How many days in Tahiti? 5 days around the island, with a day on Moorea
By Tony Panopoulos · travel-agency planner in Greece · Updated
Tahiti is the largest island of French Polynesia and the arrival point for almost every visitor, but many people only see the airport before flying on to Bora Bora or Moorea. That misses a lot. Tahiti is two volcanoes joined by a narrow isthmus: big Tahiti Nui with the capital Papeete, and small Tahiti Iti to the south-east, with the famous surf break of Teahupo'o. The coast road has black-sand beaches, waterfalls and old marae, the stone ceremonial platforms of Polynesian culture. Give it five days: Papeete, the east coast, Tahiti Iti, the west coast and its museum, and one day across the water on Moorea.
Short answer
Three days covers Papeete, a loop of the east coast and a Moorea day trip. Five days adds Tahiti Iti, the museum and the west-coast lagoon, at an island pace.
The 5-day plan, day by day
Day 1: Papeete: the market and the roulottes
Morning. Start at the Marché de Papeete, the covered municipal market, open from early morning (busiest on Sunday mornings, when locals buy fish and flowers before church). Upstairs are pareos, monoi oil, vanilla and woven hats; downstairs fruit, fish and flower garlands. A fresh coconut costs about XPF 300-500.
Afternoon. Walk along the waterfront to the Paofai Gardens and the outrigger canoe clubs training in the harbour, and past the Cathedral of Notre-Dame. In the heat, rest at a café in the centre or on the shaded promenade.
Evening. Eat at the roulottes, the food trucks that gather in the evening at Place Vaiete by the harbour. Plates of poisson cru, steak frites, Chinese-Tahitian chaomen noodles and crêpes cost about XPF 1,500-2,500.
Many shops in Papeete close on Sunday afternoon and on public holidays. Shop on Saturday or early Sunday.
Day 2: The east coast: Point Venus and waterfalls
Morning. Drive about 20 minutes east to Point Venus at Matavai Bay, a black-sand beach with a lighthouse, where Captain Cook's expedition observed the transit of Venus in 1769. Then continue to the Arahoho blowhole, where waves shoot up through the lava rock near the road.
Afternoon. Turn inland to the Faarumai waterfalls, a short walk of about 10 minutes through the forest to a high cascade; a longer, rougher trail leads to more falls. For the interior, join a 4x4 tour up the Papenoo valley (half-day about XPF 8,000-12,000 per person), the only way across the island.
Evening. Drive back along the coast and stop at the Taravao plateau viewpoint above the isthmus if there is light left, or have dinner in a seaside restaurant on the east coast.
Tahiti's coast road is marked with PK (kilometre points) from Papeete, going both ways around the island. Addresses are given as, for example, 'PK 18 côté mer', the sea side at kilometre 18.
Day 3: Tahiti Iti and Teahupo'o
Morning. Drive about 1h15 from Papeete to the end of the road at Teahupo'o on Tahiti Iti, where a footbridge leads to a short coastal path. From the shore you can see the break far out on the reef; boats from the village take visitors closer in good conditions (roughly XPF 5,000-8,000 per person).
Afternoon. Swim at Plage de Maui, one of the few white-sand beaches on the island, with a shallow lagoon on the south coast of Tahiti Iti. On the way back, visit the Vaipahi gardens at Mataiea, with a short loop to a waterfall.
Evening. Return to your base, stopping in Taravao for supplies. Restaurants are few on Tahiti Iti, so plan dinner before it gets dark around 18:00-18:30.
Teahupo'o hosted the Olympic surfing in 2024. The wave is for experts only; watch from a boat with a local operator, never swim out alone.
Day 4: Day trip to Moorea
Morning. Take an early ferry from Papeete to Moorea (about 30-45 minutes, roughly XPF 1,500-2,000 each way; the main companies are Aremiti and Terevau). Rent a car or scooter at the ferry terminal in Vaiare and drive up to the Belvedere lookout, with views over Cook's Bay and Opunohu Bay.
Afternoon. Join a lagoon tour (about XPF 8,000-12,000 with lunch) to snorkel with rays and blacktip reef sharks in shallow water and swim at a motu (islet). Or swim at Temae beach, the main public beach near the ferry.
Evening. Take a late-afternoon ferry back to Papeete, watching the sunset behind Moorea's peaks. Dinner at the roulottes or a restaurant in town.
Check the last ferry time before you set out; the timetable changes by day and season, and on Sundays there are fewer boats.
Day 5: The west coast: museum, marae and lagoon
Morning. Visit the Museum of Tahiti and the Islands (Musée de Tahiti et des Îles) at Punaauia, about 20 minutes west of Papeete, with collections on Polynesian navigation, gods, tattoo and daily life (about XPF 1,000-2,000). Then drive to Marae Arahurahu at Paea, a restored ceremonial platform in a green valley.
Afternoon. Snorkel at the public beach at PK 18 in Punaauia (Vaiava), where the lagoon has coral and fish close to shore. Rent gear in town or bring your own.
