Deep in the South Pacific Ocean, the largest island in French Polynesia – Tahiti, has grown to be a tourism icon. Easily accessible by most of the world’s countries, in the crossing lines of Tokyo, Los Angeles, Eastern Islands, and Auckland, the Windward Islands gem has positioned itself as a tourism powerhouse.
Tahiti Live Webcam View from Faa’a International Airpor
A part of the Society Islands archipelago, it’s the cultural, economic, and political center of the collective. The island’s community is quite large as well, with 130,000 people inhabiting the island. The population is quite mixed, with the majority being the Polynesian that originally settled on the land around 300 to 800 AD.
This original population makes up around 70% of the current residents. The 30% that’s left mainly consists of Chinese, Europeans, and others with mixed heritage. You are also able to see this mix of cultures in the languages the islanders speak.
Whilst the official language is French, which is used in business and schools, you’ll find plenty of English in the tourist areas, and if you end up getting to know a local, you’ll quickly see that the preferred language in most peoples homes is the unique Tahitian language, that originates from the roots of the island.
Tahiti didn’t earn its reputation from nowhere. With the absolutely stunning scenery, dream-like water waves perfect for surfing, and top of the line tourism infrastructure, it is one of the most attractive vacation destinations.
With over 1 million overnight stays, it is also one of the more popular destinations as well. If you’ve seen even a single photo of the island, it’s not hard to see why. The overwater bungalows are most likely one of the more iconic parts of the shoreline and if you’re visiting, it would be a shame to miss out on at last visiting them. If you’re looking for a great photoshoot location, keep this one in mind.
The list of must-visit attractions in Tahiti is quite extensive. One of these, found on the northeastern side of the island, is the set of waterfalls, known by many names. Faarumai Waterfalls or the Les Trois Cascades, this compact set of waterfalls is a gorgeous place to visit.
With amazing walking paths in and out of the location, it’s a great reward for a nice walk through the lush forests found around it. Another great place to visit is the Huahine Natural Aquarium, where you can observe marine life in a shallow lagoon, both from an observation platform or right in the water, close and personal.
The aquatic life in Tahiti is quite wonderful on its own, from exotic fish to sharks, whales, dolphins, and turtles, it’s a prime location for some underwater adventure.
A Tahitian specialty – black pearls, might be another aspect that attracts you to the island. It’s an organic pearl that is formed by the black lip oyster, giving it its name, well, apart from its actual appearance, which ranges from black to white, with a tint of green, pink, blue, and much more.
The true treasure, though, is the extremely rare, fully black Tahitian pearl, which is considered to be one of the most beautiful kinds of pearls found across the globe.
If buying one of these rare valuables is not in the budget, you can take a look at the beautiful treasure in the Black Pearl Museum, which houses the largest Tahitian pearl collection found in the world, including the rarest and the largest.
But if you are content with the more common black pearls, with various undertones, you’ll be able to easily find some across the island and get it fitted during the same day, so once you pack to travel back home, you’ll have a treasured memento, both in sentiment and value.
These few aspects of the famous island just scratch the surface of what awaits you if you ever choose to visit. May it be nature, wildlife, the unique treasures, or the people themselves, Tahiti is more than worth a visit and has rightfully earned its place in the world of tourism.
But if you are yet to be able to book a ticket, don’t worry, as you can have an early preview by using one of the free webcams you can find on this site!
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