Bonjour and welcome to Tahiti! On your left you’ll find great French cooking and fresh seafood; on your right there are ancient Polynesian ruins and brilliant Tahitian dancing. Just offshore there are islands with golden beaches, world-class diving plus endless opportunities to just kick back and relax. We love Tahiti, and know these islands like our own backyard, so let us show you around.
Before You Book, read what our authors thought about your resort – get the honest scoop.
Relax beachside with us and read up on Tahitian history, culture and mythology, then let us spin you inspiring tales of the mysterious outer islands.
Save a few bucks here and there – from planning your trip, to booking accommodation, we’ll show you how to make sure your trip costs don’t blow out of control.
Trust Us – We’ve dived the dives and walked the walks, we’ve visited every resort, hostel and café between the remote Tuamotus and the backstreets of Pape’ete. We know what we’re talking about!
Amazon.com Review
From Antarctica to Zimbabwe, if you're going there, chances are Lonely Planet has been there first. With a pithy and matter-of-fact writing style, these guides are guaranteed to calm the nerves of first-time world travelers, while still listing off-the-beaten-path finds sure to thrill even the most jaded globetrotters. Lonely Planet has been perfecting its guidebooks for nearly 30 years and as a result, has the experience and know-how similar to an older sibling's "been there" advice. The original backpacker's bible, the LP series has recently widened its reach. While still giving insights for the low-budget traveler, the books now list a wide range of accommodations and itineraries for those with less time than money.
If the magical islands of French Polynesia are on your itinerary, here is the perfect traveling companion. Its 29 maps highlight 4WD vehicle tracks, walking routes, and dive sites. The guide features a thorough history section, food section, accommodations for any budget, and useful Tahitian and French language sections. This book also includes all the archipelagos: the Societies, Tuamotus, Marquesas, Australs, and Gambiers--with extensive information in inter-island travel. The authors have personally tested all of the dive sites. --Kathryn True
Customer Reviews
Average Customer Review
(11 customer reviews)
47 of 48 people found the following review helpful
Good, but needed more, May 22, 2004
By A Customer
This review is from: Lonely Planet Tahiti & French Polynesia (Lonely Planet Tahiti and French Polynesia) (Paperback)
I've used many Lonely Planet (LP) guides and found this one to be lacking their usual detail. I got the sense much hotel information was pilfered from Web surfing the basic info, rather than first-person investigation. While still a good book to take, next time (and there will be a next time because Tahiti is wonderful) I'll be sure take another guide along with it, and to thoroughly read actual travelers' online reviews. I'll also know the questions I need to ask before booking. My sense was that the reviewers weren't seeing things through the fresh-eyes of a first time traveler. The details, such as directions accommodation features were often lacking. One thing I've always liked about LP is that they will list small locally owned budget places - that are occasionally hidden gems - whereas many other guides only list "approved" chain-type accommodations. However, in this book key information about lodging was missing. For example, it's very uncommon to find window screens in...Read more
35 of 43 people found the following review helpful
Was it really only a bad dream?, September 25, 2000
By A Customer
This review is from: Lonely Planet Tahiti & French Polynesia (Tahiti and French Polynesia, 5th ed) (Paperback)
I was flabbergasted to find out that one of the most popular guidebooks in the world was not able to accurately describe our accomodation (The Blue Lagoon in Vaitape, BoraBora) as it later turned out to be ... namely, a disaster! In the guide we could not find any details about the REAL condition of the bathroom or the rest of the pension. We also had to share our room with a mouse (rat?) of undefined size (we met him only through his "leavings" and scurryings) and the traffic of wasps coming and going from their nests in our room. The shower was black and crusty, as was the toilet. Walls and floors were peeling, the air was filled with an overpowering stink of decaying fish and dirt, and we were afraid to get into our beds. The exterior of the building looked like a Tijuana flophouse. We traveled all over the South Pacific, staying in many different hotels and pensions, and never did we encounter such a horrible variance from the description in the guidebook. I mean,...Read more
17 of 22 people found the following review helpful
Good all around book., May 1, 1999
scott@scubacharter.com (Seattle, WA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Lonely Planet Tahiti & French Polynesia (4th ed) (Paperback)
This book is very comprehensive. It will help you find all of the places you want to go, and will give you an overview of what to expect. Some of the items could have been a little more detailed though. We found the combination of this book and Jan Prince's book to be the perfect combination for our trip in November of 1998. Read more about our trip and how we used these books at Scubacharter.com.
(11 customer reviews) 
Good, but needed more, May 22, 2004 
Good all around book., May 1, 1999