Five Reasons to Visit Tahiti

The results are in… and Tahiti’s got it in the bag…

French Polynesia, as Tahiti is officially known, is flung across an immense stretch of the South Pacific Ocean, so vast that if the French territory was superimposed with a map of Europe it would reach from Russia to the UK.

A beguiling blend of Tahitian and French culture exists right across the country’s 118 islands and atolls. Residents speak French and Tahitian, serve French cuisine along with Polynesian specialties, and resorts incorporate European refinements with laid back South Pacific style.

This intriguing mixture of tropical island culture and French sophistication comes together to form the ideal holiday destination.

1. Unrivalled natural beauty

As well as offering its own distinct personality and breathtaking backdrop, each island is home to an intricate natural tapestry and vibrant underwater world teeming with marine life and rhythmical reefs that rise and fall to a natural, island beat.

Tahiti’s charm lies not only her in unrivalled beauty, but also in her versatility.

Visitors can swim in a turquoise wonderland, whale watch in pristine waters, quad-bike along forested ridge lines, cruise on luxury yachts, indulge in a spa experience, savour wine from a tropical vineyard, shop for a Tahitian pearl, surf one of the world’s best-known breaks or simply relax and do absolutely nothing.

2. It’s the perfect place to honeymoon

Home to the main island of Tahiti are the ultimate honeymoon destinations of Bora Bora and Moorea – the Society Islands are the best known of Tahiti’s five archipelagos.

Separated into the Leeward and Windward groups, the 15 main islands of the archipelago offer jagged volcanic peaks, electric blue lagoons and an entrancing underwater world.

Nowhere in the world are the colours more vibrant, the waters warmer and the people friendlier.

Tahiti Nui is the largest island in French Polynesia and home to the capital Papeete, the entry point for international visitors.

3. There’s more to do than you think

An exterior fringed with hotels, museums and the endless lapping of the South Pacific combines with a heart of natural beauty. Fast-flowing streams meet steep-sided valleys, and soaring volcanic peaks rise into the tropical sky high above lush rainforests of ancient trees that hold centuries of secrets and history in their mossy bark.

Also home tahiti trademark over water bungalows, volcanic peaks and palm-fringed lagoons, Moorea is a haven of relaxation and romance. A year-round tropical climate and picture perfect vistas greet visitors throughout the Society Islands.

Hire a scooter, bike or canoe for some great adventure on the charming Garden of Eden island of Huahine, rock Tahiti’s cradle of culture on Raiatea and let the scents of vanilla seduce on Tahaa.

From heavenly beaches with champagne sand and fragrant tropical flowers to iridescent lagoons fringed with soothing palm trees, it’s no wonder Tahiti and her islands offer some of the most coveted holidaying in the world.

4. The food!

Sample Polynesian culture and food in this historic port city where some streets resemble a distant suburb of Paris. As in France, it is easy to find creperies, boulangeries, sandwich shops and pizza places, while local supermarkets stock pate, baguettes, cheeses and plenty of French wine.

A seafood restaurant called Bloody Mary’s has become as famous as the island’s picture perfect blue lagoon. Established in 1976 by Polish immigrant Baron George Van Dangle, the huge thatched hut with its sand floor and coconut-stump stools has a menu of freshly-caught fish described to diners in several different languages.

An impressive roster of celebrities, immortalised on two boards at the entrance, have helped make Bloody Mary’s an integral part of the Bora Bora Experience.

On lush and beautiful Moorea, just half an hour by ferry from Tahiti, a road that hugs the coast is flanked by resorts, hotels and tiny communities offering everything guests need. Some restaurants are located in truly stunning locations where visitors can dine while soaking up million-dollar views.

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5. You’ll never find more luxurious dwellings

Arriving on the Four Seasons transfer boat from the airport

Bora Bora – The Pearl of The Pacific – is undoubtedly the most famous of Tahiti’s Society Island sand deservedly considered one of the most romantic islands in the world. This breathtakingly beautiful island is located just a short 50-minute flight from the main island of Tahiti.

Luxurious overwater bungalows, which have become synonymous with Bora Bora, ring the luminous blue lagoon offering the ultimate in indulgence.

Designed in Polynesian style, the bungalows feature an outstanding level of comfort in a picturesque setting, with special glass panels offering a view to the lagoon floor. The bungalows also provide an ideal platform to watch an unforgettable Polynesian sunset or enjoy an intimate stargazing experience unlike any other.

Four Seasons Resort Bora Bora with Mt Otemanu in the background

Details

Getting There

Air Tahiti Nui and Air New Zealand both fly twice weekly via Auckland to Tahiti.

Staying There

For most luxurious and comfortable stay, stay with Elegant Resorts and Villas.

More Information

For more information on Tahiti and Her Islands, visit the Tahiti Tourisme website.

Wellbeing means different things to different travellers. Here’s how to pick a hotel that gets it right for you.

The best wellness holidays aren’t necessarily spent wrapped in a spa robe. Sometimes they’re found around a dinner table in Cambodia, on a hiking trail in New Zealand or after finally beating jet lag on the other side of the world. The hotel you choose is what makes them happen.

1. Easy access to good food

meals from Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20 — Taste delicious meals at Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20.

