TAHITI
PLONGEE
PK 7, 5, Punaauia- Tahiti
PO. Box 1702 Papeete- TAHITI
Contact: Mr. Henri POULIQUEN
Telephone- (689) 41.00.62 / 43.62.51, Fax- (689) 42.26.06
CMAS -international instructor. Examinations given: all federal exams.
CMAS certificates, diving school. |
SCUBATEK
TAHITI
PK 4, Arue- Tahiti
PO. Box 1456 Papeete- TAHITI
Contact: Mr. Pascal LECOINTRE, Telephone/ fax - (689) 42.23.55
CMAS - international enriched R-Nitrox, national professor, PADI OWSI
monitor, seaguide. Examinations given: CMAS and PADI certificates. issued,
as well as all the FFESSM certificates. |
DOLPHIN
SUB
Nauti- Sport Marina, Fare- Ute, Papeete
PO. Box 5213 Pirae- TAHITI
Contact: Mr. Dominique LESTAGE
Telephone/ fax - (689) 45.21.98
State Instructor BEES 1- FFESSM
1st level- Instructor CMAS, Instructor PADI OWSI
Examinations given: FFESSM, CMAS, and PADI certificates
|
ELEUTHERA
PLONGEE
Taina Marina, Punaauia
PO. Box 13 944 Punaauia- TAHITI
Contact: Mr. Pierre- Philippe TRICOTTET
Telephone- (689) 41.04.09 / 42.49.29, Fax- (689) 41.04.09
BEES 1 State instructor- FFESSM 1st level instructor - International
CMAS. PADI AND NAUI instructor Examinations given: FFESSM, CMAS, PADI,
NAUI |
SNORKELING
French
Polynesia's waters are perhaps best suited for snorkeling more than any
other recreational activity. Various access points on the island of
Tahiti can yield surprisingly good snorkeling opportunities, provided you're
not walking through someone's private property to get there.
The best spots are often in front of a hotel waterfront
or beach pension, or in places you will need to be shown by a local. Ask
around... It's also possible to find good snorkeling along the roadside
on the Tahiti-Iti peninsula.
The best way to find these spots is to rent
a car and experiment. Just get wet and get snorkin'!
Most hotels offer snorkeling equipment for their
guests, however TST recommends bringing your own gear.
|
TST
Comment: SNORKELING
There
are many places on Tahiti to obtain "adequate" snorkeling
equipment, but WE HIGHLY RECOMMEND BRINGING YOUR OWN! The reason
for this is because of the sad CONDITION of most equipment...
Althought it's true almost all the
hotels, pensions or beach huts nearby a good snorkeling spot will
happily rent or lend you equipment, it's very possible that little
or none of it will work or fit! The mask will leak or be too small,
the fins will hurt, and the snorkels can be cheap, or tired...
For the low price of a decent new mask,
fins, and snorkel, combined with relatively low space needed to
carry them with you, we feel the clear waters and freedom of being
able to just break out your own gear is well worth the effort! |
WINDSURFING
Most
tourists and travelers who have never been to Tahiti tend to believe windsurfing
is a really big activity on Tahiti. Surely, they think, the chrystal blue
waters and strong tradewinds would make for world class windsurfing possibilities?
Sadly, for all you windsurfing enthusiasts out there, the truth of the
matter is it's hardly to be found at all...
Although some locals are quite active in the sport, you will rarely encounter
a place that rents them out to visitors. This is the same situation
on the other smaller islands too. The main reason for this is twofold:
1) All the Tahitian islands have numerous, strong, and unpredictable currents
inside their lagoons as well as the open ocean.
2) There are a lot of beginners and non-experienced people thinking that
windsurfing is easy to do and would be a great way to spend the day...
True enough... BUT...
Apparently it's the COMBINATION of beginners learning
how to ride and the unpredictable currents that make for a recipe most
hotels and businesses don't want to deal with. High insurance rates and
potential lawsuits make it problematic to the point that it's not worth
it. Many hotels USED to rent boards and sails in their past, but have
slowly fazed out windsurfing as a rental activity.
If anybody out there finds a good rental windsurfing
place on Tahiti, TST wants to know about it! Please share the knowledge
in an email, and we'll publish.
IF YOU KNOW HOW TO WINDSURF, and have
your own equipment, don't let any of the above information stop you from
bringing your setup... The overall conditions are excellent, (Although
the winds are sometimes unreliable certain times of the year), and if
you know where to find them, you'll see locals ripping it up on any day
of the week and loving it. Talk to the local surfshops when you arrive
to find out the best spots to go for it!
SURFING
Based
on its history, Tahiti's surfing can only be described as legendary.
