TAHITI

Tahiti lies in the South Pacific, about half-way between Sydney and Los Angeles, and south of the equator - that means it is one of the most sought after tropical island getaways - and one of the most sought after surf destinations in the world! Sparkling tropical lagoons, rugged mountain terrain, combined with the exotic cultures of the French & Polynesians - sounds almost too good to be true! Tahiti itself is part of the Society Islands (in a region known as French Polynesia), along with it's more well known sister islands of Moorea and Bora Bora - all together there are about 118 islands spread out over 5 archipelago's (including the Society Islands). The scope for perfect waves is unlimited and throughout the Society Islands chain there are dozens of islands that get classic surf and waves, many of which go unridden. The quality of surf spots here is exceptional, and the waves varied to suit all surfing standards.

There are basically two surf seasons in Tahiti. From October to March, the summer swells are from the north, which are the same swells that hit Hawaii - only smaller and 3-4 days later. The quality reef breaks on Moorea's north coast tend to produce better waves than Tahiti, which is mainly beachbreaks. From April to September, quality surf is generated from low pressure systems travelling from Antarctica to New Zealand. It's in Winter (May to August) that Tahiti gets it's best waves. As the breaks along the south and southwest coasts are mainly reef breaks, very powerful, hollow waves are the result! With boat access you have access to some unbelievable waves!

Weather: Cooled by the gentle breezes of the South Pacific, the climate is ideal. There are just two seasons - the wet season from December to March, when the climate is slightly warmer and more humid (heavy downpours expected but not long lasting!); and the Dry season from April to August, when the climate is slightly less humid and drier. On average, the year round temperatures in Tahiti range from 26 to 28 degrees Celsius. The water temperature averages 26 degrees Celsius in winter and 29 degrees Celsius in summer, and there isn't much change down to 45metres!

International Airport: Papeete