Fautaua Valley Hike to Tahiti’s highest waterfall 

** Important Info: This hike is currently closed for renovations! It will reopen in September/October 2025**

The Fautaua valley hike leads to one of Tahiti’s most stunning waterfalls; and at a crazy 135m in height, it’s also the islands’ highest. Walk through the lush green valley, discover historical sites and sweat up to the top of the falls to an incredible hidden swimming spot. 

Before you go – Don’t forget the permit!

Every hiker requires a permit to do the Fautaua Valley hike. Don’t try and skip this step – there is a guard posted at the entrance of the hike that checks everyone for their permits, and records their names. To obtain the permit, head to the Papeete Town Hall and find the department of administration and finance (Direction de l’administration et des finances), located on the ground level, north side. The department is open from 7:30am till 2:30pm from Monday to Thursday, and from 7:30 till 1:30pm on Fridays. You can go a day or two in advance.

Ask for a permit (autorisation) for the Fautaua or Fachoda waterfall hike. You’ll have to pay a fee (600 francs per adult/ 150 francs per child 12-17 years/ free for children under 12 years). Note that you can pay by card. They’ll give you a paper that you’ll need to sign and give to the guard at the entrance.

Where is it? How do I get there?

This hike is located in the Fautaua Valley, between Papeete and Pirae. 

Car/Taxi: The easiest way to get there is to drive – it takes about 10-15 minutes from downtown Papeete.  Find Avenue Pierre Loti and take the road all the way to the parking lot at the end, which is the departure point for the hike. Type ‘Fautaua Valley’ into Google maps and it’ll direct you to the entrance of the hike.

Bus: *Weekdays only from about 6am – 5pm*  From the bus terminal next to the Papeete Town Hall, take bus marked 8A TITIORO. The bus goes almost to the end of Fautaua Valley. Get out at the last stop, which is at a multi-sport court (Salle Omisports Pape Ora), then walk 10 minutes down the road to the entrance of the hike. Catch the same bus for the return trip.

Walk: Not recommended but it’s possible to walk to the hike from downtown Papeete. Set aside an hour at least to get to the entrance of the hike. 

How long is the Fautaua Valley hike? Is it dangerous?

It takes about 1.5 – 2 hours to do this 6km waterfall hike one way. The first half of the hike is very easy; it’s a wide flat path the follows the river. The second half is more challenging – it’s pretty steep and there are sections where it’s rocky or there are exposed roots and it can be slippery underfoot.  Some sections have ropes to help you climb. That said, anyone with average fitness levels should be able to do this and there are plenty of places to have a little rest on the way up.

This hike can be dangerous! The scariest (and the most thrilling) part of the hike is swimming at the small pools at the top of the falls. This is because there is no barrier between the pool and the waterfall, meaning that if you swim too close to the edge you will fall all the way  down the waterfall to the rocky pool at the bottom. The week after I did this hike for the first time, a teenager died falling to the bottom – and she was a local. Exercise caution, but also know that you won’t be able to fall off unless you go right to the edge.

Good to know: Info & Tips for the Fautaua Waterfall hike

• The Fautaua valley hike may be closed due to weather. Sometimes, even if it’s sunny in Papeete, it can be raining in the valley. Be prepared to be flexible – the Papeete Town Hall will only give you a permit if the weather is permitting. 

• Set aside a half day to fully enjoy this hike and have a swim! Make sure to pack lots of water and lunch and/or snacks. It’s easy to find baguette sandwiches and fresh produce at the supermarkets and market in Papeete before the hike. Consider bringing insect repellent as well.

• Halfway through the hike, when you arrive at a small bridge crossing the river, the path splits in two. One path goes to the top of the falls, and the other one goes to the bottom. I recommend going to the top because there’s an incredible swimming spot up there with a natural rock slide.

• I don’t recommend this hike for small kids, mainly because of dangers of swimming here, but also because there are some very steep rocky sections that can be slippery. 

• The trail is one of the most accessible and well maintained in Tahiti. It’s also one of the few that is possible to do without a guide! That said, if you want to get some insight into the fascinating history in the valley, as well as learn about the plants and animals found here I’d definitely recommend hiring a guide. There’s also one section of the hike that is very steep and rocky – having a guide would be helpful to navigate this section. 

• Footwear: I did this hike in crocs and they were perfect! Consider wearing footwear that can get wet. Many locals hike in jelly sandals.

Our experience

I’ve done this hike multiple times and it’s one of my favourite hikes because it’s short, close to town and its spectacular. Most recently, I did it with my 8 year old brother and my mum, who’s in her mid fifties! 

At the beginning the trail is a wide dirt road, flanked on both sides by tropical forest. It’s an easy, beautiful walk. There’s a few signs with information about the history of the valley and and some of the plants along the way. You can also cross the river and see the site of an ancient Tahiti marae (temple).

When we got to the bridge we chose to hike up to the top of the falls. It’s all steep and uphill from here!

Less than 30 mins hiking uphill and we came across this stunning view of the falls. 

Not long after we found the remains of Fort Fachoda, one of the last Tahitian strongholds during the Franco Tahitian wars. 

A very steep climb down after the fort led to my favourite part of the hike: the pools with their natural rock slides! The water was cold and so refreshing after the hard ascent.  We shared the spot with six other people when we were there. 

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Hope this guide to hiking Fautaua valley was useful! If you’re looking more to do in Tahiti check out this post:

7 Best Things to do in Papeete

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Tiare

Tiare is a successful freelance writer and travel blogger, focusing on French Polynesia. Her work has been featured in National Geographic and The Guardian.

This travel blog is is her newest project with her twin sister. Their mission is to give everyone the confidence to explore the beautiful islands of French Polynesia.

Tiare has been living in Tahiti for the last six years.