it…
9.92 MILES
This museum has been closed for years but hopefully it will reopen during the life of this book. The airy site surrounded by lush foliage is lovely, and…
Pointe du Taharaa – One Tree Hill
28.99 MILES
At the top of the hill at around PK8, pull off to the lagoon side of the road and park in the lot that once belonged to Tahiti’s very upmarket Hyatt…
Nearby Tahiti attractions
4.47 MILES
Popular day trip from Teahupoo. Walk into blackness till your eyes adjust then swim to the back through the icy waters.
4.69 MILES
A signposted turn-off at PK9.5 leads a short distance inland to the rarely visited remains of Marae Nuutere, restored in 1994. There are three paved yards…
5.59 MILES
View over the bucolic plateaus of Taravao to the blue coastlines and towering Tahiti Nui.
5.71 MILES
A picturesque strip of white sand, Maui Beach gets packed and noisy on weekends, but is peaceful during the week. It’s right on the road but has shallow…
6.43 MILES
Waves move in and out of this hidden cave from the coast. It's like a natural (not hot) hot tub.
6.95 MILES
A gem of a cave accessible only by foot or boat, looking out over a wild stretch of reef-free coast.
7.66 MILES
You'll need a guide to find Tahiti's best preserved petroglyphs deep on the Te Pari coast and accessible only on foot or by boat.