One of the quickest ways to derail healthy habits on holiday is to spend half of it working out where to eat instead of digging into the culture around you. Thankfully, Novotel has done much of the hard work already, with chefs building menus that lean into the flavours, ingredients and traditions of each destination.

In Sihanoukville, Cambodia, Korkor soup – often dubbed ‘Cambodian ratatouille’ – sits alongside raw blue crab dressed with lime and chilli, best enjoyed with views across the Gulf of Thailand.

In the lovingly chaotic city of Bangkok, the presence of food cranks up the sociability. At Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20, you can settle in with mango sticky rice and stranger-turned-friends beside the pool at Sky on 20 rooftop bar, or bring them along to tackle river prawns and stir-fried crab with holy basil at the buzzing Crab Paradise Dinner Buffet.

Then Novotel Dubai Al Barsha welcomes you with a laidback twist on the level of indulgence the Middle Eastern city is best known for up on Deck Se7en. Looking towards Burj Al Arab, the rooftop lounge has everything from Mediterranean-style dishes like seabass ceviche to Italian prosecco sundowners.

At the other end of the scale, in the hills that surround the Novotel Bali Ubud Resort, calm comes from nature. At Siralada restaurant, Balinese traditions shape the menu while thunder rumbles over the surrounding jungle – proving the setting is as nourishing as the food itself.

While at Novotel Nha Trang, chef Kieu Thi My Hanh and her team showcase Vietnam’s knack for balancing freshness, texture and fragrant herbs. Pho remains a favourite, while seafood salad with pomelo and mango brings those flavours together in one bright dish.

It’s all an approach backed by partnerships with expert food creators such as Alfie Steiner, whose plant-forward recipes prove healthy food should never taste plain.

2. Better sleep options

Novotel Bali Ubud Resort room — Sleep deeply with Novotel.

There are few travel experiences more disappointing than arriving in a new country, determined to seize the day, only to fall asleep fully clothed by 3pm.

For Australian travellers, jet lag is often an unavoidable part of the journey. That’s one reason Novotel runs sleep-focused initiatives that help guests adjust quickly without compromising on health. We’re talking partnerships with Sydney-based sleep specialist Olivia Arezzolo, known for her advice on everything from better sleep habits to beating jet lag, alongside features like pillow menus, in-room yoga content and tailored sleep guidance.

The sooner you’re operating on local time, the sooner you can get back to more pressing matters – like deciding which spa treatment to book.

3. More ways to move

woman hiking around queenstown new zealand — Stay at Novotel Queenstown Lakeside and explore local hiking trails. (Credit: GettyI mages/ naruedom)

Every place in the world has its own way of getting you moving: whether that’s hiking up ice-bitten mountains before a sauna or gentle stretching by the pool before a facial. From fitness centres to spas, Novotel recognises that wellbeing rarely looks the same.

At Novotel Queenstown Lakeside, activity is inescapable. Here, hiking trails, ski fields, bungee jumps, and white-water rafting have made the region famous. The hotel’s location on the shores of Lake Wakatipu means less time spent organising yourself and more time out there experiencing them. To top it all off, you can book a private hot tub for the evening before heading back into the wilderness tomorrow.

Bali, of course, takes a softer approach. At Novotel Bali Ubud Resort or Novotel Bali Nusa Dua, movement is less about conquering a mountain and more about a dance class between the tropical gardens and lagoon pools. Afterwards, the spa takes over, with traditional treatments like a Lulur body scrub: a combination of rice, turmeric, sandalwood, ginger and jasmine that’ll soothe muscles already relaxed by the Balinese heat.

4. Better connections

Kids will love a stay at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh.

One of the best things about travel is that it gives your family stories you’ll be telling for years. Novotel helps create them with activities that bring everyone together, whether that’s trying something new, learning a local skill, or simply spending more time together.

Go for a distinctly Thai twist at Novotel Phuket Vintage Park, where many of the family activities draw on local culture. Kids can try everything from beginner Thai boxing and language lessons to umbrella painting and – a pastime beloved by children the world over – pool foam parties. Everyone is welcome to join in, whether that’s getting splashed, covered in paint, or simply watching their children discover a new side of Thailand during the dedicated Family & Kids Day.

A different adventure awaits at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh. Kids could be perfectly content with discos, drawing classes and new holiday friends, but the Red Sea has other ideas. Sitting on the edge of Naama Bay, days here might involve snorkelling colourful reefs, taking a boat trip to Ras Mohammed National Park or heading into the desert by quad bike or camel for a Bedouin-style dinner beneath the stars.

5. Location is everything

Surin Beach, Choeng Thale, Thalang District, Phuket, Thaiföld — Explore Phuket’s gorgeous beaches. (Credit: Bence Biczo)

Everyone’s idea of wellness looks a little different. With more than 600 hotels across 65 countries, Novotel gives guests the freedom to choose the destination that suits them best. Whether that’s a beachside escape in Phuket, an alpine expedition in Queenstown or a city break in Bangkok, there’s a good chance a Novotel isn’t far away.

All that’s left? Choosing your version of wellbeing.

Discover stays to inspire your everyday at novotel.accor.com.

Five reasons Tahiti is officially heaven on earth