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> Tahiti [French Polynesia]
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Social Profile
Food & Drink: All the classified hotels have good restaurants. French, Italian, Chinese and Vietnamese food is served, as well as the Polynesian specialities; Papeete is noted for French and Chinese cuisine. Tahitian food can be found in some hotels. Popular dishes include smoked breadfruit, mountain bananas, fafa (spinach) served with young suckling pig, poisson cru (marinated fish, for example raw tuna served with coconut cream and limes), or poe (starchy pudding made of papaya, mango and banana). Trucks or lunch wagons parked on the waterfront sell steak, chips, chicken, poisson cru, brochettes and shish kebabs. A key to how expensive a restaurant will be is often indicated by dollar signs; for instance, $$$$ will indicate an expensive restaurant, whereas $ will indicate a budget restaurant.
A full range of alcoholic drinks is widely available.
Nightlife: Papeete is full of life in the evenings with many restaurants and nightclubs. Most hotels feature Tahitian dance shows, bands and other traditional entertainment.
Shopping: Facilities are concentrated in Papeete. Special purchases include Marquesan woodcarvings, dancing costumes, shell jewellery, Tahitian perfumes, Monoi Tiare Tahiti (coconut oil scented with Tahiti’s national flower), vanilla beans and brightly patterned pareu fabrics that make the traditional Tahitian pareo. Shopping hours: Mon-Fri 0730-1130 and 1330-1700/1800, Sat 0730-1100. Shops will sometimes close for lunch, anytime between 1100-1400. Some shopping centres in the suburbs of Tahiti are open 0730-2000.
Special Events: For a complete list, contact the GIE Tahiti Tourisme (see Contact Addresses section). The following is a selection of major festivals and other special events celebrated in Tahiti in 2003:
Jan 1-3 2003 The Tere Ceremony, celebrated on the island of Rurutu. Jan 5 New Year Island Kaina Tour (island tours in flower buses), Tahiti. Feb 1-15 Chinese New Year Celebrations, festivities take place throughout the islands. Feb 15 Tahiti Nui Sunrise Marathon, Moorea. Mar 2-8 Raiatea International Billfish Tournament (a challenging tournament rewarded with trophies and cash prizes). Mar 5 The Coming of the Gospel (a commemorative celebration of the arrival in Tahiti of the first Protestant missionaries); Third Leeward Island Games, Huahine; The Australs Inter-Island Games, Rurutu. Apr 27-May 31 The Me Ceremony (an Evangelical Church charity event where fundraising is done in each parish throughout the whole of French Polynesia). May 1-5 and 6-18 Billabong Pro Surfing Competition, Teahupoo. Jun 29 Hiva Va’eva’e, autonomy celebrations. Jun 21-Jul 27 Heiva Nui 2003, To’ata Square, Papeete. Jun 27-Jul 21 The Crafts Heiva (a big crafts exhibition based around the theme of Polynesian legends that brings together artists from all four corners of French Polynesia). Aug Golf Open International, Mataiea, Tahiti. Oct 4 International Long Distance Triathalon, Moorea. Oct 15-17 Hawaiki Nui Va’a Outrigger Canoe Race, Huahine, Raiatea, Tahaa and Bora Bora. Oct 18-25 Tahiti Carnival (annual event), countrywide. Nov 26-29 International Endurance. Dec 20-31 End of Year Festivities, To’ata Square, Papeete, Tahiti.
Social Conventions: The basic lifestyle of the islands is represented by the simple Tahitian fares built of bamboo with pandanus roofs. Local women dress in bright pareos and men in the male equivalent, but casual dress is expected of the visitor (except in Papeete, where bathing suits and shorts are not considered suitable dress). Traditional dances are still performed mostly in hotels, with Western dance styles mainly in tourist centres. Normal social courtesies are important. Tipping: In general not practised but tolerated, since it is contrary to the Tahitian idea of hospitality.
Copyright © 2003 Columbus Publishing Ltd.
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