Papeete Sightseeing: Royal, Sacred, Coastal

November 5, 2026

Papeete and its nearby coast fall into three themes: royal Tahiti, sacred and solemn places, and shoreline stops. Admission is free at nearly all of them.

Royal Tahiti

The Mairie de Papeete on Rue Paul Gauguin is described as a copy of Queen Pomare IV’s palace. Its public counter works Monday to Thursday from 07:30 to 15:30 and Friday from 07:30 to 14:30. About 7 km east of the centre, at Outu’ai’ai Point in Arue, the Tomb of King Pomare V stands in coral blocks with an urn on top. It was raised after Queen Pomare IV died in 1877, and her son King Pomare V was laid there in 1891. Please keep to a respectful tone and low voices at this royal tomb.

Sacred places

Marae Arahurahu in Paea is a restored Polynesian temple complex that is open daily, and occasional shows take place there. These are sacred grounds, so stay off the platforms and leave stones and plants where they are. In the city, Notre-Dame Cathedral on Rue du General de Gaulle keeps regular services. The parish publishes Mass times on cathedraledepapeete.com , and visitors should dress modestly and avoid photography during Mass.

Parks and shoreline

Parc Bougainville, with banyan trees and a monument, lies near the Boulevard Pomare waterfront. Beside the lagoon, Paofai Gardens covers about 5 hectares under trees. Both are easy to include between the market and the ferry terminal.

East coast stops

Point Venus lies about 10 km from the centre, on Matavai Bay. Here, in 1769, Captain Cook watched the transit of Venus. The lighthouse dates from 1867 and was lit for the first time on 1 January 1868. It is not normally open inside, but the grounds and black-sand beach are. Farther along, the Arahoho Blowhole reopened on 30 October 2026 after work on the cliff. Stand well back from the opening when the swell is big. The Faarumai waterfalls come next: Vaimahuta (80 m) is a few minutes’ walk, and the other two falls take 20 to 30 minutes and can be shut on works days. Tahiti Tourisme warns that the basalt cliff has crumbled in places, so check with the Service du Tourisme (+689 40 47 62 00).

A beach on the west coast

Taharuu Beach in Papara has black sand, a picnic area, toilets and showers, and it is about 45 minutes by road. Waves and currents can be strong, and lifeguard cover is not confirmed.

Tours

Group tours cover several of these stops in one day: see Papeete sightseeing .