Can I kitesurf on Tubuai?

Yes, the lagoon is wide, shallow and windy. But we found no kite school on the island, so come independent with your own gear, and ask your pension about launch spots.

Can you see whales from Tubuai?

Yes. Tubuai is one of the islands where observation permits are issued, from 20 July to 20 November; Tubuai Plongée and Pension Taitaa list outings. Rurutu is the better bet if whales are the main reason for the trip.

Is there anything left of Fort George?

The site is private and has stayed in the same family since 1789. The Association Bounty Fort George opens it for guided visits during school holidays, with museum panels and display cases — book ahead.

How cold and wet is it in winter?

July–August average about 24 °C by day and 18–19 °C at night, with 130–140 mm of rain a month — more than Rurutu over the same months. The sea drops to about 23 °C, so a 3 mm wetsuit helps for long snorkels.

No. Tahiti Tourisme lists four guesthouses; Pension Taitaa's 2026 double with breakfast is 12,500 XPF (≈ US$123).

When are lychees in season?

Around December. Carrots, Tubuai's best-known crop, are harvested from July to November.

Tubuai's pale shallow lagoon from a white-sand motu with the green island beyond

Australs

Tubuai,
the farming
island.

Carrots and lychees for Tahiti, a wide windy lagoon with eight motu, and the fort the Bounty mutineers built and abandoned in 1789.

Tubuai's lagoon

2,185 people in Mataura, Taahuaia and Mahu; an hour and forty minutes from Tahiti; a lagoon five kilometres wide that the trade winds love; the Australs' only permanent dive centre; and a July that is cooler and twice as wet as Rurutu's.

01 · A day on the motu

Eight motu,
one sandbank.

The standard Tubuai day leaves from the marina: a boat across the lagoon, kayaking and snorkelling, a barbecue of raw and grilled fish with coconut bread on white sand, and a last stop on motu One, which is little more than a sandbank with a view. Tavana beach, on the main island, doubles as the racing beach for the va'a canoes. The lagoon is ideal for kitesurfing and windsurfing and the wind obliges, but there is no kite school: bring your own gear and your own experience.

Tubuai Plongée is the only permanent dive club in the archipelago, with more than a dozen sites, six of them for all levels, cooler water and well-kept coral, and it takes children from five. Tubuai is also a whale-permit island, from 20 July to 20 November, with outings listed by the dive centre and by Pension Taitaa; the local season runs September to November. If whales are the main reason for the trip, Rurutu is the better bet, and the Austral Pass lets you do both.

02 · Three Tubuais

A fort, a hill,
a marae.

Fort George

The Bounty refuge at Taahuaia, with six museum panels, display cases and an orientation table on the old chiefdoms. Book ahead through the association.

Mount Taitaa

The 422-metre summit and the island's best view, an easy hike of about three hours there and back. Quads can take you part of the way. The Raid Litchis, the island's cross-country race, crosses it every November.

Marae Mataura

Tubuai's most important marae, built with flat stones rather than the rounded ones usual in the Society Islands. The Hermitage of Sainte-Hélène near Mahu makes a short detour on a bike loop.

03 · Staying and eating

Cheap beds,
good vegetables.

No hotels; four guesthouses. Pension Taitaa in Mataura has five rooms with private showers, fans and mosquito nets, breakfast with homemade yoghurt and brioche, and 2026 rates of about 8,500 XPF single or 12,500 double with breakfast, dinner 3,000 a head, under-sixes free, cash only; its airport transfer is 1,000 XPF. Wipa Lodge has five en-suite bungalows near a white-sand beach five minutes from the village, shared meals, and free bikes and kayaks. Sam et Yolande and Pension Toena are the other two.

Tubuai grows more than it can eat, so the ingredients are the story: carrots and potatoes rare elsewhere in the territory, taro, and lychees around December. Le Bloody Bay, a beach bar on the sand at Mataura, grills steak, chicken, squid and shrimp on the plancha for 500 to 3,900 XPF a dish, with cocktails at 900, and stays open until midnight on Fridays and Saturdays, the only late venue on the island. Fish'N Eat, a truck by the Catholic church, does poisson cru, sashimi and fish burgers with a children's menu.

04 · Know before you go

The practical
part.

