Top Things to do in Punaauia
Top Restaurants in Punaauia
What to do and see in Punaauia, French Polynesia: The Best Places and Tips
Discover the best top things to do in Punaauia, French Polynesia including Ciao Tahiti Excursions 4x4 - Day Tours, TOPDIVE Tahiti, Eleuthera Tahiti Diving Center, Paofai Gardens, Museum of Tahiti and the Islands, Fluid Tahiti Dive Center, Radisson Spa, Surf Vision Project, Municipal Market, Punaauia Beach.
Restaurants in Punaauia
1. Ciao Tahiti Excursions 4x4 - Day Tours
Overall Ratings
5 based on 188 reviews
With us you realy get the wild beauty of Tahiti : amazing Valleys, Waterfalls, natural swiming-pools alond the river you'll visit archeologic sites and much more.. hightly recommended, the guide speacks 4 languages fluently.specialise in 4wd tour, half-day or full-day.
Reviewed By NycWurldtraveler - NYC
If you don’t take this tour you will be missing out on such a special experience in Tahiti. I was glad I chose the day after my arrival for this full-day excursion because it set the scene for everything that followed. I don’t think there are any adjectives that can properly describe what you will see on this tour, but the vast ruggedness and beauty of the interior is absolutely an awe inspiring and exhilarating experience, and so is a MUST-DO even if you for whatever reason have only one day on the island (actually, especially if you have only one day). It’s one thing to view the Mountains from the road or water below, it’s on entirely another level to be INSIDE the crater viewing all of the Waterfalls and the Valleys below.
From the beginning it was excellent – Sébastien responded to my last-minute emailed request, answering all my questions and was very flexible and accommodating given my location which was not at a hotel so we figured on a meeting point for which he gave good directions and he arrived on time. He drives a Land Rover Defender that seats eight very comfortably in the back (with seat belts, especially for main roads until you get offroad but they can be worn any time I guess). The mountain roads he navigates on this excursion are not terribly bumpy, I found the ride rather smooth compared to roads in some Costa Rica towns I travel to frequently. You can sit on the padded seat, or stand when he removes the canvas top (assuming good weather) which is so much fun, and a little easier on the body as you can flex your legs and absorb some of the bumpiness.
One of the best aspects of this excursion is that Sébastien is the guide, no one else, so you don’t have to question who you may get as a guide and the person who ultimately determines your satisfaction. He is fluent in French and English, with French being his first language. I found him easy to speak and joke with in English and after he would explain things in both languages guests would ask him questions and he would engage in conversation with them and then if I were interested he would explain what they were talking about. He’s very patient and attentive. I was a bit concerned when I was choosing among the companies offering this excursion as my level of French is nearly nonexistent…after four years of secondary school French way too many years ago, my comprehension is minimal and my capability to speak is horrible. But very shortly into the trip I realized that wouldn’t be a concern, and just enjoyed listening to the language knowing that English would follow (though sometimes he would start in English, then revert to French for the other clients on the excursion).
Along the way Sébastien would pause to explain plants or the topography or history, and always stop in the perfect spot for photographs. We stopped at the river to swim and you can also climb up and jump from the rocks. There was no hiking on this excursion so you don’t need to worry about physical capability or hike difficulty level. I brought my lunch so I didn’t eat at the restaurant Relais de Maroto; their juices however were delicious.
All in all a fantastic day, it’s no wonder he has a 5 star rating. Reserve a day with him and have fun!!
2. TOPDIVE Tahiti
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 214 reviews
Reviewed By DONALD Z - Westlake Village, California
I did dives in both Moorea and Tahiti. My Moorea dive was a refresher (I hadn't dived in a year). Unfortunately, the dive master assigned to me spoke very limited English and didn't understand many of my questions. He did virtually no brief on the dive (something I'm accustomed to in the States) and the dive site for the refresher was not the greatest and had limited sea life.
I did two additional dives in Bora Bora that were far better. The Dive Master - Alfred - was outstanding. He spoke English fluently and did an excellent job of briefing us before each dive. The dive sites were good with many reef and lemon sharks and even a cave. The boat was full with 12 divers and 3 Dive Masters - so it was a bit more crowded than I would have liked (it was difficult to find a seat out of the sun!) My advice - be sure they give you a Dive Master who is fluent in your language and ask how many will be going on the dive.
3. Eleuthera Tahiti Diving Center
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 194 reviews
ELEUTHERA PLONGEE : The underwater world await you! Training center and underwater exploration, Eleuthera welcomes you all year round, 7/7, in the heart of Marina Taina located on the west coast of Tahiti. Our reputation is founded since more than 20 years on diving safety, the friendly and relaxed atmosphere and the quality of training courses. Eleuthera supports observation of sharks in their natural behavior without practices of shark-feeding in a protected environment and this in compliance with the regulations in force. Training at all levels (intro diving until to diving instructor) Explorations: fall-down, wrecks, underwater Springs, drift, night dives ... The best of tahiti! Dolphin watching (all year) Whale watching (August, September and October)
Reviewed By suave1311 - Heidelberg, Germany
Really friendly and capable diving instructors. They were super flexible, as I booked my Advanced diver upgrade only one day before. They picked me up and brought me back to the hotel. All in all a great service by extremely friendly people.
