Tahiti is still a place of romance, legend and magic. Visitors can enjoy landfalls unchanged since the voyage of the great navigators; beaches and turquoise waters as beautiful as Robert Louis Stevenson observed from his yacht; welcoming faces and colors as vivid as Paul Gauguin painted them.

The cuisine of Tahiti is internationally renowned for its fresh fish and exotic fruits and vegetables, prepared with Polynesian influence and a touch of French flair. Tahitians are also known for their delicate sauces, which often contain home-grown vanilla beans and freshly squeezed coconut milk. Parrot fish, ahi, mahi-mahi and other fresh fish are divine in this light sauce.

Poisson cru (ia ota)
is the national dish of Tahiti and Her Islands. This melt-in-your-mouth entree consists of raw fish and diced vegetables marinated with lime juice and soaked in coconut milk.

Chevrettes
another popular Tahitian dish, are tasty freshwater shrimp which can also be found on the beautiful native islands of Tahiti.

No amura’a (meal) is complete without a rich dessert inspired by the islands. The ultimate Tahitian dessert is Poe, a sweet pudding made of taro root flavored with banana, vanilla, papaya or pumpkin and topped with a rich coconut-milk sauce.

Looking for something a little lighter? Try the mouth-watering French croissants or the tasty biscuit-like treats, kato, which are made with coconut milk. A cup of the local coffee flavored with vanilla beans and served with sugar and coconut cream compliments any of these delicious Tahitian treats.

Totally Tahititan
Stop by the roulottes located near the wharf - a great way to sample Tahiti’s varied cuisine while experiencing local culture. The roulottes, or rolling restaurants, are colorful, electrically lit vans that offer the best inexpensive dining in Papeete. Both locals and visitors can dine on a variety of dishes from roast pork and pizzas to chow mein and flaming crêpes.

Another way to sample authentic Tahitian cuisine is to attend a Tahitian feast called a tamaaraa. At the feast, visitors will be greeted by traditional Polynesian singing, dancing and celebration. Native Tahitian dishes of fish, roasted pork and chicken are cooked in an underground oven called ahimaa and are served as a sample of classic Tahitian cuisine.

Baguettes anyone?
Check out those little boxes outside homes that look like mail boxes. They are not for mail, but for French bread delivery. Residents get a fresh loaf dropped off twice a day. But alas, they must go to the post office to retrieve their mail!