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Our picks

The Museum of Tahiti and her Islands
(Polynesian Center of Human Science) located in  Punaauia on the West Coast of Tahiti at PK 14.5 (i.e. 14,5 Km from Papeete). Locate the Museum

Since 1974, this museum offers to its visitors a complete panorama of Mao'hi history and culture. Magnificent ancient canoes, old typical tools, an exhibit on tottos and its origins and an impressive collection of tikis carved in wood or stone are on display there. Air conditioned rooms invite you to follow the evolution of the Polynesian people throughout time, with large illustrated panels. The Museum's garden invite you to meditate amid century old trees. Not far from there, daring kids practice the national sport, surfing, on the very technical breakers of the Pointe des Pêcheurs (Fishermen's Point).  

The singing Mamas on Sunday morning
Every Sunday, early in the morning, listen to polyphonic singing performed by the " mamas " in the Protestant curch of the village. You will enjoy a magical and unusual show where all the women, dressed in white and wearing large hats, sing together long recitative songs, interrupted only by sermons allowing them to  catch their breath In fact, you'll get out of there thinking that they go to church mostly to sing and a little to pray!  Not to miss in Papeete at the Paofai church which is a landmark of Tahiti's Protestant faith, the largest religious community in French Polynesia.

The garden of Eden
Nature is everywhere in Tahiti and in her islands, more particularly tropical flowers, which are part of Tahitian life: from the Tiare flower worn beind the ear (on the right side if you are free, on the left if you are taken and on both ears if you're open-minded!), to the traditional flower lei offered to welcome visitors,   not to mention the quantity of hibiscus, plumerias and bougainvillias as if they were swarming in   each garden. Flowers are not just a simple cliche for the tourists, they are part of the art of living and of daily life, the ancient Maohis already used woven banana leaves for plates,  a practice  still used in traditional feasts.
 See the Flowers of Tahiti and her Islands album

The Southern sky
At night, don't forget to raise your eyes toward the Southern Hemisphere's sky. Beware as you may get mezmerized. The nightly sky in the Southern Hemisphere is an absolutely grandiose spectacle, with so many stars and such amazing brightness. First of all, you should know that, in the Southern Hemisphere, an observer can see about 20 to 30% more stars than in the Northern Hemisphere. Also when you find yourself on a small island lost in the middle of the vast ocean, no light pollution of any neighboring city come to cover the flickering light of the smallest star. Moreover, nights are warm (around 23 degrees C), so nothing is more pleasant than dreaming for hours like a child while laying near the lagoon. And at the time when you catch yourself watching the stars of  the  Big Dipper slowly fading away and dive into the ocean, while you are playing at guessing where the Southern Cross (THE navigators' reference constellation) is hiding, it is suddenly Scorpio with its characteristic looks that unravels its gigantic profile on half the celestial vault. And as was said by writer  A.T.Serstevens " The Southern sky then reveals its unbelievable jewelry display where the Southern Cross is nothing but a modest piece ".

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