Getting there: Air Tahiti from Tahiti in about 1 h 40, return from 82,060 XPF in October 2026. The Austral Pass, Tahiti plus two Austral islands, from about 64,500 XPF in low season: cheaper than one return, and the obvious way to add Rurutu.A night on Tahiti each way
Getting around: Gentle enough to cycle. H-Bike at Taahuaia rents bikes with or without electric assistance; Wipa Lodge rents cars to guests. Boats to the motu from the marina.No airport shuttle
Weather: July and August about 24 °C by day and 18–19 °C at night, with 130–140 mm of rain a month, more than Rurutu. The sea drops to about 23 °C; a 3 mm wetsuit helps for long snorkels.Lychees in December, carrots July to November
The water: Eight motu with white-sand beaches, kite and windsurf water, a dive centre that takes children from five, whale outings in season.Bring your own kite
Money: Cash. Pension Taitaa and the dive club take nothing else.No black pearls farmed here
Shopping: The craft centre sells tifaifai quilts, woven hats and baskets. The best thing to take home is perishable: ask your host where to buy fruit and vegetables from a grower.Carrots are the famous crop

05 · How to plan it

Four steps.

01
Rurutu first
On the Austral Pass: whales and caves there, the lagoon here.
02
A motu day
Boat, kayak, snorkel, fish barbecue, sandbank.
03
A fort and a hill
Fort George with the association, Taitaa for the view.
04
Dive or sail
If the water and the wind are the point, give Tubuai the longer stay of the two.

06 · Who it does not suit

Modest sights.

No resort, no restaurant scene, and the sights are a marae, a fort site and a 422-metre hill. In the austral winter it is cool and wet. For independent travellers who like an island that works for a living, kitesurfers with their own gear, divers curious about cooler reefs and anyone doing Rurutu who wants a lagoon to go with the whales, it is a quiet pleasure.

07 · Who it suits

Who it
suits best.

Known for: A wide, shallow lagoon with white-sand motu · Farms that grow carrots, potatoes and lychees for Tahiti · Fort George, the Bounty mutineers' failed refuge of 1789 · Wind — good for kites, less so for sunbathing · The Australs' only permanent dive centre.

Independent travellers who like an island that works for a living: farms, a market-garden pace, a lagoon big enough to sail across, and history you can stand on. Kitesurfers and windsurfers with their own gear, divers curious about cooler-water reefs, and anyone doing Rurutu who wants a lagoon to go with the whales.

Typical stay: 3–4 nights. A motu day, a dive or a whale outing in season, Mount Taitaa and Fort George — then the island has shown you most of what it does.

08 · Getting there and around

Getting there,
getting around.

International: Every international flight lands at Faa'a (PPT) on Tahiti. Air Tahiti's minimum connection is 90 minutes from an international to a domestic flight and 120 minutes the other way; for a 1 h 40 flight south, a night on Tahiti is the calmer plan.¹
Domestic flights: Air Tahiti flies Tahiti–Tubuai (645 km) in about 1 h 40, with return fares from 82,060 XPF (≈ US$805) including taxes on its website in October 2026. The Austral Pass — Tahiti plus two Austral islands, a closed circuit — started at €540.69 (≈ 64,500 XPF, ≈ US$633) in low season for trips from 1 April 2026: cheaper than one return, and the obvious way to add Rurutu.²
Cargo ships: Mixed cargo ships serve the Australs from Papeete and carry the island's produce north, but few passengers — 816 for the whole archipelago in 2017. The maritime affairs office posts forecast schedules, which move with weather and breakdowns.³
Cruise ships: Aranui 5 makes occasional Austral voyages from Papeete that call at Tubuai; its sister ship Aranoa, built for the Australs, is due to start on 6 March 2027 with 18 voyages in its first season.⁴
Airport transfers: There is no shuttle from the airport. Pension Taitaa charges 1,000 XPF (≈ US$10) per adult for the return airport transfer (2026 rates); other pensions arrange their own.⁵
Bikes & e-bikes: The island is gentle enough to cycle. H-Bike Tubuai, at Taahuaia, rents bikes with or without electric assistance, with or without a guide.⁶
Rental cars: Wipa Lodge rents cars to its guests and lends bikes and kayaks free; otherwise ask your pension. A car is a convenience here, not a necessity.⁷
Boats: The motu are reached by boat: pensions run day trips from the marina (Pension Taitaa's with Narii goes to Tapapa Tavae and ends on motu One).⁸

09 · Where to stay

Which side
of the island.

Mataura. The main village and the Australs' administrative centre (929 people), on the north shore. Pension Taitaa and Sam et Yolande are here, as is Le Bloody Bay, the beach bar-restaurant. Best for: First stays, eating out, errands.

Taahuaia. The middle village (662 people), with the Fort George site and the bike rental. Quiet, with the lagoon on the doorstep. Best for: History, cycling.

Mahu. The southern village (594 people), near the Hermitage of Sainte-Hélène. The quietest of the three. Best for: Long, slow stays.

