9 Facts you probably didn’t know about the Islands of Tahiti

Fact 1.

It’s home to the world’s most unique vineyard Yes, it’s possible to establish a vineyard on a coral atoll. And The Islands of Tahiti are the only place in the world to have one. Check out Vin de Tahiti in Rangiroa for white wines and rosés produced in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.

Fact 2.

Overwater bungalows were invented here. The Islands of Tahiti are the birthplace of the overwater bungalow. The first were built on Raiatea at the Bali Hai Hotel in 1967, and soon after they appeared on nearby Moorea as well. Today, they’re synonymous with luxury escapes and are found on most tropical islands because…well, just look at them.

Fact 3.

“Tahiti” is way more than just one island. The Islands of Tahiti cover a vast area in the South Pacific — about the same size as Western Europe, in fact — and encompass 118 islands and atolls across five different archipelagos. There is so much to explore!

Fact 4.

The tiare is more than just a pretty flower. The fragrant white tiare flower is the symbol of The Islands of Tahiti and is worn by both men and women as a necklace, head ornament, or behind the ear. Which ear the flower is placed behind is determined by whether one is single or taken: Place the flower on your left ear if you’re attached, or you can always ask a Tahitian where you should wear it if you’re ready to mingle.

Fact 5.

Tahiti was home to food trucks way before they were cool. Long before the food truck became a staple in the hippest cities around the world, The Islands of Tahiti were ahead of the game with the roulottes. These food trucks can still be found almost everywhere around the main island of Tahiti, especially on the Papeete waterfront, and they serve everything from crepes to waffles, Chinese to burgers and much more.

Fact 6.

You can experience a “spa-within-a-spa.” Peaceful lagoon waters, air scented with vanilla and tropical flowers… Relaxing in The Islands of Tahiti can feel a bit like being in a spa. So when you go to one of the islands’ spas — you’ve got it — you’re basically in a “spa-within-a-spa.” There are over a dozen across The Islands of Tahiti, and they all make the most of the islands’ natural bounty; local treatments utilise Polynesian oils, fresh flowers, vanilla body washes, banana leaf body wraps, and deep ocean water treatments.

Fact 7.

The word “tattoo” originated here. In Polynesian culture, tattoos have long been considered signs of beauty, and in earlier times they were ceremoniously applied when an individual reached adolescence. Even today, about 60% of French Polynesians have a tattoo. The word originated here with the god of tattoo, Tohu, who legend has it passed down instructions for painting all the oceans’ fish in beautiful colors and patterns.

Fact 8.

Paul Gauguin spent his final years here. The famous French painter spent his twilight years on The Islands of Tahiti and is buried in the Marquesas on the island of Hiva Oa. You can visit the Japanese-styled Gauguin Museum in Harrison Smith Botanical Gardens to learn more about the post-impressionist and see many of his original sketches, engravings, photos, documents, and prints.

Fact 9.

Tahiti’s biggest export is way more interesting than oil or gas. A country’s biggest exports tend to be practical resources like fossil fuels or minerals. But The Islands of Tahiti harvest something way more beautiful and unique: Tahitian cultured pearls. They grow almost exclusively in French Polynesia’s warm lagoons, and you can learn all about judging their value according to colour, shape, and size at the Robert Wan Pearl Museum in Papeete. Then go ahead and choose your own at the black pearl farms in Manihi, Rangiroa, 1Raiatea, and Huahine.