Guide: all countries » French Polynesia » Vaiare » Cultural sights

Culture of Vaiare. Places to visit - old town, temples, theaters, museums and palaces

Moorea Vaiare is a picturesque small settlement on the island of Mo’orea that was formed approximately 2 million years ago. The former volcano gave the island a truly fabulous view – it is a small piece of land with several gorgeous bays and the highest point, Mount Tohi’e’a, in the middle. There are several communities on the islands, the largest ones being Piha’ena, Papeto’ai, Maharepa, and Vaiare. The latter is located near a magnificent bay and the main settlement to the south of it.
Best hotel choice for romantic escape, wedding or honeymoon in Vaiare
Moorea is an ideal place for a romantic holiday, so thousands of couples flock to the picturesque island every year to spend a few days at cozy Hotel Kaveka. Located on a fabulously … Open
Ancient Polynesians from western islands were first inhabitants of Mo’orea. According to scientists, they appeared on the island approximately a thousand years ago. Nowadays, tourists can see signs of their presence, the so-called marae landmarks that look like stone rocks in the shape of pyramids. Some rocks have carvings that signify of sacrifices that were sometimes made on the island. Travelers keen on historic landmarks are recommended to visit the Afareaitu Marae, the oldest pyramid on the island. It was built approximately in 900 AD.
First Europeans appeared on the island in 1606, but it was not until the 18th century that first settlers landed on Mo’orea. Famous explorers James Cook and Samuel Wallis were among first people who visited the island. The island attracted not only sailors and adventurers but also scientists. For example, Charles Darwin was exploring the region for his works and studied the formation of coral atolls near Mo’orea. The island became increasingly popular with ordinary tourists once the Mo’orea Airport was built there in 1967. Copyright www.orangesmile.com
Shopping in Vaiare - main shopping streets, outlets and boutiques
On the island of Moorea, there are a lot of interesting shops selling colorful beach clothes, original souvenirs from local craftsmen and chic pearl jewelry. One of the island's most popular … Open
Just like the majority of resorts, the island is not very rich in historic landmarks, but curious tourists will not get bored there either. Apart from natural landmarks and gorgeous beaches, there are many interesting places and venues to visit. History fans simply cannot fail to visit Ahu-o-Mahine. It is a complex of old marae that is located in a very picturesque place and surrounded by a forest of chestnut trees. There are several marae in this complex. The central one is the biggest and it leads to the tohua, an ancient council platform. Two smaller marae are located on the sides of the complex. The main marae, Ahu-o-Mahine, has round stones and fabulous altars. During an excursion there, visitors will learn interesting information about that place as there are explanatory panels with descriptions in English and French.
Moorea Distillerie et Usine de Jus de Fruits de Moorea is a popular stop for many adult tourists. It is a wonderful place where visitors can not only see an authentic historical distillery but also purchase interesting drinks and liqueurs that make great souvenirs. Distillerie et Usine de Jus de Fruits de Moorea is located approximately 300 meters away from the coastal road. This distillery processes different kinds of juices and manufactures a number of liqueurs, including the famous Tahitian punch. During an excursion there, visitors can not only see how alcoholic beverages are made but also taste various liqueurs and juices for free. Excursions take place from Monday to Thursday.
Guide to Vaiare sightseeing - things to see and to visit
Moorea Island is a real paradise for newlyweds. The reason for this lays not only in perfect climate and nature of this island, but also in its shape that resembles a heart, that’s why … Open
Tourists who decide to visit Maharepa will find some interesting historical landmarks there. Maison Blanche is definitely one of them. This building, which dates back to the beginning of the 20th century, has an unusual location on the mountain side of the road. The mansion is a great example of the fare vanira homes, plantation houses that became very popular during the vanilla-boom era. There is a popular souvenir shop in the building where visitors can purchase traditional artworks, various handicrafts, jewelry, woodcarvings, and many other memorable items.
In the section below, you can get one of our excursion, activities or city discovery tours over Vaiare and surroundings. Our website offers 10-30% lower ticket prices, when compared to the offline purchase on the spot.

City tours, excursions and tickets in Vaiare and surroundings

Vaiare - guide chapters 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

Iconic cultural sights of French Polynesia

The Pearl Museum of Robert Van at Papeete fully justifies its name. Its creator is Robert Wang, the pearl magnate. The beautiful collection includes black pearls and is supplemented with information on its mining and history. A pearl jewelry shop is also located here. The museum of Tahiti and the Islands is located in Nyu’uroa. It is divided into several sections that enlighten visitors about ethnology, society, everyday life, nature, culture and religion of the inhabitants of the islands. Many exhibits such as maps, statues, tools and documents, immerse visitors into the complex but glorious history of the islanders. … Open

Unique spots in Vaiare and near

Moorea

From the series “The Most Beautiful Islands on the Planet”
Check on the map:   Distance from Vaiare center - 3.7 km.
Among the islands of French Polynesia you must mention the romantic island of Moorea. When you look at this wonderful island from the height, their outlines remind of the heart. The exotic island is as found for the romantic recreation. Many couples choose it for honeymoon and wedding ceremony. For the couples, the incredibly beautiful ceremonial ceremonies are carried out on the island, and even the documents on the palm cortex are given. Although these papers do not have legal force, they are very popular among the romantic people. … Read further

Excursions over cultural sights of neighbours of Vaiare

Moorea
Papetoai is situated in the place where a large marae (pagan sacred ground) once stood. Here you can still find several large stones that were once part of that ancient temple. This place is shrouded with many peculiar legends and myths that only local guides know. ... Open »
Papeete
A major part of historical and cultural landmarks and sights of the tourist destination was destroyed in the end of the 19th century by an extensive fire. A ruinous cyclone battered on Papeete in 1906 badly damaged the city as well. However the city of Papeete has ... Open »
Tahiti Island
There are not so many museums on the island, but all of them are worth to visit. First of all, make tracks for the art museum dedicated to the life and works of Paul Gauguin in Tahiti. The museum is located very near to Papeete, just 5 km far from it, on the skirts ... Open »
Manihi
So, the Turiaoa residents are quite similar to Polynesians. It seems like time has no hold on the lost in jungles settlement. Certainly, nobody’s wearing banana leaves skirts or attacking travellers with spears here or something. But locals still fish right the way ... Open »
Aitutaki Island
Old town houses and administration buildings are really nice as well, particularly those that are not far from the central square. Most of the are made from basalt. They are not only in the fine condition up to date but also look pretty unusual. Despite ... Open »
Avarua
The city has a very unusual catholic cathedral, St Joseph's Cathedral, which is strikingly different from most churches that can be seen in other modern cities. It is housed in a one-story modern building. The cathedral was designed in keeping with the beautiful ... Open »
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