South Pacific dreaming: a guide to glorious Tahiti
It’s remote, exotic and worth the trip
The temptation of Tahiti is hard to resist.
Pristine beaches, friendly locals and an exotic vacation destination are all part of the lure.
But Tahiti’s remote location in the middle of the Pacific Ocean means that some North Americans aren’t as familiar with the country as they are with tropical destinations in other areas such as the Caribbean.
To get in the know about Tahiti, here are a few tips if you decide to visit.
Count to 118: Officially known as French Polynesia, Tahiti in its entirety consists of five island groups, made up of 118 islands and atolls. Some of these tiny plots of land boast jagged peaks covered with lush vegetation, but others are sandy strips with perfect beaches.
The islands are scattered over four million square kilometres.
Don’t call the vanilla “plain”: Chief among Tahiti’s exports is the black pearl, but fish, fruits, flowers and vanilla provide other sources of export revenue.
Tahitian vanilla is sometimes called the “queen of vanilla” because of its high quality.
You can easily eat like a local: If you want to order what Tahitians eat for dinner, try poisson cru. It’s a national dish, consisting of raw fish and diced veggies, all of which has been soaked in coconut milk and lime juice.
For dessert, a traditional Tahitian choice is poe, a taroroot pudding flavoured with vanilla, banana, papaya or even pumpkin.
Those looking to sample a variety of local dishes, should take in a tamaaraa – a traditional feast featuring chicken, pork and fish
cooked in underground ovens.
Know the “APCs” of the language: French is an official language in the country, but Tahitian is also spoken.
In Tahitian, there is no letter “b.” The name of the well-known Bora Bora island is actually Pora Pora (meaning first-bor n), according to locals. Some early explorers heard the words as Bora Bora, however, and that name stuck for the rest of the world.
Don’t be fooled by “mailboxes”: Repositories that look like mailboxes can be found at many homes; the deliveries to these boxes, however, consist of French bread, not mail.
To pick up mail, residents need to visit a post office.
The hips don’t lie: Dance is an important part of local culture and the otea is the most famous dance of the country, involving rapid hip shaking.
When it comes to sports, the national indulgence is va’a racing, which consists of paddling contests in outrigger canoes.
Your home away from home: Tahiti is the original destination for over-water bungalows, some of which feature glass flooring to facilitate tropical fish-watching. This style of accommodation celebrated its 45th anniversary in 2012. Three American hotel owners first created the over-water rooms by transporting traditional Polynesian huts and fastening them atop concrete stilts over the edge of beach waters. The bungalows are now found in many parts of the
South Pacific.
79 is a key number: The average year-round temperature for Tahiti is 79 Fahrenheit and the average water temperature in the winter is 79 Fahrenheit. That’s a perfect 26 Celsius for Canadians.
The legacy of Paul Gauguin: This well-known French post-Impressionist created a series of paintings in Tahiti that are still highly valued today. One of his works has been valued at $39 million.
None of Gauguin’s original paintings remain in French Polynesia, although reproductions are plentiful.
Souvenirs to bring home: Recommended gifts to take home for yourself and others from Tahiti include tiki statues, ukuleles, pandanus baskets and a pareus, a handpainted skirt.
Souvenirs that you may want to give some second thought to include tacky Tshirts and tattoos. The word “tattoo” originated here and the inking practice was historically an important part of various cultural ceremonies, especially those marking a Tahitian’s passage into adulthood.