Facts and figures about Huahine:

• Number of inhabitants: 6 075
• Surface area: 75 km2
• Number of referenced marae: about 200

3 reasons to visit Huahine

• Test all the liqueurs of the distillery
• Try the ‘Otea mau
• Get to meet the blue-eyed eels

With its pretty curves emerging on the horizon and its indescribable aura, it is certainly the most recognizable island of the Pacific Ocean. Often referred to as the “island of women” and rightly so, Huahine seduces with her entrancing charm and disconcerting topography. Her atypical silhouette inspired the character of Te Fiti in the no less famous Moana Disney production.

Even though it keeps attracting more and more tourists every year, Huahine has succeeded in preserving this little “je ne sais quoi,” its wild side, and, even better, its authenticity…

The one which used to be called Matairea is at the origin of a great number of myths which are now to be retranscribed by bodies during the Heiva i Tahiti. People often say it is loaded with mana and, as you set foot there, you quickly realize the urban legend is right.

Like a rough diamond one does not seek to polish, Huahine is appreciated for its simplicity and erstwhile charm.

The Marae

Very predictable, but still, visiting the marae comes in the very first position of our top. Firstly because one can find them pretty much everywhere on the island, secondly because they are well-maintained and have a lot of stories to tell. The Rauhuru and Vaiotaha marae, in Maeva, by the Fauna Nui lake, are great to start with. And if your curiosity leads you a bit further, you can go straight to the Manunu marae, consecrated to Tane – the god of fish and war – by the former Sofitel resort, or even the Anini marae, in Parea – dedicated to both Hiro and Oro – southwards, by the beach.

The Fish Traps

There are but a few nowadays, so maybe it is worth lingering there for a while. Fish traps are both unusual and surprising. Made out of nothing: a few rocks and coral blocks, it turns out to be very effective since dozens of species are caught out by the current. Typically Polynesian, this ancestral technique already won its spurs and represents nowadays a great alternative to lagoon fishing.

Going for a Stroll in the Village of Fare

Fare is like the atmosphere of the market of Papeete on a Sunday morning. Pickup trucks double parking to buy fresh fish on the roadside and a baguette at Super U, the smell of firi firi just out of the pot, the mama busy decorating their stands with multicolored pareu…

Test Izzy’s Homemade Burgers

If you are eager to eat a good egg cheeseburger on the go, Izzy’s is the right place. Unpretentious, this tiny snack located in Fare has the best quality-price ratio and a nice 5/5 rate on Tripadvisor…

Visit the Distillery

Ask a local what you should do in Huahine, and they will – just like us – advise you to test the traditional liqueurs downtown, in Fare. If there wasn’t a barrel at the entrance, one could be easily mistaken about the address, and yet, once inside, the least one can say is that one is spoiled for choice: mape, pistachio, banana, lemon, mango, passion fruit, soursop, or mint. Not sure it will be easier to make up your mind after you’ve tested it all, but it is worth trying… Anyways, it will make nice memories and cool gifts for your relatives, especially since all the liqueurs are produced out of local fruits.

Nota bene: You will be glad to have chosen an Apetahi Express crossing – and thus to avoid additional and overweight baggage – once your luggage is filled with these sealed bottles.

Try the Happy Hour at the Huahine Yacht Club

Well, we clearly do not recommend carrying on with a sunset drink at the Huahine Yacht Club right after the distillery, but this should definitely appear at the top of your list of priorities if you ever go to Fare. Can one really put a price tag on this exquisite sole meunière and gorgeous view over the lying woman mountain?

Attend an Ote’a Mau Show, the Traditional Dance of Huahine

Tiapai churros for you as well? And one chow mein for table 7! No doubt, it is indeed tiurai time in Huahine… Stalls are adorned with the most beautiful pareu and people start gathering around the foosball table. In the background, one can distinguish jerky moves from the gym. Seems like men already started their ote’a mau… Though one hears a lot about Haka Manu, the bird dance, the traditional dance of Huahine is rarely mentioned. Perhaps it is because shows only take place in July, during the Heiva celebrations. In any way, each show is an exploit of technique and synchronization.

