What souvenirs should you bring back from your stay in Polynesia?

28/03/2023

photo in the Marquesas Islands © Lionel Gouverneur

Beyond the intangible memories of the tiare flower or the enchanting sound of the ukulele, there are many ways to remember your journey to French Polynesia. So leave some room in your suitcase to bring back incredible Polynesian souvenirs from a stay in the islands of Tahiti. You won’t be disappointed.

The most popular items are jewellery, handicrafts, pareos, monoi oil, sculptures and gourmet products. You’ll find shops, markets and craft centres on all the islands. You can also buy directly from producers and artisans in local craft centres during your stay in French Polynesia.

The bustling market of Papeete, the capital of Tahiti, is one of the first places to begin your gift hunting. Here you’ll find stalls filled with local handicrafts, from brightly painted pareos to handwoven baskets, colourful artworks and intricately crafted jewellery adorned with the famous black pearls that have made French Polynesia world-renowned. The two-storey Vaima shopping centre in downtown Papeete also offers a wide range of souvenir shops and galleries to explore.

Be sure to visit supermarkets for local food products, or purchase beauty items in perfumeries and pharmacies. Hotel shops also offer a wide variety of souvenirs. On board the French Polynesia cruise ship Aranui, a well-stocked boutique sells clothing, books, jewellery and beautiful flower crowns, along with postcards to send home, key rings and other small keepsakes to remind you of your time on board.

What kinds of handicrafts can you find on the different islands?

On all the islands there are many master craftsmen who hand-make the most refined and unique souvenirs. In the Marquesas, experts use a wide variety of materials – shells, seeds, mother-of-pearl, bone, wood and stone – to create pieces of exceptional beauty. Some islands specialise in particular materials. For instance, on Fatu Hiva you can find traditional patterns and designs on tapas, handmade bark cloths, while on Ua Huka you can purchase a carefully crafted wooden ukulele, and on Tahuata you’ll come across stalls selling fine bone carvings transformed into jewellery and ornaments.

What items can you buy?

Objects come in all shapes and sizes, the most popular being miniature carved tiki statues, reproductions of paddles or ceremonial spears and clubs. You will also find intricately carved plates and bowls made from coconut shells, as well as stone mortars and pestles.

Tikis are a universal symbol of Polynesia and appear not only in sculptures but also as protective emblems. According to legend, the tiki created mankind. Polynesians revered them, and their body proportions were designed to represent strength, beauty and prosperity. Their triangular, neckless heads symbolised power, and their large eyes represented knowledge and supernatural strength. Often carved from wood, stone or bone by Marquesan craftsmen – considered some of the best woodcarvers in Oceania and the world – examples of their artistry can be found in craft centres on the Marquesas, where they use fine woods such as miro (Oceanian rosewood) or tou (Oceanian walnut).

You could even choose to bring back a permanent reminder of your unforgettable trip in the form of a Polynesian tattoo. Artists are present on all the islands and are renowned for their creativity and skill. If you decide to get one, rest assured that strict hygiene rules are enforced everywhere. You can even get tattooed at sea on board the Aranui, where resident tattooists Eddy and Moana will be delighted to design a special and meaningful tattoo just for you.

What can you buy in the Austral Islands?

Just like in the Marquesas, the people of the Austral Islands are renowned for their craftsmanship. The “mammas” of Rurutu are famous throughout the islands for their traditional handicrafts, passed down from generation to generation. The most prized items are woven hats, mats, bags and other essentials made from dried pandanus leaves. In the past, woven mats were a symbol of wealth across Polynesia and were given as wedding gifts. In addition to weaving, women of the Austral Islands are experts in making “tifaifai”, traditional patchwork quilts with exotic motifs. These can be purchased at the artists’ markets at the airport and in the village of Avera.

Where to buy Tahitian cultured pearls and jewellery?

Tahitian cultured pearls from the Tuamotus and the Gambier Islands are must-have souvenirs for every visitor. Be sure to visit a pearl farm to see the process of pearl creation inside the oyster and their harvesting. Afterwards, purchase pearls – mounted or loose – as pendants, earrings, bracelets or rings. Prices vary depending on several factors such as quality, lustre, size and shape. Strict regulations guarantee pearl quality, and you can request a certificate of authenticity from your seller. Master craftsmen and designers show ingenuity by combining pearls with mother-of-pearl and other natural materials such as wood, bone, leather or fabric to produce original pieces.

Why is Tahitian vanilla so expensive?

Tahitian vanilla, grown locally, is another highly prized and essential product to bring back from French Polynesia. Prices vary, but remember that the costly process of producing genuine vanilla makes it the second most valuable spice in the world (after saffron), due to its labour-intensive cultivation and small yields.

