10 Unique Souvenirs to Pick Up in Tahiti

Tahiti’s black pearls are world famous. They’re extremely rare and are formed from the black lip oyster. While Tahitian pearls can come in a variety of colours, including green, pink, blue, silver and yellow, the rarest and most valuable hue is the black pearl.

Vanilla pods from Tahiti tend to be a lot larger and plumper than other varieties. The aroma is heavy, and the taste is often described as a bit more fruity and flora.

These Polynesian-style patchwork quilts, known as Tahitian tifaifai, are a beautiful and brightly-coloured craft to remind you of French Polynesia. The word tifaifai means to mend, patch or sew.

Tribal carvings and sculptures can be seen throughout many Polynesian islands. However, what you’ll see in Tahiti varies from other island nations. Some of them relate to the cultural creation story or mythology, such as that of Tahiti’s Tiʻi, the first man, made from red earth. There are many other locally designed and crafted wooden carvings you can pick up in French Polynesia.

If you’d rather a permanent symbol of your time in Tahiti, consider a tattoo from the birthplace of ink designs. Even the English word tattoo is believed to come from the Tahitian word tatau. In Polynesian history, tattoos can dictate a person’s social or tribal rank, their family connections and territory.

Celebrate Tahiti’s local brew with a Hinano beer t-shirt. The equivalent of a “I Heart New York” souvenir shirt, a Hinamo beer tee is just the ticket to remembering another ‘culture’ of Tahiti, its beer industry.

These hand-woven sarongs are another beautiful handicraft from French Polynesia to remind you of your vacation. They’re colourful and vibrant. The word pareu is often used to mean to wrap something. The origins of the pareu can be traced back to early Tahitian clothing, which was traditionally made from leaves of banana and coconuts, as well as the husk and fibres of coconuts, hibiscus, breadfruit and paper mulberry bark.

Tahitian jewellery often features carvings of the shimmering mother of pearl shell. You’ll find plenty of pendants and earrings through the islands in beautiful shapes and designs. If your budget doesn’t quite extend to the rare black pearls of Tahiti, then mother-of-pearl jewellery is a beautiful, more affordable reminder of your time next to the ocean.