Tahiti Travel Facts for Yachts

Fact File for Tahiti

This is a sophisticated tourist destination where you can be as accessible or remote as you wish. Pick-up a mooring and dine ashore at a local island or 5-star hotel restaurant, or choose a secluded anchorage and BBQ aboard under a blanket of stars. Enjoy the sweet ambience of this unique tropical paradise.

COORDINATES: 15º00S, 140º00W

LANGUAGE: French and Tahitian; English widely spoken

BIGGEST ISLAND: Tahiti

WEATHER: Climate is tempered but cooled by sea breezes and there are two main seasons: humid (hot and wet) from Nov to Mar, and cool and dry from Apr to Oct. Temperatures vary little throughout the year and range between 21 and 31C (70-88F).

BEST TIME TO CHARTER: May-November

AIRPORTS: F'a'a'a International Airport in Papeete (PPT) and Raiatea Airport (RFP).

TIME: UTC-10 (winter), UTC-11 (summer)

CURRENCY: French Pacific Franc (XPF); Visa, MasterCard and AmEx accepted in most areas. ATMs are common on Tahiti, with a few on the smaller islands.

ELECTRICITY: 220 V, 50 Hz/60 Hz

PUBLIC HOLIDAYS:

1 Jan - New Year's Day
5 Mar - Gospel Day
Mar/Apr - Easter Monday
1 May - Labor Day
8 May - Victory Day
May - Ascension Day
May/Jun - Whit Monday
29 Jun - Internal Autonomy Day
14 Jul - Bastille Day
15 Aug - Assumption
1 Nov - All Saints' Day
11 Nov - Armistice
25 Dec - Christmas Day

MAIN PORTS AND MARINAS: Marina Taina near Papeete, Tahiti Nautic Center in Taravao (both on Tahiti island)

RECOMMENDED BEACHES: Tahiti and Her Islands are surrounded with spellbound beaches but some of the most famous include La plage de Maui on Tahiti, Matira Beach on Bora Bora and Les Sables Roses on Rangiroa.

CULTURAL: Local women dress in bright pareos and men in the equivalent, but casual dress is expected of the visitor (except in Papeete where bathing suits and shorts are confined to the beach).