10 Cultural Tours in French Polynesia That You Shouldn't Miss

June 1, 2021 Mollie Coke

Tahiti and Bora Bora are the most well known French Polynesian islands, thanks to their picture-perfect beaches and romantic ambiance. Indeed, these islands are ideal for handholding, with their lush landscapes and mood-setting features like lagoons and grottos. The heart-shaped island of Mo’orea makes a wonderful base for divers and snorkelers eager to explore its surrounding barrier reef system. Feeding the massive, sacred eels of Huahine is a one-in-a-lifetime way to experience an important local ritual.
Restaurants in French Polynesia

1. Private Island Tour

Tahiti Nui Hotel, Ave du Prince Hīnoi, Pape'ete 98713, French Polynesia Tahiti Eden Tours
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5.0 based on 16 reviews

5. Take part of a wonderful island tour steeped in history. Discover the gorgeous fauna, flora and lovely waterfalls of Tahiti, archaelogical site, grottoes and also take in the landmarks and monuments to Captain Cook and Captain Bligh at Venus point. discover the lighthouse designed by Robert Louis Stevenson's father.plenty of time given at each stop then time to explore the lovely beach of black sand as well. Private tour (up to 6 people ) -Half day tour includes 6 sights to visit: - Marae arahurahu - Grottos of Maraa - Vaipahi garden - Waterfall of Faarumai - blow hole - Venus point & the light house

Inclusions: Air-conditioned vehicle, fresh water included

Exclusions: Lunch

Reviewed By L4402QFchrisd

This tour was a lot of fun and the only reason I'm rating it a 3 was due to the fact it wasn't quite what my wife and I had in mind. We were looking for a little more adventure and going deep into the jungles on a safari vehicle and doing some hiking etc... however, our guide Fabricio was really nice and extremely informative about the history and culture of Tahiti and the Polynesians. You do visit some really awesome waterfalls, botanical garden and other attractions around the island. All in all we were pleased with all the sights we saw and it made for a good half day afternoon excursion.

2. private Tahiti island discovery

Tahiti Private Services
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5.0 based on 6 reviews

Our private half day tour is the best experience to discover the different aspects of the island of Tahiti. You will have the opportunity to go all around the island and visit the main natural, historical and cultural sites. Our professional driver guide can adapt the itinerary to your expectations.

Inclusions: All Fees and Taxes, Bottled water, Air-conditioned vehicle, Private transportation

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Reviewed By chuntclements

Booking Reference # 765556604 My husband and I celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary on the Regatta Ship with Oceania Cruises from New Zealand to Tahiti. After disembarking on March 5th, we stayed over-night at the Intercontinental Tahiti Resort and spent that afternoon on a fabulous private tour of Tahiti with tour guide Baudouin Bertrand. Bertrand not only took us to all the highlights featured in the Viator itinerary listing, he walked with us at our pace, thoroughly explaining each site while answering our many questions. Bertrand is a superb professional, very knowledgeable about Polynesian & European history/culture and environmental science. He made our afternoon most informative, entertaining, and one to cherish always with treasured memories. We highly recommend Bertrand as a tour guide.

3. Blue Pearl Tour

Spirou THEBAUD
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5.0 based on 2 reviews

Private tour, you choose the language among the 6 that I speak and you choose the circuit and the duration. In addition, I will bring you to the best places for your purchases of Tahitian pearls, sarongs, crafts and souvenirs in general, depending on what you are looking for. The base price is for one hour I recommend a tour lasting a minimum of 3 hours for the center of the island and you can add visit time for 8000 XPF / additional hour.

Inclusions: Air-conditioned vehicle

Exclusions: We can have free tastings of jams, as well as fruit juices and liqueurs

Reviewed By amiddlet99

My friend and I tagged along to a tour our friends had booked. Spirou was kind, amazing, knowledgeable, fluent in French and English, and willing to go out of her way for us. We were a bit late and she wasn't upset, and she made a few extra stops without asking for extra pay. I wanted to stay and hang out with her! Highly recommend.

