One Day in Tahiti: Self-Drive Road Trip Itinerary

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Wondering what to do for one day in Tahiti? Hiring a car is one of the best ways to explore the island beyond Papeete. From spectacular waterfalls and lush tropical gardens to the world-famous surf break at Teahupo'o, this self-drive Tahiti itinerary takes you around the island's beautiful coastline, with plenty of places to stop along the way.

Exploring Tahiti by Car in One Day

So, you've explored Papeete and you're wondering what else there is to do in Tahiti? Well, there's heaps more to see outside the capital, so why not hire a car and hit the road?

We started our road trip in Papeete and headed down Tahiti's east coast, stopping to explore waterfalls and admire the incredible mountain scenery along the way. We then continued onto Tahiti Iti to visit Teahupo'o, the little village famous for having one of the world's most powerful surf breaks.

From there, we headed back up the west coast, stopping at tropical gardens, exploring caves and eventually finding a lovely beach overlooking Moorea, where we sat and relaxed for a while before heading back to Papeete.

It was such a great way to spend the day, and we loved having the freedom to stop wherever we wanted along the way.

Where to stay in Tahiti: If you're planning to explore Tahiti by car, staying in or around Papeete is a convenient option, especially if you're arriving by ferry or flying in and out of Tahiti. You can browse accommodation in Papeete here to find somewhere that suits your budget.

Hiring a Car in Tahiti

The easiest way to explore Tahiti beyond Papeete is to hire a car. Having your own wheels means you can stop wherever you like, spend as much time as you want at each place and explore the island at your own pace.

There are several car hire companies in Papeete and at Faa'a International Airport, so it's easy enough to organise a car for the day.

You can compare car hire prices in Tahiti here and book ahead of your trip, especially if you're travelling during the busier months.

Our travel tip: We had a super early flight out of Tahiti the following morning, and we'd heard that finding a taxi in Papeete at 5am could be tricky.

So instead of returning our hire car in town, we arranged to pick it up in downtown Papeete and drop it off at the airport the next morning.

It worked out perfectly! We got to explore Tahiti for the day and didn't have to worry about organising an early morning taxi to the airport.

If you've got an early flight, it's definitely worth checking whether your car hire company offers different pick-up and drop-off locations. Just make sure you confirm the airport return arrangements, especially if you're dropping the car off outside office hours.

Our One-Day Tahiti Road Trip Itinerary

Stop 1: Faarumai Waterfalls

Our first stop was the beautiful Faarumai Waterfalls, tucked away in the tropical rainforest on Tahiti's east coast.

It's only a short walk from the car park to the first waterfall, Vaimahuta, and it's absolutely stunning! The waterfall drops around 80 metres down a huge cliff surrounded by lush green rainforest.

There are actually three waterfalls here, so if you're up for a bit more walking, you can follow the trail for another 20–30 minutes to a viewing point where you can see the other two waterfalls, Haamaremare Rahi and Haamaremare Iti.

And keep an eye out for the local ladies selling fresh fruit and coconuts near the car park. It's a great spot to pick up a few snacks for the road!

Good to know: Entry is free. Swimming at the waterfalls isn't permitted.

Stop 2: Teahupo'o – Tahiti's Famous Surfing Village

From Faarumai Waterfalls, we continued down Tahiti's east coast and onto Tahiti Iti, making our way to the little village of Teahupo'o, famous for having some of the biggest and most powerful waves in the world.

Once you arrive, you'll usually find locals offering boat trips out to the famous surf break, where you can get a much closer look at the waves and watch the surfers in action.

We decided to give the boat trip a miss and just have a wander around the village instead. Teahupo'o is tiny, and there's honestly not a whole lot to see, but we enjoyed checking out the surfing statues and monuments and watching a local lady weaving baskets.

Even if you're not into surfing, it's still a pretty cool place to visit, especially knowing just how famous those waves are!

Stop 3: Water Gardens of Vaipahi

After leaving Teahupo'o, we headed back towards Tahiti Nui and made our way up the west coast to the beautiful Water Gardens of Vaipahi.

These gardens are such a lovely little stop! There are tropical plants everywhere, little streams, ponds and waterfalls, with walking paths winding through all the greenery.

We had a wander around the gardens, checked out the waterfalls and enjoyed a bit of time out of the car. It's not a huge place, so you don't need to allow hours to explore it.

There was also plenty of chicks & chickens wandering around, which our girls LOVED!

Best of all, entry is free, so it's definitely worth stopping here on your Tahiti road trip.

Travel tip: The Harrison Smith Botanical Gardens are just a few kilometres away. They've been temporarily closed, but it's worth checking whether they've reopened before your visit, as you could easily combine the two stops.

Stop 4: Mara'a Grottoes (Mara'a Caves)

Not too far up the west coast from the Water Gardens of Vaipahi is another lovely little stop, the Mara'a Grottoes.

These caves are tucked away amongst the tropical greenery, with huge ferns hanging down over the rocks and beautiful freshwater pools inside.

We really enjoyed having a wander around here. It's such a peaceful spot, and the caves are quite different from anything else we'd seen during our day exploring Tahiti.

There are three caves to see, with little paths connecting them, and you really don't need heaps of time. Allow around 20–30 minutes to have a look around and take some photos.

Good to know: Entry is free, and there's parking nearby, so it's another easy stop to add to your Tahiti road trip.

Stop 5: Toaroto Beach (PK15.4) or Vaiava Beach (PK18)

For our final stop, we decided to finish the day with a bit of relaxing beach time before heading back to Papeete.

We stopped at Toaroto Beach, a lovely public beach with beautiful views across the water to Moorea. The entrance to the water was quite rocky and slippery, so we didn't bother going for a swim, but it was a really nice spot to just sit back and enjoy the views.

If you'd prefer somewhere a little sandier for swimming, Vaiava Beach (PK18) is another great option nearby.

Both beaches have public car parks and easy access, so you don't need to walk through any hotels or resorts to get there.

Travel tip: Traffic heading back into Papeete can get pretty busy, especially later in the afternoon. If you need to return your hire car by a certain time, make sure you allow plenty of extra time for traffic!

We loved being able to explore at our own pace, and hopefully this itinerary helps you plan your own little adventure around the island!