Things to do in Tahiti when you sleep on the peninsula
Tahiti can be seen in a few days and savoured over a few weeks. From Toahotu, the south of the island is a short drive away and the peninsula a paddle stroke away. Here is what we recommend to our guests, in the order we would do it.
- Rent the car for the whole stay: nothing happens without one, and distances are short.
- One big outing a day, the lagoon the rest of the time: that is the right rhythm here.
- On Sundays almost everything is closed except the evening food trucks and the lagoon.
- Book boats and whale trips as soon as your dates are firm: places go fast in season.
The lagoon first
It is the first thing to do on arrival: put on a mask, take a kayak, let the island slow your pace. In front of the houses the arm of lagoon is calm, the islet is reached on foot at low tide, the coral heads are a few paddle strokes away and the fish are not shy. Early in the morning the water is a mirror.
Teahupo'o by boat
A quarter of an hour away, the Teahupo'o marina is the departure point for taxi boats to the wave, the lagoon and, for the day, the Fenua Aihere and the Te Pari cliffs. It is the trip we recommend to everyone, surfer or not. We book for you.
The Vaipahi water gardens
In Mataiea, on the road to Papeete, the Vaipahi water gardens are a free hour's walk between ponds, a waterfall and shaded paths, with a trail climbing into the forest to a lookout. Half an hour from Temenino, it is the ideal stop on the way back from a day to the west.
The Taravao plateau
Above Taravao, a road climbs through pastures to a lookout over the two bays of the isthmus. Cows, pines, cool air: an unexpected landscape twenty-five minutes from the houses. In the late afternoon the light on Phaeton bay is at its best.
Tautira and the east coast
A full day: the east coast road to Tautira, its beach, its river, its village at the end of the world. Leave in the morning, eat there, come back over the plateau. It is the peninsula at its most authentic.
Whales, August to October
Humpback whales travel along the peninsula's south coast from August to October. Guided trips leave from Teahupo'o and Phaeton bay, by the half day. We have a whole guide on the season, the rules and what to expect.
Papeete and the Museum of Tahiti
At 1 h 15, Papeete is worth a morning: the market for fruit, pareos and monoi, the waterfront, the food trucks of Place Vaiete in the evening. On the way back, in Punaauia, the Museum of Tahiti and the Islands tells Polynesia before and after the Europeans, in a renovated building facing the lagoon.
Fish, paddle, do nothing
The fishing rods are on the lawn, the black rocks at the end of the plot. Paddleboard at sunrise, barbecue at sunset, and between the two a hammock and a book. Many of our guests say the best day was the one they went nowhere. We believe them.
Your questions for planning your days
How many days do you need in Tahiti?
Three or four nights on the peninsula cover the essentials: lagoon, Teahupo'o, plateau, Tautira. A week lets you add whales in season, the Te Pari and Papeete, and really slow down.
What is there to do with children?
The lagoon in front of the houses, calm and shallow at the edge, kayaks with an adult, the islet at low tide, the Vaipahi gardens, the cows on the plateau, and the barbecue in the evening. Toddlers stay supervised near the water.
What do you do when it rains?
It often rains hard and briefly. The covered veranda is made for it: a book, a game, the lagoon changing colour. For a real rainy day, the Museum of Tahiti and the Papeete market.
Are there hikes?
Yes: the Vaipahi trail, the Taravao plateau, and for seasoned walkers the Te Pari with a guide, over one or two days. Peninsula trails are not waymarked as in Europe; ask us for a guide.
Should we book activities in advance?
The Teahupo'o boats and the whale trips, yes, especially from July to October. The rest can be decided day by day. Write to us with your dates and we book.
Want help planning your days?
Tell us what tempts you: a boat trip, a hike, the whales, or nothing at all. We will tell you what needs booking ahead, what can be decided the same morning, and what is not worth the drive.
Written by the Temenino team, with the addresses Slaveck gives his guests.
Checked in October 2026. Opening hours and days change often on the island: confirm before you set off.