Pape'ete Layover - Leave Airport?

Hey all,

My wife and I will be traveling to Tahiti this week. On our way back we have a six hour layover at Faaa airport in Pape'ete. I understand there's not much to do (or eat) at Faaa. So:

(1) Do we have enough time to leave the airport and explore Pape'ete for a little while?
(2) Is it as costly as I've heard to get from the airport to downtown, and back again?

Thanks for any advice!

There is a little snack shop open at the airport during the day. Taxis are expensive but I cannot remember what the going cost was.....it is only about 10-15 mins ride into town. If you are there during the day time....and not Sat afternoon or Sunday...you can catch a bus into town up on the main road..... With that much time you might as well make the most of. I hitched into town on a Sun morning......and the hostel ran me to the airport when I left at night......cheaper than a taxi but good money for them.

Hi everyone,

I've got a similar question, just more choices, we haven't bought our plane tickets yet:

We might land in PPT around midnight, then continue to Bora Bora at 8 am. Can we even stay at the airport at these hours? If so, are there any couches, lounges etc. that would make the wait bearable?

Alternatively, we might book different flight to stay in Papeete overnight, perhaps more than 24 hrs. But is there anything to do there? We're then going to sail to various Pacific island, so I'm not sure if yet another town is worth it... I mean, if this particular town is worth it. Any suggestions? Thx in advance!

There was a wooden bench sort of thing by the departures area that I and a few others slept on for the night when our flight got in around mid night. It was safe enough....the odd person still walking around etc. By 5am things were starting up for interisland flights.

Papeete central rather closes down after dark but in the day light it is an interesting town and the market is one of the best in the Pacific to see.