 "Break out of the Routine" |
 Take the Public Bus or "Le Truck" to Get Around |
|
Tahiti: |
WHAT TO WEAR?
Casual and comfortable are the order of the day. Pack loose
fitting, light, clothing with lots of shorts and swimwear. For dinners
casual slacks and sport shirts for men and cool sundresses for women
are acceptible.
Don't forget to bring sun hat, sunscreen, sunglasses,
personal medications, photocopy of your passport, bug repellent and
lots of film.
ENTRY?
Passport Required
Departure Airline Ticket is required
Sufficient Funds Required
VISAS are not required for most North Americans or West Europeans but
you must check with your consulate or travel agent before booking
HEALTH
No health certificates or innoculations are currently required but it
is the passenger's responsibilty to check with their family doctor and
consulate.
CAR RENTAL
Car rentals can be easily arranged for pickup at airports.
Drivers must be at least 21 years old and drivers License and major
credit card are required.
|
TEMPERATURES |
Weather and Freqently Asked Questions
be what is the weather like in Tahiti?Well you will be pleasantly surprised to know that Tahiti is a tropical destination with 200 or more hours of sunshine every month.
The rainy season is December through March with about 30 hours of rainfall per month. That still leaves a lot of sunshine for you to frolic in!
Average temperature of the air and the water is 80 degrees Fehrenheit. PERFECT!
Frequently Asked Questions and Things You Should Know
Where is Tahiti? The islands of Tahiti are located in the same time zone as Hawaii, south of the equator. It is a mere 7 1/2 hours from Los Angeles and is geographically about half way between California and Australia.What Time Zone is it in? French Polynesia is 10 hours behind Greenwich Mean Time, 2 hours behind US Pacific Standard Time, and 20 hours behind Australian Eastern Standard Time. The Marquesas Islands are a half-hour ahead of the rest of French Polynesia.
When it is noon Sunday in Tahiti, it is 2 p.m. Sunday in Los Angeles, 8 A.M. Monday in Sydney, 11 P.M. (winter time) - 12 P.M. (summertime) in Frankfurt. When it is noon in Tahiti, it is 12:30 P.M. in the Marquesas.
Languages and the People of Tahiti
Tahiti is a part of French Polynesia which is cosmopolitan blend of Polynesian (75 percent), Chinese (10 percent), and European (15 percent).The official languages of French Polynesia are Tahitian and French, but other languages and dialects can be heard as well. Paumotu (the language of the Tuamotu Islands), and Mangarevan (spoken in the Gambiers) have been spoken here for many centuries. They are descended from the Malayo-European language family, mostly brought over from Indonesia, Malaysia, Madgascar and Taiwan. Tahitians will appreciate your making an effort to speak a little French while you are there.
Approximatly 250,000 people live in French Polynesia. About 75 percent inhabit the Windward Islands, 10 percent in the Leeward Islands, 7 percent in the Tuamotu archipelago, 3.5 percent in the Marguesas Islands, and 3 percent in the Austral Islands. Life expectancy is about 70 years which is the perfect amount of time to live in paradise!
Tahitians are well known for their hospitality, friendliness and laid back life style. You will find them very happy. Like their distant cousins in Hawaii the Tahitians are a handsome people with tanned skin, and dark features.
Money Currency, Electric Currency & Shopping
Money is French Pacific is the French Pacific Franc although credit cards are widely accepted. Voltage in major resorts is either 110 volt or 220 volt and will vary with the location. A converter/adaptor is recommend for appliances you bring with you. Shopping hours are 8:00AM to 5:30 Monday to Friday (with a possible 2 hour lunch break) and Saturday morning. Banking hours of course are quite a bit shorter!! Tipping is not customary or expected but always welcome.Local Transportation?
Many tourists use the public bus system. There are two types; the open air trucks called "Le Truck", and the RTC, which are large white motor coaches. Taxis are available and escorted tours from the hotels are easy to arrange.Medical Care and Drinking Water
French Polynesia enjoys a high standard of health, with excellent medical and dental services, pharmacies, private clinics and a large government hospital in Tahiti, which is open 24 hours. The outer islands have hospitals or dispensaries, and a few private practitioners.
There are no snakes, poisonous spiders or fearsome animals in these islands. Hotels and dispensaries on each tourist island and atoll keep first aid supplies on hand to treat coral cuts, sunburn and the extremely rare case of poisoning, when the barefoot swimmer steps on the toxic spines of the stonefish. All the islands maintain hygienic controls to combat potential epidemics of tropical diseases, such as the dengue fever.Please take precaution and do not overexpose your body to the tropical sun. Tennis shoes or plastic sandals are recommended when walking on the reefs and in the lagoons of Polynesia.
Tap water in the hotels and restaurants is safe to drink. Local mineral waters, alcohol, soda pop and all sorts of French mineral waters are available.
Tahiti is Magical
Tahiti | Moorea | Bora Bora | Huahine | Raiatea/Taha'a | Cruising
Tuamotu Atolls - Rangiroa | Manihi | Tikehau | Fakarava
Marquesas - Nuku Hiva | Hiva Oa
| Castle
Hill Travel Some pictures generously provided by "Tahiti Tourism Bureau" |