Evening. Watch the sunset over Moorea from the west coast; restaurants and hotel bars around Punaauia face the island directly. If your dates fall in July, look for the Heiva festival, with dance and singing competitions in Papeete.
Tahitians are welcoming but many places on the coast are private land. Ask before crossing gardens to reach the water.
Only have 3 days?
With 3 days, do Papeete and the east coast on Day 1-2 and Moorea on Day 3. You lose Tahiti Iti and the museum.
Got extra days?
Most visitors continue by short flight to Bora Bora (about 50 minutes), Huahine or Raiatea in the Society Islands, or to the atolls of the Tuamotus, such as Rangiroa, for diving and pink-sand beaches.
Where to stay in Tahiti
| Budget | Area | Why | Typical double/night |
|---|---|---|---|
| Budget | Papeete guesthouses (pensions) | Family-run pensions near town and the ferry, often with breakfast. | XPF 9,000-15,000 |
| Mid-range | Faa'a / Punaauia (west coast) | Hotels near the airport, with lagoon views and sunsets over Moorea. | XPF 20,000-35,000 |
| Mid-range | Tahiti Iti | Quiet guesthouses and bungalows by the lagoon, close to Teahupo'o. | XPF 15,000-28,000 |
| Comfort | Resorts west of Papeete | Overwater bungalows and pools facing Moorea; a short drive from the airport. | XPF 50,000-120,000 |
Getting around
Faa'a International Airport is about 10 minutes from Papeete by taxi (taxi fares are high, roughly XPF 2,000-3,500). Public buses run along the coast, mainly by day, and are cheap but infrequent. A rental car (about XPF 8,000-12,000 a day) is the best way to see the island; the road around Tahiti Nui is roughly 115 km, plus a road along each side of Tahiti Iti that ends before the cliffs. Ferries to Moorea leave from the Papeete ferry terminal several times a day. Driving is on the right.
What to eat in Tahiti
Tahitian food mixes Polynesian, French and Chinese cooking. Order poisson cru, raw tuna marinated in lime and coconut milk with vegetables; chaomen, fried noodles; firifiri, twisted doughnuts for breakfast; and ma'a Tahiti, an earth-oven feast of pork, fish, taro and breadfruit, often served on Sundays or at hotel nights. Baguettes are subsidised and cheap. Drink Hinano beer and fresh coconut water. A roulotte meal costs XPF 1,500-2,500, a restaurant dinner XPF 3,500-7,000. Prices in shops are high because most goods are imported.
Best time to visit
May to October is the dry season, with highs of about 26-28°C, lower humidity and steady trade winds. July brings the Heiva festival. November to April is warmer and wetter, with heavy tropical showers and a small risk of cyclones, but also fewer visitors and lower hotel rates. The surf at Teahupo'o is biggest from about May to September.
What a day costs
| Budget | Mid-range | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed (per person, sharing a double) | XPF 6,000 | XPF 14,000 | XPF 40,000 |
| Food & drink | XPF 4,000 | XPF 8,000 | XPF 15,000 |
| Sights & tickets | XPF 1,500 | XPF 6,000 | XPF 12,000 |
| Local transport | XPF 1,500 | XPF 5,000 | XPF 9,000 |
| Total per person, per day | about XPF 13,000 | about XPF 33,000 | about XPF 76,000 |
Approximate 2026 prices in Pacific francs (XPF; about 119 to the euro, a fixed rate). French Polynesia adds a tourist tax per person per night and VAT to hotel bills.
Before you go
Common questions
Is Tahiti worth visiting or should I go straight to Bora Bora?
Most international flights arrive in Tahiti, so you will be there anyway. Two or three days on Tahiti and a day on Moorea show a side of Polynesia that resort islands do not: markets, local life, mountains, waterfalls and cultural sites. Bora Bora is about the lagoon and the overwater bungalows. Many travellers do both, starting or ending in Tahiti.
Does Tahiti have good beaches?
Tahiti's beaches are mostly black volcanic sand, beautiful but hot underfoot, and the best lagoon beaches are on Moorea and the other islands. On Tahiti itself, PK 18 in Punaauia is good for snorkelling, and Plage de Maui on Tahiti Iti has white sand. For classic white-sand lagoons, plan a day on Moorea or a few nights on another island.
Is Tahiti expensive?
Yes. Hotels, restaurants and imported goods cost more than in most of Europe, and many tours are priced for honeymooners. You can save by staying in family pensions, eating at the roulottes, buying fruit at the market, and using a rental car instead of taxis. Baguettes and some local products are price-controlled and cheap.
Do I need to speak French?
French is the official language and Tahitian is widely spoken. In hotels, tour companies and many restaurants, staff speak English, but at markets, buses and small shops, some French helps. Learn 'ia ora na' (hello) and 'mauruuru' (thank you) in Tahitian; people appreciate the effort.
How this guide was made
Compiled by TonyPlan from official tourism, transport and attraction sources and on-the-ground travel knowledge. Prices are approximate for 2026 and change with season; anything we could not confirm is marked as approximate.
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