French Polynesia Local Customs

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Most Viewed Local Customs in French Polynesia

1.

Cemetary   Bora-Bora

Cemetary, Bora-Bora

 2 Reviews  Touring the island, I saw a couple of churches but I was wondering where the deceased were, because I never saw a cemetary. Later, I found out that the deceased are buried at home. Very often you can... 

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Reviews from VirtualTourist Members

Hinano beer

by b1bob

I don't drink beer, folks, but Hinano was a lunch staple of my brother's. I took a picture of the vahine (pretty island girl for those from Roxboro) logo on the bottle. I was surprised this little bitty island had its own beer, but Hinano had been brewed there for more than 35 years before I came. Everywhere on the island they serve it in glasses with the logo on it. I hear tell they now export Hinano to Hawaii and Pacific Coast states on the mainland. Pretty soon, we will be able to get it at the Food Lion and Kroger up the road from me like we can now find Tsingtao.

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Maeva !

by Muya

The reputation of Tahiti and the Polynesian islands is unbeatable in terms of hospitality !We experienced it in each of the 3 islands we visited.First of all, you receive a tiaré flower on the moment you step into the plane.Then a local band of musicians playing the ukulele is waiting for you at the airport, whatever time you land !Your tour operator will then put a flower necklace around your neck.And when you leave, you receive another necklace...made of shells this time.Such thoughtful little attentions that make Tahiti an even more special destination...

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Heiva

by Muya

The Heiva is a traditional festival held in July in every island of French Polynesia. This huge event is a celebration of Polynesian culture through various contests and historical reenactments. Each town or district sends its team of traditional dancers and singers dressed in traditional Tahitian costumes to take part in the dance and song contests.Other competitions imply more sportive activities like outtrigger canoe races, stone-lifting, colourful fruit-carrier races, coconut tree climbing, or javelin-throwing (competitors try to reach a coconut placed at a height of 7.50 m). Other artists compete in the field of handicraft : weaving, hat-making, copra-making,..."Heiva" is actually the tahitian word for "party"… and indeed a wave of joy and happiness invade the streets during that period !

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flowers behind ears

by jennie01

everybody wears flowers behind the ears one side means your married the other means your single ! very usefull , but i could ever remember which side was which !these flowers tiare or frangipani make the islands smell lovly,and another tradition that comes from this is monoi oil !tahitians use it all the time especially the women !its fab for conditioning hair ,nails ,cuticles ,moisturiser, bath oil,sunsceen, insect bites ,cuts ,etc ! a big thing is black pearls absolutly everybody has them !at first i just thought they looked like metal balls ,but after a while of being in the area and knowing how they are made i grew to love them ! i worked on the ship which had fab pearls on it by a very good designer in moorea ,but a bit out my price range ! after chatting to the jewelers i got to know what to look for in agood pearl ! i got all mine from Tahiti pearl market 25,rue Colette.quite near...

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The Polynesians invented tattooing

by easyoar

The Polynesians invented tattooing - the process of 'hammering' ink under the skin to leave pictures or artistic designs.It is very common for Polynesians to have tattoos, and they do not have any stigma associated with them like they do in some places in the West.If you want a Polynesian tattoo, it is very easy to get one done with several places such as the Tiki Village offering the service. At the Tiki Village you can see them using the age old process of how they used to tattoo with a hammer. The name tattoo comes from the sound the hammer made as it tapped the dyes into the skin - "ta-tu ta-tu ta-tu".

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A flower behind the ear - Are you available???

by easyoar

Polynesians love flowers, and both genders like wearing them. If you are visiting Polynesia, it is well worth being aware of the meaning of a flower tucked behind somebodies ear.If you wear a flower behind your left ear, it means you are taken. If on the other hand you wear a flower behind your right ear, it means you are available to the opposite sex (or perhaps to the same sex, or perhaps to both sexes...).However you can have the best of both worlds, by wearing a flower behind both ears. This means that you are taken, but that you are also available.So depending on what sort of holiday you want to have, you may wish to stock up on flowers when you get there! They tend to wilt pretty quickly in the heat...

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Population

by Helga67

The majority of the people living in French Polynesia are the Maohi people, commonly referred to as Tahitians.Next to the Tahitians, there are, of course, a lot of French people who came from France to work or live on the islands.The "Demi" are the mixed blood.The official language is French, but most people speak "Reo Maohi" among themselves.

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Tahiti Beach Press

by Helga67

Tahiti Beach Press is a magazine in English that is published monthly and distributed to visitors through the hotels. It gives some good tips and what there is to do on the different islands and, of course, the necessary ads for local restaurants, guesthouses, hotels and shops.

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PK

by Helga67

PK = poste kilometre, the number of kilometers from the mairie (town hall) or post office.When you are driving around the islands you will see the kilometer markers on the mountainside of the road. The markers are usually red-capped whited painted stone or concrete markers with the kilometer number painted in black on two sides. Many places use the PK markers as their address.

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French Pacific Franc (CFP)

by Helga67

The money in French Polynesia are colourful notes of 500, 1000, 5000 and 10000 francs and coins of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100 francs.The CFP has been anchored to the euro since 1999. 1euro = 119,33 CFPIf you change your dollars or euros at the bank for CFP, you will be charged about 500 CFP per transaction.Most banks have an ATM, which is called distributeur.

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Local traditions and culture in French Polynesia

Top 3 Hotels in French Polynesia

Hilton Moorea Lagoon Resort & Spa  Moorea

 9 Reviews and 477 Opinions  My wife and I went there for a 4 night getaway and we were impressed with everything from the start.... 

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St. Regis Resort  Bora-Bora

 396 Opinions

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Le Tahaa Private Island And Spa  Tahiti

 2 Reviews and 211 Opinions  Le Taha'a is a lovely hotel in many ways, but it is not a good fit for everyone. The layout of the... 

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76 Hotels in French Polynesia
 
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Reviews and photos of French Polynesia attractions posted by real travelers and locals. The best tips for French Polynesia sightseeing.

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Local Customs: Cities in French Polynesia
  1. Bora-Bora Local Customs
  2. Tahiti Local Customs
  3. Moorea Local Customs
  4. Papeete Local Customs
  5. Maupiti Local Customs
  6. Raiatea Local Customs

More Cities in French Polynesia

 

Questions and Answers

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Q:  I'd love to cruise the islands, but I notice the cruise ships seem to be there in winter. I've read that's the rainy season. I... 

gwened profile photo

A: hard to predict weather but you can get past averages and estimates at www.wunderground.com cheers 

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