Shopping in Tahiti Island - authentic goods, best outlets, malls and boutiques

If you have shopping plans during your stay in Tahiti, we recommend visiting Papeete since the main places for shopping are located here. It is worth noting that there are no tremendous shopping centers here, but you will find a sufficient amount of shops, stores, and boutiques to satisfy your consumer demand. Walk around the city, try to search for different souvenirs in the small shops located on the streets of the city since there you can buy them cheaper and you will have more chances to buy something really peculiar.

While preparing for shopping, keep in mind that the locals are more morning “larks” than night “owls”. The business day of Tahiti’s most stores begins at seven or eight o'clock in the morning, but it ends quite early in comparison with the European standards - at four or five o'clock in the afternoon. Therefore, if you are interested not in large shopping centers, but in the islanders' shops or local markets, you should go out shopping early in the morning. Take into account that it is improper to bargain here, the sellers expect you to buy their goods for the price they ask for. The buyer who will be smiling might get a discount of one or two Francs, but nothing else.

Although Tahiti is a part of the overseas collectivity of the French Republic, it still has its own currency, which is the CFP French Pacific Franc. Its rate is fixed and pegged to the Euro. However, both the European currency and the American dollar are accepted for payment in the large shopping centers or in the shops at the hotels. Credit cards are also accepted there; on the other hand, non-cash payments are held in low regard in the small shops, so it’s always better to have cash on hand – both bills and coins of different nominal value. The locals who are Polynesians treat tourists well and do not see them as a “deep pocket”. But, unfortunately, it is impossible to say that the same attitude is shown by Indians and there are a lot of them on the island. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

The information about the most popular places for shopping can be found at different travel brochures, also you can ask your guide. If you have a good command of a foreign language, ask around the locals about the sales or about the places where you can buy something interesting and unusual. Do you think about what to bring from Tahiti? Of course, first and foremost, a pareo or sarong. Polynesia is the pareo’s homeland and here you will find a huge variety of its colors and patterns. You can buy this wraparound skirt as a souvenir both for yourself and for your friends.

There is one rather expensive thing sold in Tahiti, and it is simply impossible to leave the island without buying it. We are talking about the black pearl, which is, in some way, the visiting card of French Polynesia. The matter is that there is the black-lip pearl oyster bearing the beautiful name Margarita and dwelling off the coast of Tahiti and some neighboring islands. This species is famous for its body, which is not nacreous-white, but black. For centuries, the locals have been searching for these black pearls; they have been trading the pearls among themselves and selling them to Europeans. Europeans, in their turn, tried to take the oysters out to Australia and New Zealand, but that tries were unsuccessful since the molluscans are maladapted to relocations and it is almost impossible for them to survive far from the home waters.

The black pearls are rather expensive. One pearl will cost you no less than two hundred dollars. But, on the other hand, there are few places in the world where you can still find such beauty. If you wish, right on the island you can have your own jewelry produced with the purchased pearls or you can buy ready jewels. The local artisans work with gold and silver, and with precious and semiprecious stones. If you decide to become an owner of the black pearls, the best way to do it is buying them during your excursion to a local pearl farm. The matter is that there are many characteristics of pearls according to which their quality and cost vary; and without full knowledge about them, you can overpay too much.

You can buy not only jewels on the island. The necklaces or bracelets made of carved wood can also become a wonderful and inexpensive gift. For interior decoration, you can purchase different wooden figures of animals and people or a frightening mask, symbolizing the local guardian spirit. All kinds of souvenirs made of bone, shark's jaws, knives with shark tooth handles, and crafts made of shells are of the utmost interest as well. Be cautious while purchasing the things made of tortoiseshell since without the relevant documents provided they can be confiscated at the customs. Different straw products are very beautiful too.

Another valuable purchase for ladies is cosmetics made from the local oils. For example, Monoi oil which is made from soaking the petals of Tahitian gardenias (best known as Tiaré flowers) in coconut oil. In general, cosmetics with Tiaré oil are an excellent face and body moisturizer with a magnificent exotic fragrance. By the way, French perfume is much cheaper here than in Paris! Thank you, duty-free shopping! A scent bottle of Chanel or Dior will definitely be a great gift.

We can also recommend buying as a present the local liqueurs based on Tahitian exotic fruits, or any other local spirit, for instance, pineapple brut; there are not so many places on the Earth where you can try this champagne. A recommendation for those who love romanticism and beautiful gestures is as follows. Between Papeete and Tahiti Iti, the southeastern part of the island, there are Mataoa Gardens; here, in the boutique, you can order a bouquet of flowers or a basket with fruits delivered right before your departure. It will be carefully packed and prepared for a long flight. This is a great opportunity to take away with you and present a piece of the tropical paradise to your loved ones.

It is just impossible not to buy something local and colorful, for example, a musical instrument or a carved wooden figurine. Polynesians are famous for their straw wicker products such as hats, purses, rugs, wall decorations, which are really amazing; due to a special drying method, these souvenirs are very durable and practical. Small ethnical souvenirs made of shells, wood or bone can become a wonderful gift for colleagues. Of course, it is possible to make do with fridge magnets, but a little carved turtle will surely have a greater effect.

Traditionally, all tourists visit the Municipal Market of Papeete (Francois Cardella Colette Streets, Papeete 98714). It is not just a local market that sells everything from souvenirs to exotic dainties, but also a kind of a cultural center, where you can take an inside look at Polynesia. At the market, you can find food shops, market stalls with traditional wicker goods, fashion boutiques, and jewelry stores. The working hours are from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Notre Dame Cathedral can serve you as a guide since the market is located next to it.

By the way, in Tahiti you can buy a European-made fur coat for a reasonable price. Polynesia is a new destination for fur shop tours. The prices here are much lower than in Europe, and the quality is very good. Along with fur coats, you can find vests, hats, and cloaks. Most of the souvenir shops and brand boutiques are located on Boulevard Pomare. Among the shops worth visiting there is the Center Moana Nui (Carrefour). This is a shopping center where you can buy groceries, clothes and many other things. It is located near the Sofitel Resort.

There are three Carrefour stores on the island. The store works from 9 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. If you are looking for good products, spices, and fresh pastries, we recommend visiting the Champion Supermarket. It is located behind the Temple Protestant de Paofai (Rue du General de Gaulle) and works a bit longer than many other stores in Tahiti – until 7.30 p.m. Le Kiosque is a shop, which you might want to visit in order to buy some souvenir cards, tourist maps, stamps, atlases, candy or phone cards. The shop is located on the central square (Center Vaima, Ground Floor, Boulevard Pomare, Papeete).