Huahine Travel Guide: Perfect stop between Tahiti & Bora Bora
- 3 days ago
- 4 min read
While many visitors head straight to Bora Bora, we spent two nights exploring Huahine and were so glad we did.
After spending a night in Tahiti, we boarded the ferry bound for Huahine on our way to Bora Bora.
We spent two nights in Huahine, exploring the island by car, snorkelling off quiet beaches and watching the sunset over the water. It was the perfect stop between Tahiti and Bora Bora, giving us a chance to slow down and experience a quieter, more local side of French Polynesia.
Getting to Huahine
We arrived in Huahine via the Apetahi Ferry from Papeete.
The journey from Tahiti to Huahine takes around 4 hours.
We loved travelling between the islands by ferry. It was a more affordable option, incredibly relaxing and a great way to slow down and enjoy the scenery along the way.
If you're planning your own trip, you can read more about our island-hopping route, ferry journeys in our guide to travelling around French Polynesia.
Exploring Huahine by Car
We stayed in an Airbnb where the hosts were able to organise a hire car for us.
If you're planning a visit to Huahine, I highly recommend hiring a car.
Huahine is incredibly easy to explore independently. The roads are quiet, distances are short and having your own vehicle gives you the freedom to explore the whole island. Beautiful beaches, tiny villages, roadside fruit stalls and turquoise lagoons.
Huahine is made up of two islands. Huahine Nui, meaning "big island", and Huahine Iti, meaning "small island".
The two are connected by a bridge, making it easy to explore both during your stay.
Snorkelling Around Huahine
One of our favourite things to do in Huahine was snorkelling.
Many of Huahine's beaches offer excellent snorkelling straight from the shore.
Several times we simply pulled the car over, grabbed our snorkels and jumped into the water.
The lagoon was crystal clear, the fish were colourful and most of the time we had the beach entirely to ourselves.
Moana Fans, Keep An Eye Out For Te Fiti!
If you've got little Moana fans in the family like we do, here's a fun fact.
Huahine actually the inspiration for Te Fiti from Disney's Moana.
When standing at the port, near the yacht club, looking over the lagoon the outline of Huahine looks like a pregnant woman lying on her back. It sounds strange, but once you see it, you really can't unsee it!
Our girls thought it was pretty cool to see it in real life.
Visit the Sacred Blue-Eyed Eels
One of Huahine's most unusual attractions is the sacred blue-eyed eels found near the bridge in Faie Village.
When we pulled over and got out of the car, a young local girl approached us. She didn't speak any English, but it quickly became clear that she wanted to show us where the eels were hiding.
She led us down to the river and pointed beneath the rocks where several of the eels were resting. She even attempted to pick some of them up while our girls happily climbed over rocks in the shallow water searching for more.
The blue-eyed eels are unique to Huahine and have long been part of local legends and traditions.
Before we left, we gave her a small tip to thank her for showing us around.
Cross Over to Huahine-Iti
While much of the island's accommodation and services are located on Huahine Nui, it's well worth crossing the bridge to Huahine Iti.
The even quieter and more remote.
We loved driving around the island, stopping at viewpoints and enjoying stretches of coastline where we often felt like we had the island completely to ourselves.
If you're looking for that untouched South Pacific feeling, this is where you'll find it.
Sunset at the Yacht Club
A super popular place at Happy Hour/Sunset. You'll meet locals and visitors to the island enjoying a drink & the late afternoon sunlight.
The atmosphere is relaxed, the views are beautiful & you should make sure you plan at least one sunset here.
Explore Huahine's Ancient Marae
Scattered around Huahine are a number of ancient stone marae - traditional Polynesian ceremonial sites that date back hundreds of years.
Some are surprisingly large, with giant stone platforms and structures that give you a glimpse into the island's history long before European settlers arrived.
Even if history isn't usually your thing, they're worth stopping at if you're driving around the island. Standing amongst these ancient stone structures, it's hard not to wonder what life was like here centuries ago.
Is Huahine Worth Visiting?
Yes!
It offered everything we love about travel — beautiful scenery, friendly locals, quiet beaches, excellent snorkelling and the freedom to explore at our own pace.
If you're looking for an island that feels a little more authentic and a little less crowded, don't skip Huahine.
For us, it was the perfect stop between Tahiti and Bora Bora.
Planning a Trip to French Polynesia?
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