Papeete Market Reviews (Papeete, Tahiti)

Le Marché de Papeete

Dundas, Ontario

January 26, 2006

Email
Print

Best of IgoUgo Le Marché de Papeete, or the Papeete Market, is a colourful, exciting taste of the culture and people of Tahiti.The market - located two blocks from the Papeete waterfront, opposite the cruise-liner dock - is over 155 years old. Open Monday ...Read more Le Marché de Papeete, or the Papeete Market, is a colourful, exciting taste of the culture and people of Tahiti.

The market - located two blocks from the Papeete waterfront, opposite the cruise-liner dock - is over 155 years old. Open Monday to Saturday from 5am to 6pm and Sunday from 5am to 9am, the best time to visit is on Sunday mornings, when many Tahitian families traditional come to do their shopping. The market is at its busiest and most lively and it gives a true insight into the life of the islanders.

An amazing number of items are sold at the market, but are genrally divided into two areas. Downstairs you'll find meat, produce, fish, fruit and flowers. Upstairs, tons of colourful pareos, post cards, a restaurant and some of the more exclusive (and expensive) souveneir shops. On both levels you can choose from a wide assortment of local products like straw hats and bags, black pearls and shell jewellry, Monoi oil and related beauty products, wood and coconut carvings, ukuleles, and local vanilla beans.

Outside of the market there are also a number of vendors selling local crafts and textiles - lots of pareos and tropical fabrics are available, along with beautiful traditional quilts (called tifaifai). If you're looking for fresh, fragrant leis (flower necklaces) and heis (flower crowns), you'll find local women making and selling on the streets around the market as well.

We spent a few hours at the market and were so overwhelmed by looking at everything that we really didn't buy a whole lot; however, my favourite part, and our best bargain (probably of our whole trip), was our beautiful tropical flower arragement.

The flowers everywhere in French Polynesia are gorgeous - so colourful and fragrant. As a big fan of tropical flowers (Frangipani are my personal favourite), the islands are absolute paradise. The bonus for travellers is that tropical flowers are quite inexpensive in Tahiti, because they are grown locally. There are a number of vendors with rows upon rows of exquisite arrangements as well as buckets filled with various flowers for those who would rather create their own bouquet. We purchased our arrangement (which we kept in our cabin on the cruise for the whole 10 days) for $20 US - about 10 times less then it would have cost at home.

Even if you're not looking to buy, the 'window-shopping' and ambiance is a must-have experience and one of the highlights of our trip! Close

From journal Paradise Found--French Polynesia

The Market at Papeete

by BeAdventureous!

Little Rock,, Arkansas

July 4, 2001

Email
Print

Bustling and filled with locals, this open-air roof-covered market with numerous stalls had an atmosphere of vivid color, smells, and textures. Bright shiny local fish, looking like so many silver dollars were laid out invitingly. Brillant vivid ...Read more

From journal Catching the Winds in French Polynesia

Papeete

by Wannadothat

Salt Lake City, Utah

August 12, 2000

Email
Print

We spent the day shopping. There is an international market place that has everything the other islands had, but we only now needed to pack for home rather than to other destinations. I loaded up on family and friends' souveniers here. ...Read more

From journal Moorea to Papeete

IgoUgo

Papeete Market

Avg. User Rating:

User Reviews

Le Marché de Papeete

The Market at Papeete

Papeete

Papeete Market

What's Nearby?

Nearby Things to Do

Popular Papeete Hotels

Popular Things to Do in Papeete

Avg. User Rating:

User Reviews

Le Marché de Papeete

The Market at Papeete

Papeete