4. You drive, I guide you

Polymat MOOREA, Maharepa Moorea, Moorea-Maiao, French Polynesia Spirou THEBAUD
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5.0 based on 2 reviews

You already have a car but you would like us to explain to you what you will see while visiting Moorea ... I will be happy to describe the fauna, flora, geology and geography, history, culture and everyday life. I will tell you the best places to stop, the best photo spots, the sites to visit, the corners not to be missed, the best places for shopping, depending on what you are looking for and I will explain the famous pearls of Tahiti, etc ... It will be cheaper than taking a vehicle tour and you will not have to share me with other tourists! The duration is 4 hours. You can add hours at the rate of 2000 XPF / hour

Inclusions: tasting of juices, liqueurs and jams

Exclusions: Snacks

Reviewed By STEPHANIE M

It was a pleasure meeting the "Lady in Blue" and having her drive us to the ferry landing. On the way, she acted as "tour guide" pointing out various places and points of interest. Next time I am in Moorea, I will book a tour around the island with her. She is a delight! And she kept our luggage secure in her van while we were on a 3-hour ATV tour! So nice of her!

5. 4x4 Safari Tour

Moorea Explorer
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5.0 based on 1 reviews

The best way to discover the island of Moorea with its legends, its stories, its magnificent viewpoints with several stops for photos. The guides are professional and native of the island of Moorea, nothing better to know the true stories of the island, to know the life of the local people formerly and nowadays, they will share their culture with love and passion, always with the smile because it's also part of Polynesian culture.

Inclusions: Guides

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Reviewed By toribarone

This tour exceeded our expectations. Tom was an amazing guide. We went up the pineapple path, up to Beldevere, then up to Magic Mountain for the most stunning 360 degree views, stopped by a local spot for fruit/jams/ ice cream, then we ended the tour with feeding the freshwater eels. We had so much fun- truly a must do when coming to Moorea. Thank you Tom for an unforgettable afternoon!

6. Private TAHITI Half-day 5h Circle Island Tour (Departs 8am or 1pm)

YOTA TAHITI
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5.0 based on 4 reviews

Yota provides a unique insight into the Polynesian way of life. He creates privileged relations with all the Polynesians to guarantee a meaningful tour for you. Through his in-depth knowledge of Tahiti and Her Islands (he has traveled to 23 out of the 40 available by plane) Yota weaves a tale for his listeners. Yota's Japanese background and sensitivity provides for you a highly personalized service and attention to detail that surpasses other experiences.

Inclusions: Bottled water, Free WiFi on board

Exclusions: Lunch

Reviewed By Gail M

We had a wonderful day with Yota. He was so informative and friendly. He picked a lovely restaurant and helped us order a vegan option. We would highly recommend his tour.

7. Private TAHITI Full-day 8 hour Circle Island Tour

YOTA TAHITI
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5.0 based on 8 reviews

Yota provides a unique insight into the Polynesian way of life. He creates privileged relations with all the Polynesians to guarantee a meaningful tour for you. Through his in-depth knowledge of Tahiti and Her Islands (he has traveled to 23 out of the 40 available by plane) Yota weaves a tale for his listeners. Yota's Japanese background and sensitivity provides for you a highly personalized service and attention to detail that surpasses other experiences.

Inclusions: Bottled water, Free WiFi on board

Exclusions: Lunch

Reviewed By Travel599287

My husband and I had a 12 hour layover in Tahiti and enjoyed an incredible half day full island tour with the delightful Yota. We saw both the main tourist interest spots as well as beautiful locals only sights in an immaculate vehicle with all the safety precautions. Yota's incredibly knowledgeable about history and culture and tells great stories. Be sure to ask him about traditional Tahitian dancing! Due to COVID, we had some very challenging logistics that he completely handled for us, going well above and beyond what most tour guides would do to make our 12 hour stay perfect. He recommended an extraordinary "locals" restaurant for dinner before our flight and most importantly hooked me up with a fantastic jeweler (Kermei) where I bought my black tahitian pearls. Thank you Yota!

8. Moorea Like a Local: Lagoon Cruise Including Snorkeling and Fishing with Polynesian Lunch

Moorea, Moorea, Society Islands Moorea Maori Tours
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5.0 based on 48 reviews

Discover the local way of life on this intimate full-day Moorea tour with a local guide. With no more than four people and 2 outriggers, on each tour, your guide teaches you how to paddle, spot the incredible abundance of fish as you go snorkeling, then local guide will explain the traditional ways of fishing and if you are lucky end with net fishing as you catch what you need for a traditional Polynesian lunch. Visit a local home where you will prepare your freshly caught seafood and indulge in a delicious traditional lunch. End the day with a visit to your local guides organic plantation where you will enjoy a range of fresh seasonal fruits.

