Tahiti International Airport, situated 5 km (3 mi) southwest of the capital, Papeete, is the most convenient route to Tahiti by air. A little preparation is required to get around Tahiti and you will need a car or scooter, or arrange transportation. There are a few rental companies on the island, but the rates are similar. Please contact us if you need a private transfer from the airport to the base. We will be happy to assist you.
No, you only need experience on similar boats you'd like to charter. If you don't have much experience, we are happy to assign a skipper for a day or as long as you think you need to get you up to speed.
To sail Tahiti make sure your documentation is in order to travel, including a valid US passport. No visas are required for US citizens for stays of less than three months.
Talk to us to make sure you have the correct documents before you travel.
In the area, the internet is slow and costly. During your Tahiti yacht charter, you can use Wi-Fi at our marina, at Uturoa market and in some restaurants. In Uturoa, Bora Bora and Papeete Town, you can find internet cafes.
We suggest that you purchase a local mobile sim card (if not blocked by your provider) or rent a mobile for a permanent 3G connection.
Sailing is restricted to daylight hours in the lagoons of French Polynesia and you must stay anchored between sunset and sunrise.
In the case of a one-way Papeete charter, the approved sailing area stretches around the islands of Raiatea, Taha'a, Bora Bora, Huahine and Maupiti to the Leewards, as well as Tahiti and Moorea. No shelter or a stopover in Tupai is possible. Mopelia has no mobile phone network coverage at all, and in the Tuamotu region it is very small. Please inform our base in advance if you intend to navigate these islands.
An exceptional location, but also fragile, is Polynesia. The waters are clear around the island and noise is low. The ocean is used by many of the local residents as their primary food source. Therefore, it is very important that all tourists cruising the Tahitian Islands do their utmost to safeguard the undersea ecosystem so that Tahiti's future remains healthy. Please do not anchor where you can damage coral and do not pick any live shells or coral. Take care of your waste and be careful not to interrupt nature. Keep away from dolphins 100ft and away from a whale 160ft (330ft if it has a calf).
It is not advised to catch and consume reef fish. There are areas in the lagoon that are polluted with ciguatera, a toxin produced by microscopic algae that makes it difficult to consume fish. In markets, the fish sold is good for eating.
Tourists should not wear bathing suits in the villages, so when in the villages or near locals, keep a t-shirt and shorts handy.
Sailing conditions in Tahiti are best for yacht chartering between April and October, when the trade winds are blowing. There is less wind blowing in the Tahiti summer months, between November and March, and it is hot and humid.
On average, there are high temperatures. A lot of rain occurs in the months of January, February, March, November and December (rainy season). With an average maximum temperature of 30 °C (86 °F), the warmest month is January. With an average maximum temperature of 28 °C (82 °F), the coldest month is July. The wettest month is December.
