Tahiti Webcam – Faa’a Airport, Gateway to Polynesia

The Tahiti Webcam looks out from the Tahiti Airport Motel in Faa’a, across the road from the terminal of Faa’a International Airport, the only international airport in French Polynesia. In the foreground a dual carriageway runs past a lawn and a carport, and beyond it the terminal car park spreads out in front of the long, low terminal building. Behind the terminal the flat airfield runs out to the water, with jets parked on the apron, a tall tower at the far left and the Pacific along the horizon. Clouds build and clear over the sea through the day, and buses and cars come and go on the road below. After dark the terminal frontage and the apron stay floodlit. A second camera on the motel shows the same terminal from another angle.

About Faa’a International Airport

The airport sits on the northwest coast of Tahiti, 5 kilometers (3.1 miles) southwest of central Papeete, and most of it is built on land reclaimed from the coral reef just offshore. Its single runway, 04/22, is 3,420 meters (11,220 feet) long, and the field lies only 2 meters (6.6 feet) above sea level, which is why the airfield looks so flat against the water from the motel. Before the airport opened, Papeete was reached by Short Sandringham flying boats. In 2023 the airport handled 1,708,098 passengers, 21.5 percent more than the year before.

Faa’a is the most populous commune in French Polynesia, with 29,826 residents at the 2022 census spread over 34.2 square kilometers (13.2 square miles) of coast and hillside. Inland the ground climbs quickly toward mountains of around 1,500 meters (4,921 feet), and the commune also holds Marae Taumata, a traditional Polynesian ceremonial site.

The Tahiti Airport Motel, which runs both cameras, stands about 200 meters (656 feet) from the airport and keeps its reception open 24 hours for travelers on early and late flights. Its main camera, labeled AEROP on screen, takes in the road, the car park, the terminal and the airfield in one wide sweep. The second camera, labeled MOZ, points further to the left, so the terminal sits on the right of its frame behind a car park, the road and the rooftops closest to the motel.

Weather and Climate in Tahiti

Tahiti is hot and humid all year, and the seasons are told apart more by rain than by temperature. Long-term averages for Papeete, just up the coast, give daytime highs of about 31 C (88 F) in January and 32 C (89 F) in April, easing to 30 C (86 F) in July and 31 C (87 F) in October. Nights rarely drop far below 21 to 23 C (70 to 73 F). About 2,075 millimeters (81.7 inches) of rain falls in a typical year, and December is the wettest month with close to 397 millimeters (15.6 inches).

On camera, the wet months around December can bring towering clouds over the sea and heavy showers that sweep across the airfield. The middle of the year is the drier stretch, and August is the driest month with about 66 millimeters (2.6 inches), so the horizon behind the terminal is more often sharp and the sky a clearer blue. Papeete averages about 2,685 hours of sunshine a year, and the view is at its brightest from mid morning until mid afternoon, when the sun is high over the island.

Things to Do Near Faa’a and Papeete

Central Papeete is a short drive up the coast. The Papeete Market is the town’s best-known stop, and the center also holds the Cathedral of Notre Dame of Papeete and Bougainville Park, with the waterfront esplanade running along the harbor. The ferry terminal on the same waterfront is where Aremiti and Terevau boats leave for Moorea, a crossing of roughly 30 to 45 minutes depending on the vessel, which makes a day trip easy for anyone staying near the airport.

Heading south along the west coast, the Museum of Tahiti and the Islands in Punaauia is the national museum of French Polynesia, and its main exhibition hall reopened in May 2023 after a renovation. Farther on, Vaiava Beach, known locally as PK 18, is a favorite with local families for picnics and swimming, with parking and public showers. Closer to the motel, Faa’a has a coastal beach park with playgrounds and coconut palms, and Marae Taumata is within the commune for anyone curious about the island’s older history.

Similar Webcams You Might Like

Air Tahiti Nui links Faa’a with Los Angeles and Auckland, and both ends of those routes have cameras of their own.

• LAX Airport Webcam
• Hauraki Gulf Auckland Webcam
• Heathrow Airport Webcam

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is the Tahiti Webcam located?

On the Tahiti Airport Motel in Faa’a, across the road from the terminal of Faa’a International Airport on the northwest coast of Tahiti, French Polynesia. The motel is about 200 meters (656 feet) from the airport and a five-minute drive from Papeete.

What can you see on the Tahiti Webcam?

The main camera looks over a dual carriageway and the terminal car park to the long, low terminal of Faa’a International Airport. Jets parked on the apron appear beside the terminal, and the flat airfield runs out to the sea behind it, with a tall tower at the far left. The second tab, labeled MOZ, shows the terminal from another angle, behind a car park and the rooftops near the motel.

Is this the Papeete airport webcam?

Yes. Faa’a International Airport serves Papeete and the whole of Tahiti, and it is the only international airport in French Polynesia. It lies 5 kilometers (3.1 miles) southwest of central Papeete.

Does the Tahiti Webcam show a beach or downtown Papeete?

No. Both cameras face the airport. Downtown Papeete and its waterfront are out of shot up the coast, and although the sea is visible behind the airfield, there is no beach in frame. The nearest well-known swimming beach, Vaiava (PK 18), is farther south in Punaauia.

What airlines fly to Tahiti?

Long-haul routes into Faa’a include Air Tahiti Nui to Los Angeles, Paris via Los Angeles, Auckland and Tokyo, Air France to Los Angeles and Paris Charles de Gaulle, Air New Zealand to Auckland, Hawaiian Airlines to Honolulu, United Airlines to San Francisco, and French Bee to Paris Orly and San Francisco. Schedules change by season, so check with the airline before you book.

What is the weather like in Tahiti?

Hot and humid all year. Papeete averages highs of 30 to 32 C (86 to 89 F) and lows of 21 to 23 C (70 to 73 F), with about 2,075 millimeters (81.7 inches) of rain a year. December is the wettest month and August the driest.

Is the Tahiti Webcam live at night?

Yes. Both cameras stream around the clock, and after sunset the terminal frontage, the car park and the apron stay lit. Tahiti keeps time 10 hours behind UTC all year, so evening on the camera falls in the early morning in Europe and late at night on the US East Coast.

Source: Tahiti Airport Motel