Vanilla pods come from an orchid, 80% of which is grown on Taha’a in the Society Islands, around 150 miles east of Tahiti. Each delicate vanilla flower is hand-pollinated during the flowering season from July to September. Since each flower lasts only about six hours, growers must act quickly and carefully to ensure pollination before it closes and fades. Successfully pollinated flowers produce the Tahitian vanilla pod, renowned for its complex, rich and intensely aromatic flavour. It is widely used in Tahitian cuisine, not only in sweet desserts but also in savoury dishes.

What is Tahitian noni juice?

The health benefits of Tahitian noni juice are legendary, with many holistic practitioners praising its antioxidant and mineral qualities. It is said to be good for skin care, anti-ageing, immune support and even cancer-fighting due to its high concentration of antioxidants. Yet Tahitian noni juice has modest origins: it comes from a very common fruit found throughout the islands of Tahiti and other regions of the South Pacific. Rarely eaten raw, noni is usually blended with other juices such as grape or blackberry to improve its taste. You can find noni juice in supermarkets and fruit stands in Tahiti and the other islands, or pick up a bottle at the tourist shop in Faa’a International Airport before departure.

What are the health benefits of soursop?

Soursop, also called graviola, is another superfood from Tahiti and its islands. It is much appreciated for its many qualities, especially its high carbohydrate content, particularly fructose, as well as significant amounts of vitamins C, B1, B2 and amino acids. It also contains fibre and minerals such as potassium, calcium and magnesium. Buy a bottle in the supermarket and mix it with milk and a little sugar, refrigerate for an hour for a delicious pudding, or blend it with fruit juices, jam or sorbets for a healthy dessert.

Which natural cosmetics to buy in Tahiti?

Polynesia is rich in natural resources, and its flourishing flora holds beauty secrets known to Polynesians for centuries. Monoi oil from Tahiti – a citrus fragrance with notes of gardenia, lily of the valley, jasmine and spices – has been produced commercially in Tahiti since the mid-20th century and is available in shops across French Polynesia. It is made from pure coconut oil and the scent of the tiaré, the Tahitian gardenia flower, and has been used for centuries to replenish the natural oils of skin and hair. The coconut oil used in Monoi Tiare Tahiti is so refined that it is quickly absorbed by the skin – it is this level of refinement that sets monoi apart.

“A Re’a Moeruru”, also known as wild ginger, is another natural beauty treatment worth bringing home. This 100% natural shampoo comes from an ornamental plant whose leafy stem can reach 1.2 metres. Its green leaves turn purple as it grows, giving it the nickname “ginger pine cone”. Squeeze the flower between your fingers until a clear, viscous gel flows out – or simply buy a bottle in the supermarket for pure, soft and silky hair.

Which local fabrics and handmade clothing should you bring home?

The traditional pareo is found on all the Tahitian islands. This simple, colourful cloth is worn instead of skirts, dresses, shorts or shawls, and also doubles up as a beach towel. It is an inexpensive way to dress casually or elegantly and makes a perfect souvenir. Often decorated with traditional designs and bright colours, and tied in a variety of styles, Papeete market offers one of the best selections of pareos, some hand-painted by local artists.

Tifaifai is a traditional symbol of Polynesian craftsmanship. The word translates as “applique” and refers to patchwork made from two or more pieces of fabric. Originally, these were two sheets of different colours sewn together to form geometric or floral patterns, used as bedspreads to cover a bed, furniture or a sofa. They are also given as tokens of love and affection at weddings or as farewell gifts. To view one in its entirety, those still sewn in the traditional manner require a group of four or five women working around a large table. Although quite expensive, you can find them at Papeete market or at craft fairs such as the Tifaifai exhibition.

Tapa is another essential piece of traditional Tahitian handicraft to bring home. Made from the inner bark of trees such as mulberry, breadfruit and banyan, it is folded repeatedly and beaten with wooden mallets on an anvil to interlace the fibres and create a felt-like material. Once dried and starched, the tapa is painted with intricate patterns – from tikis to turtles – and is an important element of the cultural heritage of Pacific island societies. Whether a prestige item or for everyday use, this technique was perfected in French Polynesia like nowhere else. The large Omoa craft market on Fatu Hiva is one of the best places to see a wide range of tapas.

Conclusion

Remember that most small shops and craft centres do not accept credit cards, so make sure you carry enough local currency. You can withdraw cash from ATMs in Papeete and the main villages of the islands, but some smaller islands like Ua Huka and Tahuata have no ATMs at all.

Would you like to discover Polynesia? Check out our French Polynesia cruises: