The Islands of Tahiti Travel Advice

Papeete is the capital of The Islands of Tahiti, where the international airport is also located.

There aren't any direct flights to The Islands of Tahiti from the UK. In order to get there, you need to fly via Los Angeles (around 11 hours) before then catching another flight to Papeete on the main island of Tahiti (around eight and a half hours). You can also fly via San Francisco or even via Tokyo in Japan. 

The currency in The Islands of Tahiti is the French Polynesian franc, although credit cards are widely accepted.

The time zone in The Islands of Tahiti is GMT -10 hours, although the Marquesas Islands are 30 minutes ahead of the other islands.

If you're a British passport holder, you don't need a visa to visit The Islands of Tahiti.

Unsurprisingly, Tahiti's waters are rich in tasty seafood that's loved by locals. You'll only try the freshest fish while you're there, with lobster, tuna and crab among the favourites.

One dish we'd definitely recommend you try when you're in Tahiti is mahi mahi served with a vanilla sauce, a signature Tahitian element. Another must-try is poisson cru, the islands' national dish. Translating as 'raw fish' in French, it's usually raw tuna (although other types of fish are used) marinated in lime juice and then mixed with vegetables and coconut milk.

If you want to finish the day in style, a Mai Tai cocktail is a great sundowner. it's a blend of white and dark rums, curacao, orgeat syrup and lime juice and while it was actually invented in California, the cocktail was inspired by the Tahitian word maita'i, which means good or excellent.

Items like hats, sunglasses and suntan lotion are recommended for The Islands of Tahiti. Light clothing is also preferable for the islands' hot, tropical climate and it's worth remembering that even on a cloudy day the sun can still be strong. If you can, we'd advise taking reef-safe sun cream, as it's free from coral-damaging chemicals.

Even though malaria isn't a risk in The Islands of Tahiti we'd still advise taking some mosquito repellent to use against insects, particularly in the evenings.

We'd highly recommend purchasing a pair of reef shoes to take with you. This is because the live coral which exists within Tahiti's lagoon can be very sharp if you step on it with bare feet. You can easily buy a pair online and also in some outdoor shops in the UK.

As soon as your trip to The Islands of Tahiti is booked, we'd strongly recommend you take out a comprehensive travel insurance policy. We can offer special rates through our partner, Campbell Irvine, who can also provide specialist Covid-19 cover.