Flights from Rockhampton to Papeete

The Best Time to Book and Travel on Flights to Papeete

Tahiti has all the calling cards of a pleasant tropical climate: warm waters, constant pleasant temperatures, and long, sunshine-filled days. There are two main seasons that travellers thinking about booking cheap flights to Papeete need to consider when planning their holiday. The dry season runs from March to November, and the rainy season happens between December and February. The dry season brings cooler temperatures than the more humid conditions of the rainy season, however it is also the peak travel period and subsequently the price of an airfare to Papeete can increase. Book your tickets to Papeete ahead of time and look out for early bird deals and specials if you’d like to travel to Papeete at this time. On the flip side, travellers can potentially find even more tempting cheap flights to Papeete if travelling in the off-peak rainy season.

How to Get Around Upon Landing in Tahiti on Flights to Papeete (PPT)

Booking an airfare to Papeete will have you landing at Fa’a’a International Airport (PPT), which also operates under the name Tahiti International Airport. The airport is located on the north-west coast of Tahiti, only a short 15-minute drive from the centre of the Papeete. Transfer options from PPT are limited and should be arranged prior to boarding your return flights to Papeete. All connecting flights to other islands around French Polynesia depart from Fa’a’a International Airport (PPT).

Most of Papeete’s sights and attractions are within walking distance of one another once you’re in the city. If you want to explore the rest of the island, the best way to do so is via taxi, private driver or one of the white coaches that make up the public transport system. ‘Le trucks’, open-air buses, were the common form of transport however are being fazed out in favour of more modern vehicles. Stops are marked with blue signs though timetables are irregular. Those thinking of hiring a car once landing on flights to Papeete should opt for a larger set of wheels (preferably a 4WD) as many of the island’s roads are rough and unpaved.

Things to Do and See with an Airfare to Papeete

Travel to French Polynesia on cheap flights to Papeete and prepare to fill your holiday with as many – or as few – activities as you like. For those inclined, time in Tahiti can be spent doing nothing but lazing around your resort or hotel, moving between sipping sundowners in a lounge and taking dips in the turquoise ocean. One of the most appealing prospects for those on flights to Papeete is the promise of exploring the island’s pristine waters. Slip into your swimmers and don a snorkelling mask or oxygen tank to explore this underwater world; Tahiti is one of the world’s best sites for snorkelling. Divers may have a slightly tougher time (there are only 11 diving centres) but the extra work brings with it the opportunity to swim around ship wrecks and magnificent reefs. More marine marvels await by discovering Tahiti’s network of immaculate lagoons and postcard-perfect beaches, such as Plage de Toarato. For something a bit different to a white-sand shoreline, head to Lafayette Beach to wander barefoot along its stretch of black sand beach. Travellers with flights to Papeete departing between June and October should keep a lookout for humpback whales, who come to French Polynesia to breed.

Back on land, you can head into Tahiti’s lush rainforest landscape to trek to waterfalls, join jungle tours, or ascend to the summit of Aorai Mountain. Or learn more about Polynesian culture at the Museum of Tahiti and Her Islands, located in Puna’auia. Other land-based things to do while making the most of Tahiti return flights include a visit to Papeete Market, marvelling at the power of the Arahoho Blowhole, and gazing upon a cluster of famous Tahitian gems at the Black Pearl Museum.

Tips for First-Time Travellers on Flights to Papeete

• Brush up on your French. Tahiti is, after all, the largest island of French Polynesia. Having some French phrases up your sleeve before landing on flights to Papeete is never a bad idea and can come in handy.
• The legal drinking age is 21 years.
• Tuck a flower behind your ear – but know what it means first. A flower behind the left ear means that you are taken and a bloom by the right ear indicates you are single.
• Always take your shoes off if entering someone’s house.
• Embrace ‘island time’ and welcome a slower change of pace once you land on plane tickets to Papeete.
• Pack an American-style two-pin rectangular or two-ping and prong socket in the luggage you pack for return flights to Papeete.
• Tipping is not expected.

How Long to Spend in French Polynesia with Cheap Flights to Papeete

The answer to this all depends on what you’re travelling aboard flights to Papeete for. Is it a honeymoon? A trip with immediate or extended family, including kids? Or perhaps you’ve booked an airfare to Papeete with a group of friends. Most travellers tend to snap up flights to Papeete with the intention of spending seven to 10 nights on the island, if not in French Polynesia as a whole. Newlyweds may want to sequester themselves away for a week or so in a luxe resort, and families may be inclined to make their tickets to Papeete work a bit harder and visit some of the other islands around French Polynesia.