How to get to Tahiti

Tahiti is the largest and most developed of the 118 islands of the overseas community of French Polynesia. It is a commercial, tourist and economic centre, home to the country's air gateway - Faa'a International Airport , the port, the capital city of Papeete and the main attractions. All journeys to the paradise islands of Bora Bora , Moorea , Raiatea , Taha'a and Huahine begin from Tahiti .

Geography and location of Tahiti

A large volcanic island with an area of 1042 km² belongs to the Community Islands. Geographically, it is located in the southern part of the Pacific Ocean, approximately at the same distance between Australia and California. Almost 80% of the population of all French Polynesia lives in Tahiti. At the same time, a significant part of it and the main infrastructure is concentrated on Tahiti Nui - a large part of the island. Tahiti Iti , or little Tahiti , is connected to the main island by a thin isthmus. The island is famous for its surrounding reefs with rich biodiversity. People also fly here for the tropical nature with dense mountain forests, Tahitian culture and the world-famous black pearls.

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How to get to Tahiti

The distant islands seem to be something unattainable. But tourism in Tahiti is well developed and air communication is, accordingly, well-established. The only difficulty is that there are no direct flights from European countries, except from France. The Paris-Papeete flight lasts 19 hours. In addition to Paris, you can get there by direct plane from most countries in the Pacific region, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Hawaii, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Australia and Chile.

The journey with transfers and waiting time at the airport of the intermediate country can last up to 22-23 hours. Many travelers will find the flight to Tahiti exhausting, but the tropical paradise is worth it. Connecting flights need to be monitored, often the cost of tickets can be reduced by 20-30% on promotional offers. Book tickets in advance, especially from May to October. This is the high season for holidays on the islands of French Polynesia.

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Tahiti International Airport

Flights to Tahiti land at Faa'a International Airport (PPT), located 5 kilometers from Papeete. It is the only airport in French Polynesia that receives international flights and serves transit destinations. Passengers traveling to Bora Bora, Moorea and other islands of French Polynesia will also depart from Faa'a .

International Tahiti Faaa is conveniently located 5 kilometers from the capital. There is a great selection of hotels and restaurants, attractions and excursions nearby. Buses run from the airport to major destinations, you can also catch a taxi or rent a car. There are several cafes and shops in the terminal. The only airline that offers a business class lounge at Faaa Airport is Air Tahiti Nui .

Other airport services include:

• Free and premium Wi-Fi
• mobile device charging stations
• VIP zones
• banking and postal services
• exchange offices
• luggage storage
• storage lockers and showers

International airlines serving Faaa Airport :

• Air France
• French Bee
• Hawaiian Airlines
• Air Tahiti Nui
• United Airlines
• LATAM Airlines Group S.A.
• Air New Zealand
• Air Tahiti
• Aircalin

Domestic airports of the islands of French Polynesia:

• Huahine (HUH)
• Raiatea (RFP)
• Bora Bora (BOB)
• Tikehau (TIH)
• Rangiroa (RGI)
• Maupiti (MAU)
• Atuona (AUQ)
• Nuku Hiva (NHV)
• Moorea (MOZ)
• Tubuai (TUB)
• Rurutu (RUR)
• Fakarava (FAV)
• Khao Island (HOI)
• Apataki (APK)
• Takapoto (TKP)
• Aratika (RKA)
• Mataiva (MVT)
• Raivavae , Rairua (RVV)
• Raroya (RRR)

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Sea cruises to Tahiti

Getting to Tahiti by water is quite possible if you go on a cruise. The port of Tahiti is visited by liners from Australia (Sydney) or Honolulu (Oahu, Hawaii), en route via Papeete , Raiatea , Moorea , as well as Maui and Auckland in New Zealand. The cruise usually lasts 17-18 nights. The only European port from which cruises call at Tahiti is located in Genoa (Italy).

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