Have a Pizza Party at Didier’s

Still a bit hungry? It is about time to try Didier’s pizzas because we could not be any closer… It is said that it is even better when you take it away and eat a bit on the pontoon next to the Yacht Club.

The ‘Umatatea Art Gallery

There are two things that characterize Mélanie: her kindness and her brushwork, and these are two of the reasons why you should stop by her studio before heading back to the lagoon. Even if you know nothing about art, these colorful moments of life make great souvenirs, whether you choose to buy an original canvas or a lithograph.

Snorkel Nearby the Former Sofitel

“As you leave Maeva, turn left. Continue straight ahead up to the bridge. You have arrived at your destination.” There, by the ruins of the late Sofitel, not only will you find one of the most beautiful white-sand beaches of Huahine, but also a very nice coral garden.

Go to the Museum

It may sound a bit boring, but, believe it or not, the fare pote’e of Maeva will reawaken your Indiana Jones soul. Pendants, oars, mortars and pestles, combs — it took several years and as many archaeologists to collect all these inestimable cultural vestiges.

Visit the Pearl Farm of Fa’ie

Your outrigger canoe taxi is here! It smells like gasoline and compulsive buying… Not far from Fa’ie, the Huahine Pearl Farm understood that both reason and moderation slipped away at the sight of an overwater stall. Thus, if you are not yet familiar with growing black pearls and grafting nucleus, you will learn a great deal about it. As for the others, we will be waiting outside the shop to compare our shopping bags.

The Blue-Eyed Eels

Socks and flip-flops, sun hats and tank tops, isn’t it a group of tourists over there in Fa’ie? Judging by the number of cars parked on the side of the road, there must be a place of interest round here. Ah, and it looks like the interest is dangerously coming closer undulating. It is true what they say, the sacred eels of Huahine are everything but shy. Did someone bring the tin of sardines?

Have Lunch at Le Mahana Hotel

Le Mahana hotel… Its pontoon, its traditional beach bungalows, the pleasant breeze stroking your shoulders when the sun is at its peak, the coconut pie one savors as their feet dip in the sand… The coconut pie? The truth is, we could find plenty of reasons to tell you to stop by if you ever pass by Ha’apu bay, but the coconut pie on its own is worth a roundtrip shuttle to Huahine iti…

Explore Huahine’s Peninsula in Kayak

Well… Now that you’ve ridden a few miles to go to the peninsula, let’s make the most of it and take a look around. There is nothing like kayaking to explore the surrounding motu. But, let us give you a piece of advice: if you intend to pick a double kayak and take it easy, jump at the rear…

Taste a Genuine Ma’a Huahine at Tara’s

We told you desserts are worth an island tour, but the world is not just for sweet teeth and the South is all about gastronomic delights. Hello salty lovers… One snack restaurant a day keeps the doctor away. Not far from Le Mahana, another spot by the sea should catch your attention. Yep, from Monday to Friday, at noon, if you are eager to eat a good sashimi with rice — a good “mountain plate” as one likes to call it in our islands — Tara’s is the place to be. And, sometimes, during the right season, you can even find crab and spiny lobster.

But the best, let’s face it, is to be seated at a table on a Sunday and get to eat the ma’a Huahine. Just imagine… A parrotfish fillet melting in the mouth, a piece of taro soaked with cari pahua, some sweet potatoes, a bit of coconut bread to wipe off the poulet fafa, a cut of calf roasted on a spit, a spoonful of po’e… It looks like ma’a Tahiti, with a little taste of vacation. It’s pretty lively in here! Sometimes it’s the little things that set the best atmospheres: a few plastic chairs, spreading out one’s toes in the sand, a big tura, a synthesizer, and there you go — ua reva!

Attend the Departure of the Hawaiki Nui Va’a Race

People always talk about the arrival at Matira Beach, but cheering the teams on the starting line is kind of cool as well! Every year, on the very first weekend of November, the island is surrounded with hundreds of traditional outrigger canoes, ready to compete in the deep sea.

Frequently asked questions