The Raiatea airstrip, 3km (2 miles) north of Uturoa, serves both islands. You have to rent a vehicle or take a taxi, for there is no regular public transportation system on either Raiatea or Tahaa.
Europcar (tel. 800/227-7368 or 66.34.06; www.europcar-tahiti.com) and Hertz (tel. 800/654-3131 or 66.44.88; www.hertz.com) have rental-car offices here. Europcar's prices start at 9,700CFP (US$121/£61) a day, including insurance and unlimited kilometers. It also rents scooters, bicycles, and open-air "Bugster" vehicles. Europcar also has an office at Tupuamu Wharf on Tahaa's west coast (tel. 65.67.00), so you can take the ferry there, rent a car, and drive around the island. You must take a water taxi back to Uturoa.
Trudy Tours (tel. 78.23.36) provides transfers from the airport to the hotels and to Apooti Marina for 500CFP to 700CFP (US$6.25-US$8.75/£3.15-£4.45) per person. There is a taxi stand near the cruise-ship terminal in Uturoa, or you can contact René Guilloux (tel. 66.31.40), Marona Teanini (tel. 66.34.62), or Apia Tehope (tel. 66.36.41). Fares are about 600CFP (US$7.50/£3.80) from the airport to town and 1,200CFP (US$15/£7.60) to the Raiatea Hawaiki Nui Hotel.
The passenger ferry Tamarii Tahaa (tel. 65.67.10) docks in front of the Champion store on Uturoa's waterfront and runs from there to Patio on Tahaa's northern coast. It departs from Uturoa Monday to Friday, usually at 10am and 4pm, Saturday at 10am. You should make sure it will return to Uturoa on the same day it leaves. Fares range from 500CFP to 750CFP (US$6.25-US$9.40/£3.15-£4.75) one-way. Dave's Tours (tel. 65.62.42) also runs a shuttle from Uturoa to Tahaa, departing Monday to Saturday at 9am, returning at 4:30pm. Fares are 1,500CFP (US$19/£9.50) one-way, 2,500CFP (US$31/£16) round-trip. Water-taxi service is available at the waterfront (tel. 65.66.64); rides cost about 2,000CFP (US$25/£13).
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.