It's historically acceptable
that the first people to ride waves on wooden planks were Polynesians. Hawaiians
will argue that it was them who first invented the surfboard, New Zealanders
will tell you the same using a different set of facts. Tahitians have their
own stories... Either way, we know that all these islands share common "surfing
ancestry" to one another... with the overall point being: the Polynesians
know how to surf and have been doing so for a long time!
As
with all Polynesian islands, the best surfing areas are at the "passes",
or open ocean entryways into the lagoon. This is where a wave can achieve
some size as it avoids the coral barriers defending the lagoon.
Tahiti has several well known surfing areas at
different points on the island.
East, (or North Coast) prime spots are: Papenoo break at PK 17, just west
of the village of Papenoo.
West, (or South Coast) hot areas include: Paea break at PK 21, Papara
Black Sand beach at PK 36, Punaauia and Taapuna passes, and the awesome
Teahupoo on the Tahiti-Iti peninsula!
Closest to Papeete are a few breaks around Arue and Point Venus. Of course,
these are just a few of the break locations and beaches from which to start..
To be able to fully understand and know the waves of Tahiti takes years
of experience of knowing each break and it's nuances, complete with knowing
the best times of the year to surf them.
Although there are quite a few amazing surfers
on Tahiti, finding them isn't always easy. Besides for the listings below,
the best way to meet locals is to just start "talking surf" to
people who have barrels in their eyes. Go into the many surfshops of Papeete,
and meet "dudes" looking for replacement gear... Hang out at the
bars or the pool halls. Also, hit the surf competitions if you notice them
advertised anywhere. Although the surfers can be a bit protective of their
breaks, the overall attitude is pretty laid back on Tahiti.
We'll be attempting to
keep building on this surfing section of TST as time goes by, but for now,
this is what we offer: Surf shops are
listed in the "To do/ shopping &
services" section of Papeete.com.
Known surfing tours and schools are as follows:
MOANA
SURF TOURS
PK 8, 300, Otumaoro Punaauia- Tahiti
PO. Box 6734 -98 702 Faa'a- TAHITI
Contact: Mr. Moana DAVID
Telephone/ Fax- (689) 43.70.70
Surf daily with Moana! He will pick you up from the surf friendly
pensions and show you the islands best surfing spots. |
TURA'
I MATA' ARE SURF SCHOOL
Based out of the KELLY SURF SHOP
in the Fare Tony Center, Papeete, PO. Box 4232- 98 713,Papeete-
TAHITI
Contact: Mr. Olivier NAPIAS, Telephone - (689) 45.44.00/ 77.27.69
Surf training courses from 9am- 12 noon, then 1:30-5pm.
Introductory courses to surfing or body boarding at Papenoo and
Papara beaches with a surfing and swimming federal instructor. Boards,
transfers, and insurance included. |
If
you're planning on visiting Tahiti and surfing, here's a few surf friendly
lodging choices:
HITI
MOANA VILLA
(FH)
PK 32, Papara -Tahiti, PO. Box 10 865, Paea- TAHITI
Telephone- (689) 57.93.93, Fax- (689) 57.94.44
Contact: Mr. Steve BROTHERSON
E-MAIL
& RESERVATIONS
Accept Mastercard, and Visa
SURF FRIENDLY LODGING ON TAHITI!
4 Mid- range bungalows on lagoon side,
next to Papara and Paea surf breaks and golf course. Minimum stay: 2 nights.
Lounge, TV, private equipped kitchen, bathroom (hot water), terrace, fan,
laundry service, private pontoon, swimming pool, House linens furnished.
Round trip transfers are available for a nominal fee.
We are a favorite place to stay among surfing enthusiasts. Let us show you
the hot spots to surf on Tahiti!
SEE OUR DIRECT
LINKING WEBSITE FOR ALL THE DETAILS!
SWIMMING
(OCEAN)
...coming soon with information
and details.
SAILING
|
Sailing is so popular in and around Tahiti that
we put together a seperate page for all the information. Along with private
boat charters of the area, our sailing section will explain it all! Go there now! |
WATERSKIING
...coming soon with information
and details.
KITEBOARDING
(FLYSURFING)
This is the hottest sport to hit any beach in years! It's called kitesurfing, kiteboarding, or Flysurfing to the French and it's absolutely WILD!
Tahiti is the most reliable island in French Polynesia for winds and solid kiting conditions and also has the largest amount of kiters there.
Check out our special KiteTahiti website for all the info...
WATERSPORTS
ON THE OTHER ISLANDS
Discover the WATERSPORT
activities on the other islands of
An Internetwork of Travel
and Tourism Guides for the Main Islands of Tahiti Polynesia.
