8 Best Places to Shop in The Other Islands, French Polynesia

On Raiatea you can stop by Arri Boutique.

The usual art and handicraft shops sell a wide variety of woodcarvings and shell and pearl items, with most guaranteed to have been locally made. Local artists often sell at the Hawaiki Nui Federation at Uturoa airport and the Maritime Harbor.

Both islands have an active community of artisans, but one of the more unusual is Jean Luc Liaut, a native Raiatean whose fishing boat Te Manu Ata is based in Uturoa and is available for charter. He has turned handmade fishing lures into an art form, and his products are sought globally.

La Palme D'Or is a recommended place to shop for pearls on Raiatea.

Loose pearls and 18-carat-gold-set jewelry can be purchased at Motu Pearl Farm.

Near Vaipoe Farm, Poerani Farm has lovely grounds and will arrange for visitors pickups, for a fee.

Tico Pearls is a recommended place to shop for pearls on Raiatea.

Vaipoe Pearl Farm has a gift shop that sells its own cultivated black pearls, jewelry, and handicrafts. They accept MasterCard and Visa, which is rare.