Destinations / Tahiti

If there is one island that summons up all the romance of the South Pacific as a tropical paradise, it is Tahiti. It's been that way for more than two centuries, since the island's charms (including its free-spirited women) helped spark the mutiny on the Bounty. Today the international airport in Tahiti's capital of Papeete is the gateway to all of French Polynesia.

LOCATION :

Oceania, archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from South America to Australia

LANGUAGE :

French (official), Tahitian (official)

CURRENCY :

Central Pacific Franc or CFP

TIPPING :

Tipping is not part of the Tahitian tradition and should not be encouraged on a routine basis.

ELECTRICITY :

220 volts AC with round European-style plugs.

WEBSITE :

www.tahiti-tourisme.com

CAPITAL :

Papeete

TOURIST INFORMATION :

(310) 414 - 8484

POLITICAL STATUS :

French Polynesia currently has a 41-member Territorial Assembly elected by popular vote every five years. The Republic of France is represented in the territory by a high commissioner appointed by the Republi

TAXES :

There is no departure tax in French Polynesia.

AREA CODE :

From the US to Tahiti dial: 011 + 689 + phone number.

TIME :

10 hours behind GMT, two hours behind US Pacific Standard time

DOCUMENTS :

All passengers entering French Polynesia must be in possession of a valid passport and outbound ticket. (passport must be good for 6 months past return date). Note: US "Green Card" is not a travel document. Citizens of the following countries can stay 3 months without a visa:European Economic Community (Germany, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom).As well as citizens of the following other countries: Andorra, Cyprus, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Malta, Monaco, Norway, San Marino, Switzerland and the Vatican.Citizens of the following countries can stay 1 month without a visa:Argentina, Australia, Bermuda, Brunei, Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Poland, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, the United States of America and Uruguay.

AVERAGE WATER TEMPERATURE :

82 degrees F

AVERAGE VISIBILITY :

130ft

TYPES OF DIVING :

shore, boat, wreck, live aboard

BEST TIME TO DIVE :

April - November

WHAT TO WEAR :

3mm full in the cooler months but you can wear a skin during the summer when the water temperature reaches 84 degrees.

DIVES NOT TO MISS :

The Tahiti Wall and Shark Cave sit on the outter reef with a vertical drop starting at 15 ft dropping infinatly into the deep blue. It is a combo dive with White tip sharks and Moray eels. The Vavi area on the ocean side of the coral reef has multicolored seafans, Gorgonias and Alcynaceans. There is also a unique dive in Tahiti located at a pinnacle abput 100 yards off the outter reef. There is an underwater fresh water spring that has fresh water flowing through the adjacent coral that distorts vision like surface heat rising from hot pavement.