Papeete Airport
Lasting Impressions....
Memorable comments left by travellers:
"Off to the left of the main terminal was a small pavilion with roof, and three wooden benches, it was almost too good to be true! " (Heather)
" I wandered around the terminal a bit and finally found the holy grail of the airport. A 3 foot wide platform/bench that nobody had yet claimed." (Krissi)
"Woke up the first time to find a rat nibbling on my toes." (?)
FEATURED REVIEWS
by Laura P
"January 2006: I was enroute from the US to New Zealand and had a 13 hour layover in Papeete. before landing, I naively thought that even though it was an overnight layover, I would go to the beach (I was not going to be in Tahiti and miss the beach!). however, by the time I got through customs it was dark out, I was sleepy and I had very little Tahitian currency, probably not enough even to get to town and back. so I stayed in the airport. the shops were shut already, however the airport was quite the social scene on this Friday night. lots of locals were there, meeting and greeting each other (most of them weren't traveling, I think, they were just hanging out at the airport). there were dogs running around. I checked my backpack and wandered for a bit (which didn't take long, it's a small airport). then, overcome by the need to sleep, I looked for a bench. there was ONE bench. and someone was sleeping on it. I kept scouting...and ended up sleeping on the floor in front of the duty free. there actually were a few of us travelers crashed there. despite the loud chatter of the local socialites and the drumming that went on for much of the night, I slept quite well. a couple of hours before my flight the next morning, the departure lounge was opened up...it would've been nice to be able to sleep there (comfy seats)...why do they not open this up at night? in any event, it wasn't a bad night. however, next time I'm in Tahiti I am going to stay for a while!"
by daniele456
The lack of air-conditioning made it really uncomfortable. They had limited cushioned seating which other people got to first. The airport is Honolulu-style, with the waiting areas at the gates being open to the air outside and so every time a plane pulled in during our 7 hour layover, we would wake up to the sound of jet engines 10 meters away. We got a spot next to the Business Class lounge, which was strategic since everytime a business suit came in or out, we got a puff of air-conditioning. :)
Airport Guide
Here is some information that we've picked out of from your reviews. Be sure to read the review pages for the most up-to-date experiences:
- crowded
- noisy
- there is a small pavilion with roof to the left of the main terminal where you get some rest
- clean washrooms
- high humidity and temperatures because it is an open air airport
- plastic bucket seats
- after security check there are leather couches
Travel Sites
- Hostels and Budget Accommodation - I've booked my own accommodation on this site. If you are too old for hostels and too cheap for hotels, like me, you'll find some good properties. They offer dorms, private rooms, B&Bs, Apartments.
Related Links
- Airport Photos
