Faarumai Waterfalls

Around Tahiti Nui

LoginSave

Through the village of Tiarei where the road swoops around a black-sand beach, you’ll see a sign on the mountain side of the road for the exceedingly high Faarumai Waterfalls. Unfortunately you can’t swim here anymore since a tourist was hit on the head by a falling rock, so bring mosquito repellent and just enjoy the view.

It’s a couple of hundred metres through a forest of mape trees to Vaimahutu, the first of the waterfalls. Another 20-minute stroll leads to the other two falls, Haamarere Iti and Haamarere Rahi, which stand almost side by side. You technically aren’t supposed to swim here either, but many people do.

Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

  • Marché de Pape’ete

    Marché de Pape’ete

    10.56 MILES

    A Pape'ete institution. If you see one site in town, make it this market, which fills an entire city block. Shop for colourful pareu (sarongs), shell…

  • French Polynesia, Society Islands, Windward Islands, Tahiti Island, Papenoo

    Papenoo

    4.37 MILES

    There’s a popular surf break just before the headland that signals the start of the small village of Papenoo. A long bridge crosses the Papenoo River at…

  • Pointe Vénus & Matavai Bay

    Pointe Vénus & Matavai Bay

    6.75 MILES

    Part of Captain Cook’s mission on his three-month sojourn in 1769 was to record the transit of Venus across the face of the sun in an attempt to calculate…

  • Bain de Vaima & Vaipahi Spring Gardens

    Bain de Vaima & Vaipahi Spring Gardens

    14.89 MILES

    Bain de Vaima (Vaima Pool) is where locals come from all over to bathe in the icy but exceptionally clear waters that are thought to have healing…

  • Jardins Botaniques

    Jardins Botaniques

    14.75 MILES

    The 137-hectare Jardins Botaniques has walking paths that wind their way through the garden past ponds, palms, a massive banyan tree and a superb mape…

  • Marae Mahaiatea

    Marae Mahaiatea

    16.93 MILES

    Just east of the village of Papara, the Marae Mahaiatea was the most magnificent marae on Tahiti at the time of Cook’s first visit (according to Cook it…

  • Musée Gauguin

    Musée Gauguin

    15.4 MILES

    This museum has been closed for years but hopefully it will reopen during the life of this book. The airy site surrounded by lush foliage is lovely, and…

  • Moorea Tropical Garden

    Moorea Tropical Garden

    29.25 MILES

    This delightfully peaceful property perched on a small plateau is heaven on earth for the sweet-toothed, who can sample (and buy) homemade organic jams,…

View more attractions

Nearby Around Tahiti Nui attractions

1. Arahoho Blowhole

1.61 MILES

When the swell is big enough, huge sprays of water shoot out from the trou du souffleur (blowhole) in a little park by the road just after the tunnel at…

2. Papenoo

4.37 MILES

There’s a popular surf break just before the headland that signals the start of the small village of Papenoo. A long bridge crosses the Papenoo River at…

4. Plage de Hitimahana

4.85 MILES

The black-sand Plage de Hitimahana is exposed to the prevailing winds, which makes it an excellent kitesurfing and windsurfing spot.

5. Hitiaa Lava Tubes

6.46 MILES

Three long cave lava tubes that make for a very wet and adventurous hike (guide mandatory).

6. Lighthouse

6.54 MILES

Impressive 1867 towering lighthouse right next to Point Venus's beach.

7. Pointe du Taharaa – One Tree Hill

6.72 MILES

At the top of the hill at around PK8, pull off to the lagoon side of the road and park in the lot that once belonged to Tahiti’s very upmarket Hyatt…

8. Pointe Vénus & Matavai Bay

6.75 MILES

Part of Captain Cook’s mission on his three-month sojourn in 1769 was to record the transit of Venus across the face of the sun in an attempt to calculate…

  • placement: superzone
  • path: Destinations/POIs/superzone
  • possible size: [970, 250], [970, 90], [728, 90], [1, 1],
  • targeting: 
    {
  "url": "french-polynesia/east-coast/attractions/faarumai-waterfalls/a/poi-sig/1433917/1332117",
  "destination": "Around-Tahiti-Nui",
  "continent": "Australia-&-Pacific",
  "country": "French-Polynesia",
  "region": "Around-Tahiti-Nui",
  "position": "superzone"
}