Needless to say that the diving sites in Tahiti are really just amazing....
4. Paofai Gardens
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 241 reviews
Reviewed By Allgoodthyngs - Shrewsbury, United Kingdom
We enjoyed walking along the waterfront in Papeete. The Gardens are well maintained and the pathway is easy to manage and suitable for wheelchairs and strollers too.
Lots of birds - they seem to be used to having humans around so will come quite close.
Locals use it for picnics, as did we! They also use it to practice dance and hook routines often with loud music but all in good humour and really entertaining especially if you try to join in!
Theres lovely breeze coming across the ocean and lovely to see all the yachts on the pontoons. So its a nice safe place to take a stroll or to sit and watch the goings on, however you can not escape the roadside noise and fumes.
This is a public place with no fees,
5. Museum of Tahiti and the Islands
Overall Ratings
4 based on 228 reviews
Le Musee de Tahiti et des Iles - Te Fare Manaha offre une decouverte de la culture polynesienne a travers quatre salles d'exposition permanente consacrees au milieu naturel, a la culture materielle, a la vie sociale, religieuse et a l'histoire.Le musee propose egalement des expositions temporaires. Museum tells the story of Tahiti and the Islands featuring exhibits on Polynesian history, culture, environment and ethnology.
Reviewed By TwoAmps - San Diego
This is one of the best collection of pre-contact French Polynesian artifacts anywhere. The Bishop Museum in Honolulu and the Museum of New Zealand have more extensive collections from across the Pacific, but here is an excellent collection focused on some truly iconic French Polynesian artifacts. The natural history section is OK; the Polynesian migration explanation and timeline seemed a bit dated. The 19th and 20th history section can be explored quite quickly, and the Gardens are wonderful. Overall, certainly worth the round trip taxi fare from the airport or the Intercontinental. The museum will call you a taxi for the return trip. We planned on spending an hour but ended up spending two. Most but not all of the explanations are in French, so the offline camera function of Google Translate comes in handy if your French skills are as pathetic as ours.
6. Fluid Tahiti Dive Center
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 76 reviews
Home to a friendly and relaxed atmosphere Fluid Diving Center is located right on the water in Tahiti’s Marina Taina. Our dive boats are moored just a few steps from the center and your dive equipment is preloaded onto the boat to make sure you enjoy an easy dive. You just have to jump on board, rig and check your equipment before diving into Tahiti’s blue…- The center is open 7 days a week- From 7:30 to 18:00- Plongez a la carte- Choose a time- Choose a type of dive
Reviewed By Staffydog55 - Havelock North, New Zealand
My husband and I joined a group for the afternoon whale spotting trip.I was apprehensive about boarding the boat due to recent foot surgery limiting ability,well no worries due to a most caring and competent team!The lovely lady and gent who were our guides were amazing.Their knowledge of the ocean,whales,snorkelling was top notch.Snacks,juice and water were freely available.Very enjoyable day out.Even saw the whales!
7. Radisson Spa
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 23 reviews
Reviewed By Alibaliboo - Christchurch, New Zealand
Beautiful hotel and food! The infinity pool was gorgeous and at times we had it to ourselves. The only thing that spoiled this holiday were the mozzies - we got eaten alive :-)
8. Surf Vision Project
Overall Ratings
5 based on 40 reviews
Reviewed By Christopher G
Surf Vision Project is your go to school to learn Surfing. Our surf instructor,Claude,is a very talented and skillful surfer. He is also the best surf teacher you could ask for.
He gives clear instructions, helpful tips and he is very patient. He has the right equipment for any levels. We would recommend Surf Vision Project to any beginners or surfers who wants to improve their skills. Thank you Claude for this wonderful experience and for the photos.
Christopher & Gina
9. Municipal Market
Overall Ratings
4 based on 793 reviews
This large and bustling market hall offers local farm products, handicrafts, souvenirs and a variety of fish and food products.
Reviewed By vikitorisedona - Prescott, Arizona
Nice to get a feel of the local products, but the prices are not what I associate with market prices. I mean $7 for a small bar of soap. Seriously?
10. Punaauia Beach
Overall Ratings
4 based on 99 reviews
Reviewed By Nonstop_Kiwi - Whangarei, New Zealand
We went to the part signposted Vaiava at PK18. Visited on a Friday between 10 am- 1 pm and there would have been about 10 other couples, small family groups. The snorkelling was fantastic with lots of varieties of fish, and a few different corals. We even saw a sting ray. We had no issues with strong currents. Visibility was perfect. Highly recommended.
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