Inclusions: Lunch, Local guide, Hotel pickup and drop-off, Hotel/port pickup and drop-off, Use of Snorkelling equipment

Exclusions: Food and drinks, unless specified, Gratuities

Reviewed By blustig77

last year,i had to cancel this tour due to a ship malfunction, so i rebooked for this summer. sam and sylvie were terrific in sending me a prompt refund.. i have researched tours twice now and found this one to be the best value, most interesting and dependable hosts. unfortunately, due to the covid virus, i had to cancel a second time and again, they promptly refunded my payment. it shows their integrity and honesty and i do hope to try this tour again once it is safe to travel again. thanks sam and sylvie

9. TAHITI Full-day Shared 8h Circle Island Tour

YOTA TAHITI
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4.9 based on 30 reviews

Yota provides a unique insight into the Polynesian way of life. He creates privileged relations with all the Polynesians to guarantee a meaningful tour for you. Through his in-depth knowledge of Tahiti and Her Islands (he has traveled to 23 out of the 40 available by plane) Yota weaves a tale for his listeners. Yota's Japanese background and sensitivity provides for you a highly personalized service and attention to detail that surpasses other experiences.

Inclusions: Driver/English speaking tour guide, Free WiFi on board

Exclusions: Food and drinks

Reviewed By Gail M

We had a wonderful day with Yota. He was so informative and friendly. He picked a lovely restaurant and helped us order a vegan option. We would highly recommend his tour.

10. Unique Tahiti Tours - private, personalised tour

Unique Tahiti
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4.9 based on 26 reviews

Up close, personalised and totally authentic island tours for discerning travellers. Our small group (if you require a private tour please contact us directly) off the beaten track, Unique Tahiti Tours creates opportunities for you to meet the wonderful Polynesians as they live their daily lives We have thought about everything from content, pace and company (only the best english speaking guides) We will share the breath taking scenery and classic sites (waterfalls, black sandy beaches, gardens etc ) but be prepared for spontaneous stops to meet fishermen, dancers, surfers, farmers, school kids - the locals! All from the luxury and comfort of new, air conditioned, 9 seater Red Mercedes. Your local, english speaking, knowledgable, fun loving guide will share their island home with creating life time memories to exceed your expectations Tahiti is beautiful island and its our pleasure to share it with you. Our website lists all the tours and services we offer

Inclusions: Cool fresh water is supplied as well as a taste of local fruits brought from street vendors, Private transportation

Exclusions: Luggage - unless organised and agreed upon while booking

Reviewed By JerNatLee

My wife and I were on our honeymoon in Tahiti and stayed in an Airbnb in the heart of Papeete. Although staying in the city was quite the experience and a good immersion into what city life was like, it was nothing compared to the YouTube videos and internet searches that led us to travel to French Polynesia to begin with, so we were actually left a little bummed on our first day there. Then came Tracy in her signature Red Mercedes to save us. She was nice enough to come pick us up from just outside our Airbnb and we could immediately sense how warm and friendly she was. She took the time to get to know us and get a feel for what our likes and dislikes were and what we were looking to see and was able to adjust to our preferences on the fly. The entire day felt to me as if we were just hanging out with an old friend who was really just looking out for us and making sure that we had the most fun and got the most out of our stay. Definitely ask to check out Dominic's food stand while you're there! He is a local who set up a nice little beachfront eatery where you can get awesome crepes and smoothies as you take a break during your tour. All of his food is locally sourced and a lot of it he grows himself. He is a big advocate for producing food locally, ethically and organically and is more than willing to share his knowledge on what he does. Speaking of producing local and organic foods, I would also suggest to ask about checking out Jean Claude's garden during your tour as well. He is a local who works on acres of land overlooking the beautiful Tahitian mountainside growing every type of fruit, vegetable and produce you can think of. He is also extremely knowledgeable and passionate about what he does and you will be sure to learn a great deal about what it's like to live off of the land while you're there. ***Another random side note*** If you're looking to buy pearls for yourself or your loved ones during your stay, ask for Charles (a pearl wholesaler who lives in Papeete) and Tracy will get you in contact with him. I guarantee that his shop has the best quality products that a fraction of the cost - we checked! (I was not paid to write any of this I promise) I highly recommend this tour if you are interested in experiencing the natural beauty of the island of Tahiti and meet some awesome locals. Tracy, Dominic, his family, Jean Claude and even Charles and his wife were some of the warmest, kindest and friendliest people we've ever met and were all eager to share about their culture and passions with us. My wife and I couldn't have asked for a better experience during our time in Tahiti and we will definitely be back for more in the future. The friends, knowledge and experience we have gained as a result are something that we will never forget.

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