Pape'ete
Although the Catholic cathedral is placed squarely in the town centre, Tahiti remains predominantly Protestant, a lasting legacy of the LMS missionaries. The large pink Temple de Paofai makes an unforgettably colourful scene on Sunday morning, when it is bursting at the seams with a devout hat-wearing congregation dressed in white and belting out soul-stirring himene (hymns).
The church is on the site of the first Protestant church in Pape’ete, which was built in 1818.
0.55 MILES
A Pape'ete institution. If you see one site in town, make it this market, which fills an entire city block. Shop for colourful pareu (sarongs), shell…
7.49 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…
6.1 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
18.99 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…
11.01 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…
19.67 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…
17.36 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…
20.43 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…
0.03 MILES
This pearl museum was created by pearl magnate Robert Wan with aims of luring visitors into his glamorous shop. It’s a worthwhile, small and modern museum…
2. Robert Wan Musée de la Perle
0.03 MILES
This pearl museum was created by pearl magnate Robert Wan with aims of luring visitors into his glamorous shop. It’s a worthwhile, small and modern museum…
0.2 MILES
To the west, along Av Bruat, is the Ministère de la Culture. There’s an exhibition space here that is worth a peek.
0.22 MILES
This is the main walking area along the waterfront, where you’ll find paved walking paths that meander past blooming planter boxes and the occasional tree…
0.25 MILES
This square is an evolving multi-use development project on Pape’ete’s western edge. The far end of the square is home to a 5000-seat pavilion, which is…
0.27 MILES
A great spot to just chill out, Parc Bougainville is a tropical oasis in the middle of the city. Lush and cool, it’s fronted by a 1909 bust of the great…
7. High Commissioner's Residence
0.29 MILES
Lovely, massive residence where the high commissioner from France lives.