All Papeete Tours & Excursions in 2026

For us this was a once in a lifetime experience. Nothing will prepare you for seeing a whale so close and in it’s own environment! We were lucky enough to see a turtle too as a bonus. If you’re not a strong swimmer you may struggle to keep up, I had to tie my wife along, other groups fell behind.

My wife and I disembarked our cruise ship in Pape'ete, with over 12 hours until our flight home. We took advantage of that time to go to the Pape'ete Tahiti Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Adter a wonderful morning there, the tour operator kindly picked us up at the Temple, and took us on this small-group (7 people) tour that covered the entire island of Tahiti Nui, stopping at the most popular tourist stops. We enjoyed amazing views and important historical and cultural sights in about 5 hours. The tour was well organized. Our guide, Mana, was very knowlegeabke and kind. It was a great way to spend the afternoon ashore and get to see the real highlights of the island.

Had booked a whale watching tour, September 22, 2026, 08:30 start, 4 hours duration. Super booking / payment / communication. Meeting point was at the Moorea Activities Center Opunohu Bay, parking spaces sufficiently available, a staff member comes immediately and takes care of things. Wetsuits and snorkeling equipment are provided. There were 15 guests. Our snorkel guide Eric was incredibly dedicated. 2 groups were formed, we were part of the first and actually saw a whale swim past us, although that involved some effort, definitely 30 minutes in the water, a certain level of basic fitness is a prerequisite. The 2nd. group was less lucky, but the skipper and Eric really gave it their all, we actually stayed on the water an hour longer to make an underwater sighting possible. It doesn't get any better than that. Overall, we saw as many whales from the boat as we have never seen before in Australia / South Africa / New Zealand, even after waiting a long time in September/October. Unfortunately, you just don't always get it in a photo ;-) We drove from Opunohu Bay to Temae Beach / Sofitel (and back) and, apart from the whales, had a fantastic boat trip, always with a view of Tahiti as well. After arrival: the activities center offers great sanitary facilities and you get a video of the tour. Top, we paid 150 EUR per person and it was worth every cent. A very clear recommendation.

I booked last minute when I realized Papeete was effectively closed on Sunday with nothing else to do. Breathtaking views of tropical valleys and waterfalls. The ride isn't nearly as bad as expected because we were encouraged to stand. So, we weren't seated where our backs had to absorb all the shocks. It may be a different story if poor weather kept the roof closed and we were forced to sit. In either case, make sure you are physically capable of standing and balancing for hours, or can take the rough ride on your seat. I have a bruise from when I was not holding the bars as diligently as I should have and slipped into them. These are not criticisms. The tour and guides are excellent. I just hope people know what to expect.

An amazing day with our guide Ta’i. Small group size and awesome weather. Picked us up and dropped us off near our cruise ship. Being on the sand bar before other excursions got there was incredible. My husband loves to snorkel and is a strong swimmer, but me…not so much. Being able to walk around on the sand bar with the black tip sharks and rays was an unbelievable experience for me!

The tour was very good. We sampled so many delicious street foods. Heimata, our tour guide, was awesome with his knowledge and sharing of his home island foods. Muiherearii, our second driver, was very friendly and a joy to talk with. We would definitely recommend this tour again.

One of the most beautiful tours we've ever been on! We saw a mother with her baby, plus a huge pod of dolphins swimming right next to the boat. Later, when the whales were harder to find, Teiki suggested we head into the lagoon, and we ended up snorkeling with a giant school of eagle rays, unforgettable! Teiki explained everything along the way: how to behave in the water, what lives in these waters, and why it's so important to approach the whales carefully and with respect. He guided us through every step. The whole team was truly respectful towards the animals, which meant a lot to us. There were snacks, water and everything we needed on board. The weather wasn't ideal, but we were lucky and it all worked out perfectly. And the best part - Teiki sent us his videos afterwards! This was one of the best experiences of our trip. The team was amazing and so was the tour. Highly, highly recommended!

The snorkeling was fantastic. (Not as good as Bora Bora though, but still great.) Our guide and captain were both awesome, too. Just note, if you're taking the ferry from Tahiti, the dock they use is on the other side of the island and they don't pick up/drop off from the ferry. So I would only recommend this tour for someone staying on Mo'orea unless you want to make an entire day out of visiting the island (renting a car, etc.).