General & Geographical Location
Short for VTA by abbreviationfinder, Tahiti is an island in the southern Pacific and, geographically speaking, belongs to the archipelago of the Society Islands, to be precise, to the islands over the wind. It is the largest island in the archipelago with the largest population. Strictly speaking, this island is a double island made up of small and large Tahiti. In between runs the isthmus of Taravao.
Geologically, the island consists of two volcanoes that have become extinct and arose from a hot spot under the Pacific plate. As a result, this island moves with the Pacific plate, about 13 cm per year to the north-west.
The island shows clear steep mountains and peaks, the highest mountain is called Mont Orohena and is 2241 m high and is located on the big island. On the small island called Tahiti Iti, the highest peak is 1,332 m high. Rugged rock faces end in deep valleys that have been hollowed out and washed out by rivers. In the middle of Tahiti is a dense vegetation, the main settlement has been made on the coastal strip.
Tahiti has an area of about 1040 square kilometers with a length of 61 m and a width of 29 m. The number of inhabitants is estimated at around 190,000 people, many live in the capital and at the same time in the largest city on the island by name Papeete.
Politically, the island belongs to the French overseas territory French Polynesia, originally called French Oceania. This is a collection of islands, atolls and archipelagos, of which Tahiti is the most famous island. French is the only official language, but a lot of different languages are actually spoken.
Climate in Tahiti
The climate on this Polynesian island is tropical and humid and the annual average temperature is 26 ° C. Overall, it is very warm throughout the year and the temperatures do not differ much between the individual months. The January is a maximum of 30 ° C and 23 ° C minimum of a total of warmest month and coolest it is in August minimal with a maximum of 28 ° C maximum temperature and 20 ° C.
The amount of precipitation is particularly low in August and September, whereas in the particularly warm months of January and December the amount of precipitation is highest, with more than 300mm of rain. As usual in the tropics, the rains are very short and very heavy. The average annual rainfall is around 1700 mm.
The water temperature is always fairly constant all year round at 26 or 27 ° C, which is also ideal for a beach holiday. Because the island is in the tropics, the humidity is relatively high at around 79% on average.
When is the best time to visit Tahiti?
It is very difficult to determine a best time of year for French Polynesia based on temperatures alone, as the temperatures are roughly the same throughout the year. The water temperature is also the same warm all year round, so that it is actually ideal for trips to Tahiti all year round. Nevertheless, you should of course keep an eye on the rainy season on Tahiti:
The rainy season December to February, with heralds in November and isolated foothills in April. Most of the rain in Tahiti falls in December and January, which is why these months are not recommended. The months May to October are considered the best travel time. November is considered the middle season and usually offers a very good price-performance level.
Temperatures, precipitation, sunshine in Papeete (Tahiti)
| Jan | Feb | March | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
| Daytime temperature | 30 ° C | 31 ° C | 31 ° C | 31 ° C | 30 ° C | 29 ° C | 28 ° C | 28 ° C | 29 ° C | 29 ° C | 30 ° C | 30 ° C |
| Night temperature | 23 ° C | 24 ° C | 24 ° C | 23 ° C | 23 ° C | 21 ° C | 21 ° C | 21 ° C | 21 ° C | 22 ° C | 23 ° C | 23 ° C |
| Water temperature | 27 ° C | 27 ° C | 27 ° C | 28 ° C | 28 ° C | 27 ° C | 26 ° C | 26 ° C | 26 ° C | 26 ° C | 27 ° C | 27 ° C |
| Precipitation in mm | 315 | 233 | 195 | 141 | 92 | 60 | 61 | 48 | 46 | 91 | 162 | 317 |
| Rainy days | 14 | 13 | 10 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 7 | 9 | 13 |
| Hours of sunshine | 7 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 6 |
| Sunrise | 5:35 | 5:50 | 6:00 | 6:05 | 6:15 | 6:25 | 6:30 | 6:20 | 5:55 | 5:30 | 5:15 | 5:20 |
| Sunset | 18:40 | 18:30 | 18:15 | 17:50 | 17:35 | 17:30 | 17:40 | 17:50 | 17:55 | 18:00 | 18:10 | 18:30 |
Temperatures
The annual average temperature in Papeete is 26 ° C. For comparison: Munich reaches an average of 8.6 ° C, in Berlin it is 9.6 ° C. The warmest month is January (27.5 ° C), coldest month of July with averages of 24.5 ° C. The maximum water temperature in Papeete is 28 ° C. Comfortable bathing is possible at these temperatures. All months have a water temperature of at least 21 ° C and are therefore suitable for a beach holiday.
Precipitation
The annual precipitation is 1761 mm on 100 days with precipitation. For comparison: In Munich, 967 mm, in Berlin 570 mm, precipitation is measured annually. The months of January, February, March and December are considered the rainy season, as more than 175 mm of precipitation can be expected per month. Overall, about 1060 mm of precipitation can be expected in the rainy season. You cannot expect snow in any month in Papeete.
Sunshine
As our climate table shows, April is the sunniest month with an average of 8 hours of sunshine per day. The average annual sunshine is 7.3 hours per day. For comparison: In Munich and Berlin, the sun shines an average of 4.7 hours per day throughout the year.
Sights and attractions
In the capital Papeete there is a market hall, which is often interesting for tourists, because the locals buy their groceries there every day and there is also an upper floor where souvenirs from the island are very popular. The natural beaches of the island are also great to look at, which are not made of white sand, as expected, but consist of volcanic black basalt rock and are mainly located on the west coast of the island.
For culturally enthusiastic tourists, it is worth visiting an area reserved for ceremonial purposes, typical of the culture in Polynesia and called Marae. The Marae Mahaiatea measures around 90 m by 30 m and is the largest cult platform on the island with pyramid-shaped steps and terraces. In a marae in the Arahurahu Valley, stone figures have even been preserved and there is an annual Heiva Festival, where athletic competitions, music and local dances are performed.
Tahitian weather in March, April and May
Daily temperatures averaging 30 to 31 ° C can be expected over the next three months. The temperatures hardly fluctuate during this time.
Do you want to go on a beach holiday? The water temperatures are in March, April and May 27-28 ° C. This is great weather for a great time on the beach and in the water.
The expected rainfall is around 10 days in March, around 8 days in April and around 7 days in May.
In the period from March to May , the sun shines an average of 7 to 8 hours a day. The sunniest weather is in April in Papeete, with a little less sun you will have to get by in March.