10 · Accommodation

Beds,
by budget.

Pensions & guesthouses: No hotels; Tahiti Tourisme lists four guesthouses. Pension Taitaa in Mataura has five rooms with private showers, fans and mosquito nets, breakfast with homemade yoghurt and brioche, and takes cash only. Wipa Lodge has five en-suite bungalows near a white-sand beach, five minutes from the village, with shared meals. Sam et Yolande (Mataura, five rooms) and Pension Toena (four rooms) are the others. Examples: Pension Taitaa, Wipa Lodge, Sam et Yolande, Pension Toena.⁵≈ 8,500 XPF (≈ US$83) single and 12,500 XPF (≈ US$123) double with breakfast, dinner 3,000 XPF (≈ US$29) per adult, at Pension Taitaa (2026 rates, no seasonal variation published)

11 · In the water

Beaches, reef
and open water.

The motu: Tahiti Tourisme counts eight motu with white-sand beaches. A typical day: boat from the marina, kayaking and snorkelling, a barbecue of raw and grilled fish with coconut bread, and a last stop on motu One, which is little more than a sandbank.⁸Lagoon
Kitesurfing & windsurfing: Air Tahiti calls the 5 km-wide lagoon ideal for kitesurfing and windsurfing, and the trade winds oblige. We found no kite school on the island: bring your own gear and experience. Wipa Lodge lists kitesurfing among its activities — ask what is supplied before you count on it.⁹Lagoon
Tubuai Plongée: Tahiti Tourisme describes it as the Australs' only permanent dive club: diving, snorkelling, freediving, children from five. More than a dozen sites, six for all levels; cooler water and well-kept coral. Prices on request, cash only.¹⁰Diving
Whale watching: Tubuai is one of nine islands where whale-observation permits are issued (20 July–20 November, 07:30–17:30, never inside the lagoon). Tubuai Plongée and Pension Taitaa list whale outings; Wipa Lodge gives the local season as September to November.¹¹Lagoon
Tavana beach: A stretch of white sand that doubles as the island's va'a (outrigger canoe) racing beach.¹²Beach

12 · On land

Ashore,
between swims.

01
Fort George
Archaeology. The Bounty mutineers' first refuge, built in 1789 under Fletcher Christian at Taahuaia. The site has stayed in the same family since; the Association Bounty Fort George runs guided visits in school holidays, with six museum panels, display cases and an orientation table on the old chiefdoms.¹³
02
Marae Mataura
Archaeology. Tubuai's most important marae, built with flat stones rather than the round ones usual in the Society Islands.¹⁴
03
Mount Taitaa
Hike. The 422 m summit and the island's best view. Wipa Lodge rates it an easy hike of about three hours there and back; quads can take you part of the way.⁷
04
Raid Litchis
Culture. The island's cross-country race, every November, over a course that includes Mount Taitaa.¹⁵
05
Hermitage of Sainte-Hélène
Culture. Near Mahu, in the south. A short detour on a bike loop of the island.¹⁵

13 · Food and shopping

What to eat,
and where.

Tubuai grows more than it can eat, so the ingredients are the story: carrots and potatoes rare elsewhere in the territory, taro, and lychees around December. Most visitors eat at their pension, often family-style. There are a couple of places to eat out in Mataura and near the Catholic church, both casual; check opening times on the day.

Shopping. The craft centre sells tifaifai quilts, woven hats and baskets. No black pearls are farmed here. The best thing to bring home is perishable: ask your host where to buy fruit and vegetables straight from a grower.

14 · Trip styles

One island,
several trips.

Families: Good, gently: shallow lagoon water, motu picnics, bikes on quiet roads, a dive centre that takes children from five. Pension Taitaa charges less for under-12s and nothing for under-6s (2026).
Honeymoons: Only for couples who'd rather have an empty motu than a spa. No resort, no overwater rooms; the romance is a boat to yourselves and a fish barbecue.
On a budget: Lodging is cheap by French Polynesian standards — about 12,500 XPF a night for a double with breakfast — and bikes cost little or nothing. The flight is the expense; the Austral Pass makes a second island nearly free.
Nightlife: There is none to speak of: Le Bloody Bay is listed as open until midnight on Fridays and Saturdays, and that is the scene.

15 · Weather by month

Month by month.

January

28° / 23° · sea 26°

Rain about 194 mm. Crowds low, prices moderate.

February

29° / 24° · sea 27°

Rain about 192 mm. Crowds very low, prices low.

March

29° / 23° · sea 27°

Rain about 176 mm. Crowds very low, prices low.

April

27° / 22° · sea 27°

Rain about 165 mm. Crowds low, prices low.

