A quad ride in Tahiti

I have been living in French Polynesia for 4 years now, and I must admit that we often don’t necessarily take the time to discover the place we live in. I had already been into the heart of Tahiti for work, but I had never really taken the time to enjoy a proper outing there. That is now done, after testing, in collaboration with Vaihiria Quad, a quad ride in the interior of Tahiti Island.

I had already heard about it briefly, but the opportunity came up to do a 3-hour quad ride and discover the natural beauty of Tahiti’s hinterland. I hope this will make you want to spend a few days on Tahiti Island during your trip, because only a few tourists really take the time to do so. And for those who live here, it is also a good excuse to go on a great excursion and support a local business. Come on, let’s go, I’ll take you for a ride. For the reservation, you can book directly through Manawa, a website that I really recommend for outdoor and sports activities in French Polynesia. When preparing your itinerary in French Polynesia, I really invite you to consider spending at least 2 days on the island of Tahiti.

If you’re looking for a swimming spot after this outing, have a look at our article on Tahiti’s beaches.

The meeting point is in the small town of Mataiea, at PK 47.5, on the mountain side. You can find their exact location online by searching for “Vaihiria Quad”. We meet the team: Heiata and Haamana, the two young Polynesians who opened the company about a year and a half ago. A nice welcome drink is waiting for us. They then explain the safety instructions and how the quads work. Nothing too complicated, so let’s go for a 3-hour ride. We get to see three lakes or reservoirs along the way, before turning back at the locally known Lake Vaihiria, in the center of the island. Oh yes, I almost forgot: the outfit with the helmet and hairnet is pretty funny.

We leave with 3 quads: mine, two friends sharing one, and Haamana, who is our guide for the day. We leave the base and head down into the valley on a small paved road. It had been a long time since I had actually driven a quad, and I liked the feeling of riding slowly and taking the time to discover the place. After 10 minutes, we reach the dirt road, and that’s when the fun really begins!

At this point, the valley is still quite wide, but you can already see the diversity of the flora in the heart of the valley. For those who are not used to seeing the interior of the islands, it’s really beautiful to discover, and it makes a nice change from white-sand beaches too. We were lucky because the weather was nice and even quite cool (I almost put on a sweater!). As the valley narrows, the vegetation becomes denser and denser. We make our first official stop at the “green lake”, a cute little reservoir in the early morning…

We continue along the dirt road, which gets narrower and narrower. Then we make another lovely little stop at a beautiful double waterfall, just a short distance from the road! The track then takes us to the superb Blue Lake, another artificial reservoir, much more beautiful than the previous one. It sits at the foot of an impressive volcanic cliff, with a beautiful stream of water flowing down from above. The lake is set in an enchanting environment, and we take a moment to admire this beautiful setting!

The splendid Blue Lake at the foot of an imposing waterfall. I can’t even imagine how powerful it must be during the rainy season!

We cross an iron bridge and continue toward our final destination. On both sides, small waterfalls flow down the slopes, and they must be really impressive during the rainy season. The excursion takes place at the end of September, before the heavy rains arrive. It would almost be worth coming back in January or February, with good weather, to admire the waterfalls when they should have a much stronger flow!

The higher we go, the more omnipresent and dense the vegetation becomes. It’s really nice to see, and a quad ride is well suited to this type of landscape anyway. We arrive shortly afterwards at our final destination, Lake Vaihiria, at an altitude of 470m (1,542ft). We are lucky because the weather is still quite good. It must be said that this area is known as one of the wettest parts of Tahiti. So yes, clearly, it is more than humid here. We sit for a few moments at a small viewpoint above the lake, with superb views of the surrounding dense vegetation and sharp ridges.

We then follow the guide down toward the lake for a small fruit snack. While Haamana prepares everything, I take the opportunity to wander off and take a few pictures by the lake. I must say that the reflection of the mountains and vegetation in the water is really beautiful, even though the white tarpaulins and construction work that were there during our visit were a shame…

There are several information boards around the lake explaining how it was formed and describing the fauna and flora found in the area. It’s always a nice little bonus, in my opinion.

We take the opportunity to eat a few wild blackberries from the area and to enjoy, with great pleasure, what Haamana has prepared for us: a small fruit treat made with blackberries, papaya, star apple and guava, with coconut water to accompany it all. This is the kind of small gesture that doesn’t cost much but makes you really happy. It makes you want to see this more often in tourist places in French Polynesia. In short, it was nice! We even get to hear the legend of Hina and the Coconut Tree (link in French, sorry), told by our guide!

It was time for us to head back down (3 hours went by fast). We take a short swimming break in the not-very-warm water, but in a very beautiful spot at the Blue Lake. Then we return the same way, at full speed, for a quick ride back! In the end, I must say that it was very pleasant to drive through this environment, and I sincerely think it is an excellent way to discover the island’s interior, other than by 4×4. In short, I 100% recommend it. Beautiful surroundings, a great team and a very good time!

Moreover, if you would like to discover the interior of the island in a simpler way, I invite you to go hiking on the heights of Vaitavere, in Punaauia.

Practical information for the Quad excursion

Some general information to know:

• At the time of this update, the official prices are 21,000 XPF for 1 person on one quad, and 25,000 XPF for 2 people sharing one quad. Always double-check the current price before booking, of course.
• You don’t have many options to get there. Either you rent a scooter or a rental car in town, or you check directly with the provider to see whether a transfer is available.
• As for timing, knowing the tropics and the area well, I personally advise you to go in the morning instead. Very often, the interior of the island clouds over in the afternoon as the clouds move into the valleys. It may give the place a certain charm, but well… you won’t see much.
• Remember to bring a small bag with spare clothes, a bathing suit, towel, sunscreen, a rain jacket, and your driver’s license.

There you go, I hope this little quad ride in Tahiti has pleased you and made you want to visit the middle of the island. As I said, few tourists take the time to stay in Tahiti, and I think it’s a shame. It is a great way to discover the beauty of the island’s interior in half a day.

For additional things to do and see on the island of Tahiti, don’t hesitate to read our article!

I look forward to seeing you soon for a new Tahitian discovery. For those who are wondering, it is also possible to go quad biking on Moorea Island.

Sylvain

Written by Sylvain PONS

From 2015 to 2021, French Polynesia was our home, with Mélanie and our children. I'm happy to share my experience and advice to help you organize an unforgettable stay in French Polynesia, based on my in-depth knowledge of the territory.

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