French Polynesia – or better Tahiti – is not an independent travellers destination. Most people come with a package tour, which you’ll realize immediately after arriving at the airport … Everyone is greeted with flower garlands, while a group of musician fiddle their souls away and after a fast custom procedure, you’re out in the street alone because all other passengers have been picked up by their hotel chauffeurs.

Flower garlands at Papeete airport, French Polynesia.

Public Transport – No Chance!

As it was just 5.00 am when I arrived in Papeete, nothing was open and there was no chance of finding any sort of public transport, as I planned to reach the freighter ship to the Austral Islands (which only runs once a week). After checking out the area a little bit, I found someone who pointed me the direction to the next bus station. Let me tell you something … public transport is not an easy thing in Tahiti! The buses run irregularly, sometimes don’t even stop and if they run too fast, they’ll just pass by the station without the smallest bit of eye twitching. Also, I don’t know who designed the bus loops and stops but that person must have been under the weather – if you know what I mean. There is no public transport going down to the port where all the ships take off … and it’s one hell of a walk down there – especially if you’re fully packed like myself! Sure, you’ll adjust and get used to it but it can get frustrating. So the last way out of this crappy start into the day was hitch-hiking down to the port.

These ships down in the port looked like monsters (no windows and high steel walls) who really have to conquer the rough seas from time to time. Luckily, this was not the case when I travelled. The Pacific ocean was calm and though the ship was an old lady, it was a very pleasant trip with my hammock set up right on the stern.

A ship at the port in Tubuai, French Polynesia.

The ship from Papeete to Tubuai, French Polynesia.

The Austral Islands & its people.

The Austral Islands are really out of the way, and the main town of Tubuai is a scatter of a few houses, not more. You’ll find one supermarket with an adjoining post office, some guest houses and that’s about it.  It’s a small place but that’s what makes it more cozy & homey as well.

The landscape of the Austral Islands, French Polynesia.

The people of the area are very friendly and happy to help you out if you need something. Just be aware of the ones hanging out in front of the supermarket – most of them have consumed lots of booze and this can be quite uncomfortable – especially when you’re there alone at night. One thing is for sure, forget the South Sea beauties! Food over there is totally unhealthy and lots (!) of people tend to be very overweight.

Overweight man working … a regular sight in Tahiti – no wonder with the food you get there.

Arriving back in Tahiti, the problem with public transport continued. Teahupoo was my next desired destination but getting there was far from easy. A bus to Teahupoo exists, but you have to get out at the right intersection and wait a few hours for the connecting bus … I’d really suggest to hitch-hike, which I did again. The guys who gave me a ride were some surfers from Teahupoo, so I could save a lot of time and immediately got great input for nice guest houses in the area.

Some advice.

• If you plan to visit Teahupoo (and stay there for a while), keep in mind that the supermarket is quite some kilometres away from the village, so be sure to plan ahead.

Teahupoo itself is a black beach place with many local rent out rooms and the vibes are really good – as they usually are around surf spots. I was lucky to stay with a few surfers from Brazil (including the pro-surfer Dennis Tiahara). When the guys went our for a surf the next day, they asked if I’d dare to go out with them to take some photos. This was a great opportunity and I followed their request immediately :) Some local guy they knew, took me out to the massive waves on his jet-ski and I spent the next two days taking heaps of shots right near this world-famous break. It was an unforgettable experience to be so close to the action.

A surfer conquering the waves at Teahupoo, Tahiti.

A surfer conquering the waves at Teahupoo, Tahiti.

Further information.

If you’re planning on visiting French Polynesia and are looking for cheap, yet nice accommodation around Papeete, Tubuai or Teahupoo, feel free to drop me a line.

Anyway, enough of that. Since the weather is pretty shitty in Vienna as well, I wanted to post something to cheer me (and maybe you too) up. So here are a couple of our best surfing photos from Tahiti, Brazil & Indonesia. Wanderlust caution for all you surfers & water rats out there!!!

Perfect wave riding at Teahupoo, Tahiti.

Dennis Tihara surfing at Teahupoo, Tahiti.

Small but fine waves in the north of Brazil.

Up for the next one at Teahupoo, Tahiti.

Surfing in Indonesia is heaps of fun.

Tuber rider Dennis Tihara at Teahupoo, Tahiti.

Can this surfer make it look any easier?

The surfers on the photos below make it look as if riding these massive waves is nothing…yet one single mistake can lead to a disaster.

Teahupoo in Tahiti is known for its surf break and heavy, glassy waves offshore, often reaching 2 to 3 m and sometimes up to 7 meters.

Teahupoo is also renowned for the consistent number of barrels it delivers. It is a rewarding location and is widely regarded as being on the ‘must-surf’ list of every enthusiastic surfer.

Pro-surfer Raimana Van Bastolaer surfing the waves Teahupoo on a regular swell day.

Teahupoo is a reef break. The swells mainly break left, but the outer reef also creates right breaks that surfers must be cautious of when paddling out.

Only experienced surfers in peak physical condition should attempt to surf the waves at Teahupoo.

Pro-surfer Dennis Tihara knows how to tame these waves at Teahupoo.

 It takes much practice to escape the wave at the right moment. Hheavy waves combined with a shallow shoreline can result in serious injuries and sometimes even death in a wipeout.

On the photos below, it looks so peaceful but the waves can be very forceful at times. The judging tower was smashed into pieces a few years ago, when the weather was really bad before the competition.

The view from the surf.

The judging tower at dawn.