Shopping in French Polynesia - outlets, shopping streets and boutiques

Any getaway will be brighter if you add shopping to it. French Polynesia is filled with small and large shops, where you can buy high-quality unique products at low prices. These shops are the main places for shopping, as there are very few large shopping centers on the islands. The vanilla market in Tahiti sells such wonderful products as vanilla soaps and candles, honey with vanilla and other edible and inedible things, but equally smelling pleasantly. Local vanilla is used for the manufacture of these products. There is also a Pearl Market in Tahiti. On its first floor you will find on display various items made from white and black pearls, while on the second floor you can choose pearls for your own jewelry and watch the jeweler create this unique product.

“Vaima Center” the largest shopping mall, is located in the capital of French Polynesia. In it, buyers will find stores of famous brands, local products, grocery stores and cafes. Prices are mostly high here, as many products are imported from Europe and the USA. The mall is open from 7am to 5pm, six days a week, except Sundays. Shopping center “Moana Nui” is located in Pyuna'oia. It sells appliances from cameras to home theaters, food, clothing, cosmetics and other products. The center is open from 8am to 8pm daily.

The most famous market in the islands of French Polynesia is located in the center of Papeete and offers customers an opportunity to buy delicious ice cream and juices, cocktails and coffee, pearls and clothes of bright colors, fish and meat, as well as remarkable souvenirs. The market is open from early morning on Sundays. Another large market, “Mercato Coperto”, is located in Uturoa. On Fridays, grooving to the sound of live music, local buyers stock up on bread, wine and fruit, while tourists hunt for souvenirs. This market is very colorful and famous for its friendly sellers, low prices and high-quality goods. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

On the island of Bora Bora, those who want to buy something of quality and unhackneyed are advised to visit the “Saltwater” clothing store. Here you can buy beautiful clothes for adults and children, from shirts to swimsuits, as well as a variety of accessories. The store is different in that all products in it have their own unique style, in which echoes of the traditions of French Polynesia are visible, aside the pleasing fact that they are also suitable for everyday wear. Similar items are sold at “Te Mana”, a metropolitan clothing store with its colorful dresses and T-shirts. In such bright and unusual clothes, it will be difficult to go unnoticed.

In the workshop of the shop “Farm” in Bora Bora, you can see the process of making pearl jewelry, a huge selection of which is presented in the shopping area, and in Rangiroa, where there is a shop called “ikimasho” selling not only pearl jewelry, but also goods made of bone, coral and semiprecious stones. You will find characteristic in all the decorations of the jewelries, a visible local flavor. “Frederic Missir Creations” in Papeete offers a large selection of jewels. The creative jeweler Frederic Missir makes unique jewelry from different materials. For those who need precisely black pearls, it is recommended to visit “Art'Or Creations” in Pyuna'oia.

Unfortunately, not every traveler can afford to buy a Polynesian islet, but on the other hand, it is possible for anyone to take at least a piece of the islands with them. It can be mother of pearl and marbles, which French Polynesia is well-known for, as well as the equally famous vanilla products. You can also buy excellent products made of bone, wood and stone, some of which are in the form of interesting traditional musical instruments, statues, bowls, and reduced copies of totems. Blankets with traditional patterns and articles, and such products like baskets, hats that have been woven by hand from coconut leaves, can also serve as excellent souvenirs and a reminder of your journey to the paradise islands.

It is also good to bring edible souvenirs from your trip to the wonderful islands. There is fruit candy, honey on exotic flowers, pickled pineapples, among others; the choice of Polynesian delicacies is simply huge! In addition, you should pay attention to the embroidered bags and wallets, the jewelry and candelabra made from shells, colorful pareos and sarafans, bright clothes decorated with images of fish and flowers, charming pillows and bedding sets, perfume monoi oil and cosmetic products from it, as well as pictures of local artists. Stamp collectors can also go to the post office for local stamps.