Sights in Tahiti
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Musée Gauguin
The Musée Gauguin is definitely worth a visit. Much of the text about Gauguin and his life is in English, and although the museum is dimly lit and there is a conspicuous lack of original works by Gauguin, there’s a lovely natural setting. The museum gardens are home to three superb tiki from Raivavae in the Australs. Tiki do not like to be moved, and there are colourful stories about what happened to the men that moved these tiki here (they apparently died ‘mysteriously’ within weeks of the move). The huge tiki figure beside the walkway stands 2.2m high and weighs 900kg; it’s a baby compared with the figure towards the waterfront, which stands 2.7m high and weighs…
reviewed
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Rangiroa
Rangiroa, in the Tuamotu Archipelago, is the second-biggest atoll in the world, behind Kwajalein in Micronesia. It measures 75km (46.6mi) by 25km (15.5mi) and is the most populated island in the archipelago. Its lagoon is more like a vast inland sea and dry land exists as a narrow chain of sandy motu (islets) encircling this huge waterway.
Divers come to Rangiroa from all over the world; the lagoon's configuration and tide movements cause powerful currents that they 'surf'. The lagoon is also home to a great abundance of diverse marine life. Pearl farming and mother-of-pearl production are important to the local economy.
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Jardin Botanique
The 137-hectare Jardin Botanique has walking paths that wind their way through the garden past ponds, palms and a superb mape forest. The gardens were founded in 1919 by an American, Harrison Smith, who introduced many plants to Tahiti including the large Southeast Asian pomelo known on Tahiti as pamplemousse, the French word for grapefruit. Unfortunately, Smith also introduced one or two botanical disasters that Tahiti could well have done without. Look out for the huge Galápagos tortoises. Mosquitoes in the gardens can be fierce.
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Taravao
Strategically situated at the narrow isthmus connecting Tahiti Nui with Tahiti Iti, the town of Taravao has been a military base on and off since 1844, when the first French fort was established. The original fort was intended to forestall Tahitian guerrilla forces opposed to the French takeover from mounting operations against Tahiti Nui from Tahiti Iti. Today the Faratea Port, on the northeastern side of the isthmus, is being built to shift commercial sea trade from Pape’ete (which is getting gussied up for tourists) to Taravao.
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Musée de Tahiti et des Îles
Only 15km from Pape’ete along the west coast, the excellent Musée de Tahiti et des Îles is in Puna’auia. The museum is divided into four sections: geography and natural history; pre-European culture; the European era; and outdoor exhibits. It’s in a large garden and if you get tired of history, culture and art, you can wander out to the water’s edge to watch the surfers at one of Tahiti’s most popular breaks.
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Lagoonarium
Just outside Pape’ete’s urban sprawl, the Lagoonarium is a pleasant tourist trap with a meshed-in area of lagoon with a modest underwater viewing room; it’s reached through a giant (though crumbling) concrete shark’s mouth. The entrance to the Lagoonarium is part of the Captain Bligh Restaurant, and if you eat at the restaurant there’s no charge to visit the Lagoonarium.
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Marae Arahurahu
Whether or not you believe in the powers of the tiki (sacred statue), it’s hard to deny there is an amazing energy radiating from Marae Arahurahu in the Pa’ea district. Tranquil, huge and beautifully maintained, the marae (traditional temple) is undoubtedly the best-looking one on the island and even rivals those on other islands.
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Maraa Grotto
Lush gardens, overhung caverns, crystal-clear pools and ferny grottoes are all standard features at gorgeous Maraa Grotto. The fairytale park is found along the coastal road, and a manicured path runs throughout. It’s a popular stop on round-the-island circuits, but also well worth visiting on your own.
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