May

26° / 21° · sea 26°

Rain about 153 mm. Crowds very low, prices low.

June

24° / 19° · sea 24°

Rain about 119 mm. Crowds very low, prices low.

July

24° / 19° · sea 24°

Rain about 136 mm. Crowds low, prices moderate.

August

24° / 18° · sea 23°

Rain about 133 mm. Crowds moderate, prices moderate.

September

24° / 18° · sea 23°

Rain about 105 mm. Crowds high, prices moderate.

October

25° / 20° · sea 24°

Rain about 117 mm. Crowds high, prices moderate.

November

26° / 21° · sea 24°

Rain about 134 mm. Crowds low, prices low.

December

27° / 22° · sea 25°

Rain about 200 mm. Crowds moderate, prices moderate.

Mataura 1 (Tubuai, station 98753001) — Météo-France normals 1981–2010¹⁸. Sea temperature¹⁹. Crowds and prices are editorial scores (1 = low, 5 = high). Crowds follow the whale-permit window (20 July–20 November; locally September–November per Wipa Lodge), French and local school holidays — 62% of pension guests in French Polynesia are French (ISPF 2024) — and lychee season around December. Prices: pensions publish one year-round rate, so the score mostly reflects room scarcity and Air Tahiti's seasonal fares..

16 · Trip length

How long,
and with what.

Three to four nights. Tubuai is the natural partner for Rurutu on Air Tahiti's Austral Pass (Tahiti plus two Austral islands, a closed circuit): Rurutu for the whales and caves, Tubuai for the lagoon. If the lagoon and the wind are the point — kiting, sailing, diving — give Tubuai the longer stay. Keep a night on Tahiti at each end.

17 · Tubuai vs Rurutu

Tubuai
or Rurutu?

Getting there: Tubuai: 1 h 40 from Tahiti; return from 82,060 XPF (Oct 2026)⁹
Rurutu: 1 h 30; return from 74,860 XPF²⁰
People: Tubuai: 2,185 (2022)²¹
Rurutu: 2,163 (2022)²¹
The water: Tubuai: A 5 km-wide lagoon, eight motu, kite and windsurf water⁹
Rurutu: A narrow fringing reef; pools at low tide²²
Whales: Tubuai: A permit island; outings listed by the dive centre and a pension²³
Rurutu: The archipelago's whale island; the main draw July–October²⁴
On land: Tubuai: Fort George, Marae Mataura, Mount Taitaa (422 m), farms²⁵
Rurutu: Caves, cliff trails, Mount Manureva, the January Tere²²
July weather: Tubuai: ≈ 23.9 °C by day, 18.6 °C at night, 136 mm of rain¹⁸
Rurutu: ≈ 24.7 °C / 18.7 °C, 75 mm²⁶

Verdict. Tubuai for a lagoon to swim, sail and dive in; Rurutu for whales and caves. They are a pair, not rivals — the Austral Pass makes doing both cheaper than doing one. The Rurutu guide

18 · Questions

Asked
before booking.

01
Can I kitesurf on Tubuai?
Yes, the lagoon is wide, shallow and windy. But we found no kite school on the island, so come independent with your own gear, and ask your pension about launch spots.
02
Can you see whales from Tubuai?
Yes. Tubuai is one of the islands where observation permits are issued, from 20 July to 20 November; Tubuai Plongée and Pension Taitaa list outings. Rurutu is the better bet if whales are the main reason for the trip.
03
Is there anything left of Fort George?
The site is private and has stayed in the same family since 1789. The Association Bounty Fort George opens it for guided visits during school holidays, with museum panels and display cases — book ahead.
04
How cold and wet is it in winter?
July–August average about 24 °C by day and 18–19 °C at night, with 130–140 mm of rain a month — more than Rurutu over the same months. The sea drops to about 23 °C, so a 3 mm wetsuit helps for long snorkels.
05
Is there a hotel?
No. Tahiti Tourisme lists four guesthouses; Pension Taitaa's 2026 double with breakfast is 12,500 XPF (≈ US$123).
06
When are lychees in season?
Around December. Carrots, Tubuai's best-known crop, are harvested from July to November.

Sources · last verified 14 October 2026(37)

Explained

The mutineers' fort

In 1789 Fletcher Christian and the Bounty mutineers built a fort on Tubuai. They left within months.

Read the article

Australs

Rurutu

Limestone cliffs with caves, taro valleys, and humpback whales close to shore from July to October.

Open the island guide

Culture

Food

The islands' table, from the earth oven up.

Plan

When to go

Two seasons, honestly compared.

Tubuai,the farmingisland.

Eight motu,one sandbank.