French Polynesia: Insider tips for Tahiti

Gina Bunton recommends dinner at Le Coco's Tahiti for a delicious and refined fusion of local and French cuisine. Photo / Supplied

For a special night out, I take friends to:

A relaxed dinner at the roulottes at Vaiete Square to enjoy the great local atmosphere and where everyone can choose what they feel like eating. Then we can see where the night will take us, depending on what is going on in the various bars and clubs around town.

A great place for a cold beer is:

If you are in town, check out the 3 Brasseurs, a micro-brewery in Papeete that produces its own artisanal beer.

Tahiti's most under-rated romantic spot?

Tahiti iti, where the road ends (literally) - there are some great little guest houses where you will feel out of this world. The slower pace and silence of nature and sea are soothing and offer great surroundings to reconnect with your better half.

A cool local label worth checking out is?

There are so many ... Mutiny Tahiti, Hinano and Tahitian Move are just a few worth checking out, whether you are looking for a bag, T-shirts or flip-flops and great souvenirs to take away.

I love Tahiti because ...

Every morning I wake up and look out to see the sun rising over Moorea and I remember how lucky we are to live here.

We have a lifestyle that so many can only dream of.

Name an invigorating local walk or run ...

Join the locals who run in Paofai Park at the end of the day and enjoy the sun setting over Moorea while you are sweating it out. Great for kids too with the playgrounds all around.

If money was no object, I'd ...

Buy one of the atolls in our Tuamotu archipelago and set up home. With high-speed internet.

If I'm here with the kids, what are three things we must do?

If you are here during whale season, book a whale-watching excursion, it truly is a wonderful experience. Also great is swimming with the sharks and rays, a safe and memorable experience for kids and adults alike. Learn how to paddle board on the lagoon, it's fun!

What is Tahiti's best-kept secret?

Everybody knows about our lagoons and the activities to do on the water, but the interior
of the island is also a beautiful place to explore.

Go for walks in the mountains to discover waterfalls or take a 4WD excursion in the
valleys.

And a local cafe or restaurant that you return to over and over?

Dinner at Le Coco's Tahiti, to enjoy their carte blanche menu, which changes according to the mood of chefs Heiarii and Benedicte and the fresh produce they have sourced. A delicious and refined fusion of local and French cuisine.

The restaurant is built next to the lagoon, with a great view of the island of Moorea. It is also known as the house by the water (la maison au bord de l'eau).

A great gallery or artist worth checking out is ...

Winkler Gallery in Papeete; you can also check out the resident artist at L'Atelier des Artistes, at Le Meridien Tahiti.

Gina Bunton is the Chief Operations Officer of ‎Tahiti Tourisme.