Outdoors · Tahiti · French Polynesia
8 best outdoor things to do in Tahiti
Parks, viewpoints and open-air sights for the dry, bright days.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Pictured: Musée de Tahiti et des Îles, Tahiti · Photo: Wmpearl, CC0
Quick answer
Start with Teahupo'o, Point Venus and Faarumai Waterfalls. Together the 8 picks below take roughly 14–17 hours across 7 areas; 6 are free.
Key facts
- Places in this guide
- 8
- Free entry
- 6
- Time to see them all
- 14–17 hours
- Areas
- Tahiti Iti, Arue and Mahina and Tiarei
Plan a trip to Tahiti
Compare flights, places to stay and rental cars, then book with the provider you choose.
Outdoors in Tahiti
Nature · Tahiti Iti
1.Teahupo'o
Book a boat trip with a local operator for a safe viewing spot in the channel; from the shore the wave is a distant line of white water.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- Nature
- Photo spot
- Active
Beach · Arue and Mahina
2.Point Venus
Visit in the late afternoon when the sand has cooled, and bring water shoes because the black sand can be scorching.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Outdoors
- Kids
Nature · Tiarei
3.Faarumai Waterfalls
Bring insect repellent and avoid the longer trail after heavy rain, when it becomes muddy and slippery.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Nature
- Outdoors
Viewpoint · Tiarei
4.Arahoho Blowhole
Stay behind the barriers: the spray reaches the road, and the rocks are slippery.
- Time needed
- 20 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Kids
- Nature
- Photo spot
Nature · Papenoo
5.Papenoo Valley
Book a guided 4x4 tour rather than driving yourself; the track crosses rivers that rise quickly after rain.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Expensive
- Nature
- Active
- Outdoors
- Photo spot
Garden · Papara and the south coast
6.Vaipahi Water Gardens
Walk the upper loop for a view over the lagoon, and combine the gardens with lunch on the south coast.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Nature
- Couples
- Off the beaten path
Nature · Paea
7.Maraa Grotto
Visit early in the day to have the grotto to yourself, and keep to the path, which can be slippery.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Nature
- Kids
Beach · Punaauia
8.Plage de Vaiava (PK 18)
Bring your own mask and snorkel and swim out over the coral heads on the lagoon side, staying away from the boat channel.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Kids
- Outdoors
- Couples
Grouped by area
| Area | Places | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| Tahiti Iti | Teahupo'o | Half a day |
| Arue and Mahina | Point Venus | 2 hours |
| Tiarei | Faarumai Waterfalls and Arahoho Blowhole | 1 hour + 20 minutes |
| Papenoo | Papenoo Valley | Half a day |
| Papara and the south coast | Vaipahi Water Gardens | 1 hour |
| Paea | Maraa Grotto | 30 minutes |
| Punaauia | Plage de Vaiava (PK 18) | Half a day |
Booking and timing
Of these 8, 6 free, 1 mid-priced, 1 expensive. None needs booking far in advance. The longest visit is Teahupo'o; group the rest by area to save travel time.
How to fit them into 4 half-days
Grouped by area and kept to about four hours each, so you walk more than you ride.
- Half-day 1 (Tahiti Iti): Teahupo'o, at least 3 hours.
- Half-day 2 (Arue and Mahina and Tiarei): Point Venus → Faarumai Waterfalls → Arahoho Blowhole, at least 3 hours.
- Half-day 3 (Papenoo and Papara and the south coast): Papenoo Valley → Vaipahi Water Gardens, at least 4 hours.
- Half-day 4 (Paea and Punaauia): Maraa Grotto → Plage de Vaiava (PK 18), at least 4 hours.
The best months to be outside
- July: highs of 28°C (82°F), about 6 rainy days, very busy crowds. Peak season with clear skies and cooler nights; Heiva fills Papeete with dance and music competitions.
- August: highs of 28°C (82°F), about 6 rainy days, very busy crowds. Dry, sunny and busy with European holidaymakers; big southern swells hit Teahupo'o and humpback whales begin to arrive.
- September: highs of 29°C (84°F), about 6 rainy days, busy crowds. Still dry and sunny, with humpback whales often seen offshore.
The neighbourhoods they are in
- Punaauia — West-coast suburbs with white-sand beaches and the island museum
- Arue and Mahina — North-coast villages around Matavai Bay and Point Venus
- Papara and the south coast — Surf beaches, gardens and quiet villages between Paea and Taravao
- Tahiti Iti — The smaller, wilder peninsula with Teahupo'o and roads that end in forest
More of Tahiti
Questions travellers ask
+Where should I start in Tahiti?
Teahupo'o. The road ends at this village on Tahiti Iti, beside a reef pass where one of the world's heaviest waves breaks over shallow coral.
+Which of these are free in Tahiti?
Point Venus, Faarumai Waterfalls, Arahoho Blowhole, Vaipahi Water Gardens, Maraa Grotto and Plage de Vaiava (PK 18).