Tahiti: Tips

Expect expensive Overwater bungalows are somewhat less pricey in Moorea than in Bora Bora, but don't expect to score a good one for under $700/night during high season.

The language French and Tahitian are the official languages, but you can easily get by with English at resorts and other tourist areas.

The best beach Tahiti is more about its mesmerizing lagoons than its beaches, which are often narrow and manmade. Top honors go to Huahine's Hana Iti beach, the beach that fronts the Bora Bora Nui Resort, and Hotel Bora Bora's Matira Beach.

Make it a stopover Air Tahiti Nui frequently offers free stopovers in Tahiti for flights to Auckland, New Zealand and Sydney, Australia.

Look up! Light development means the skies are clear, especially above Bora Bora, where the night lights up with constellations and the only sound you'll hear is the gently lapping lagoon beneath you.

Greetings The local alphabet has only 13 letters, so make use of them to say hello (ia orana) and goodbye (nana) in a singsong voice the way the Tahitians do.

Heiva This festival, held each July in Papeete, is a draw for its thrilling and sensual dance-offs. Note that Bora Bora Lagoon Resort brings in some of the island's best dancers for dinner performances.

Poisson cru This addictive national dish is made from raw tuna or mahi-mahi marinated in lime juice and coconut milk.

No cars Tahiti is more water than land, so it's possible to never see a car again once you fly out of Papeete. Resorts in Bora Bora generally transfer by sea.

Synchronize your watches Located in the South Pacific, Tahiti is in the same time zone as Hawaii.

"Mutiny on the Bounty" The numerous retellings of this story insist that sailors revolted after experiencing the hospitality of the sensual local women. Both the 1962 Marlon Brando version and the 1984 Mel Gibson version of the story were filmed on Tahiti and Moorea.

Paul Gaugin The Parisian painter fell in love with French Polynesia in 1891 after coming to Tahiti to escape civilization. He immortalized the local women in his canvases, and never left.

Monoi You won’t want to leave without procuring a bottle of this local oil made from coconuts and the tiare flower – it works as a moisturizer, hair tonic, massage oil and insect bite salve. Pick it up at your hotel gift shop.

The Kidman connection Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban put the then-brand-new St. Regis Bora Bora on the map in 2006 when they stayed in the $15,000/night Royal Villa for their honeymoon.

The Blue Line Bora Bora’s lagoon depths drop abruptly here, resulting in a change in the water from green to sapphire blue as if a line had been drawn. Cross it in a kayak, available from most hotels.