Shopping - Bring the Paradise at home

Shopping

Bring the Paradise at home

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Shopping is interesting to say the least. Whilst those looking for duty free bargains for electronic goods and the like will most probably be disappointed, there are some very interesting buys available in other areas. The likes of “label” French designer fashions, European shoes, local summer fashions, Polynesian handicrafts and, of course, the exquisite black pearl and its associated jewellery are all available. The latter can be expensive to purchase, but if you’ve bought wisely, can appreciate considerably upon your return to Great Britain.

A wide variety of the latest in French perfumes can also be found at a reasonable price - particularly from the Papeete and airport Duty Free shops.

Other articles worth checking out are the French wines at good prices in local supermarkets and stores, plus fresh local coffee and vanilla pods.

A “must” to buy is at least one “pare’u” wrap around - always colourful, always different, handy for your stay in the islands, and surprisingly useful when you return home - they have many uses.

The downtown Papeete marketplace is a great place to start, with a wide variety of goods (not all of them perishable) on offer. It is open normal business hours Monday through Friday, with limited operation Saturday morning. The “big day” is on Sunday - starting at around 5am through until late morning - the earlier the better. If you can get up early, take your camera, allow an hour or two and just enjoy the colourful sights and busy atmosphere.

For general shopping in Papeete, two areas stand out. Firstly, the downtown area has a diverse array of shops from chic boutiques to Chinese merchants who stock everything (in organised chaos) including the “kitchen sink”. Secondly, the Moana Nui shopping centre in Punaauia on Tahiti’s westcoast, just a few kilometres from the airport and near to several resort hotels, offers interest. This is a shopping centre as we know it and includes a gigantic supermarket-cum-department store, “Continent”, specialty shops and cafes.