French Polynesia: Events

The Mo'orea Marathon is held in late January or early February, and there's a re-enactment of the arrival of the first London Society missionaries at Point Venus in Pape'ete on 5 March with celebrations in Tahiti's and Moorea's Protestant churches. Tahitians love beauty contests and there are events organised for both men and women throughout most of the year, culminating in the prestigious Miss Tahiti and Miss Heiva i Tahiti contests in June and July. The month-long Heiva i Tahiti festival also features music, dancing, sporting competitions and arts & crafts displays. Heiva i Tahiti is so much fun it's almost worth planning your trip around it! French Bastille Day, 14 July, falls in the middle of this festival and is the highlight. A four-day golf tournament is held on Tahiti in late June and early July, and there's a surfing contest off Tahiti in September.

However, what draws the whole of French Polynesia to a standstill is a canoe race. The Hawaiki Nui canoe race is a three-day, four-island, 116km (72mi) event, held in early November, that pits about 60 six-man teams from all over the territory and abroad against each other. Burly Polynesian men, often bedecked in traditional tattoos, begin from the island of Huahine and cross 44.5km (28mi) of open ocean to Raiatea. Day two is a 20km (12.5mi) sprint within the lagoon between the twin islands of Raiatea and Tahaa, and day three is a mammoth 52km (32mi) open-ocean crossing to the island of Bora Bora. The vessels arrive to the rhythm of drummers and cheering supporters. In 1994 a team of German Olympic kayakers entered the race and their best result was 18th on the first leg.