Transportation from Papeete City Center to Faa'a International Airport
Tahiti's main airport, Faa'a Airport, is located very close to the city center of Papeete. The easiest way to get to Papeete Airport from the center is taxis, although they are more expensive than buses.
It can be difficult to find a taxi on the street after 6 pm, but there are two taxi stands by the sea in Papeete city centre. Although the prices are fixed and determined by the state, it is useful to confirm the fare to the airport before taking a taxi. After 8:30 p.m., prices increase by a few dollars.
Credit cards are not valid in taxis. You have to pay the driver in cash. As a precaution for drivers who are coy about change, make sure to have coins with you. In order to avoid all kinds of negative situations, write down the license plate of the taxi you take in a corner. Taxis can depart from in front of hotels as well as from fixed stops. However, the best guarantee is to call a taxi from the reception of a hotel.
To get to Papeete Airport by bus from Papeete city center, you need to take the number 3 or 7 from Rue du Marechal FOCH Street. Don't forget to tell the driver that you will be getting off at the airport because Papeete Airport is not the last stop.
You can get more information about buses, which are the most economical way to go from Papeete city center to the airport, from the official website or application of the bus company.
Le Truck, Tahiti's famous airy and wooden public transport vehicle, no longer operates, replaced by city buses operated by the municipality. Cash payments are made to the driver in city buses. Credit cards are not valid on buses.
Since this bus does not only run on the airport route, it can be busy during the day. If you are fond of your comfort, this option may not make you completely happy.
Tour companies also provide airport transfers, as most tourists to Tahiti come by tour. If you want, you can include Papeete Airport transfer in your tour package, or you can also contact tu companies and arrange a private transfer from Papeete city center to Faa'a Airport.
Transportation from Bora Bora Airport to the City Center
Bora Bora Airport (BOB), also known as Motu Mute Airport, serves the island of Bora Bora in French Polynesia. The airport, which was built by the USA for military purposes during the Second World War, was opened to commercial flights only after 1958.
Since Bora Bora is a community of islets with a population of about 10 thousand and makes its living almost exclusively from tourism, public transportation opportunities are very limited. Most hotels on the island take their guests from the airport by boat and take them directly to their hotels. Some hotels even have their own offices in the terminal. Here they meet you and direct you to the right boat.
If your hotel does not provide this service, you must first take a boat ride to Bora Bora, the main island, to get to your hotel. If you came to the island by Air Tahiti, you can show your ticket and take the free Bora Bora Navette service of Air Tahiti and switch to the boats that pass to the opposite island.
You can use the Air Tahiti services at the place you get off, or you can take one of the buses with your hotel's name on it and set off for your last stop. You can find more information about Bora Bora Navette on the website.
You can also use a taxi to go to your hotel. Although there are a few companies that have passenger transport licenses on the island, they do not tour the island to find customers. So if you are going to take a taxi, you should contact in advance and arrange a meeting point. Your hotel reception or restaurants do this for you. Since taxis do not have a taximeter, you should talk about the price before the journey begins.
Since this is a collection of islets, there are sea taxis as well as normal taxis. If you don't want to wait for your hotel's free boat or if the next boat has more to come, water taxis can be a very good option. Below you can find the contact numbers of some taxi and water taxi companies.
Taxi Simplet (tel. 79.19.31)
Leon (tel. 70.69.16)
Otemanu Tours (tel. 67.70.49)
Jacques Isnard (tel. 67.72.25)
Dino's Land & Water Taxi (tel. 79.29.65).
You can also rent a car to get around the island. Europcar (tel. 800/227-7368) is one of the biggest and most reliable companies out there. Another local company is Fare-Piti Rent a Car (tel. 67.65.28).
Both businesses have offices at the Vaitape pier. You can rent not only cars but also motorcycles and bicycles from these companies. There are approximately 32 km of asphalt roads on the island. That's why you should always drive slowly and carefully, as pigs, chickens, dogs and pedestrians can jump on the road. Especially dogs cause many accidents.