This Saturday, January 26th, Tahiti will host its annual New Year’s celebration known as Le Tere Fa’ati. It includes a festive tour aboard the traditional open-air “le truck” with multiple stops around the island. Each bus is decorated with colorful flowers and carries a local band to provide musical entertainment during the ride. This is an unforgettable way to see the island of Tahiti, so don’t miss the bus!

The tradition of Le Tere Fa’ati began in the early 1950s. Tahitians would board dozens of trucks and travel around the island to the sounds of drums and ukuleles, bringing well wishes for the New Year to their friends and family. Today, it’s a great opportunity for visitors to explore the island and socialize with locals along the way.

Stops include tourist attractions such as Marae Arahurahu, Mara’a Cave, Taharu’u Beach, Vaipahi Garden, the Tiarei Waterfalls and Point Venus. Travelers on the tour will enjoy plenty of surprises and dance performances throughout the day, as well as a traditional lunch by the shore in Hitia’a. It departs at 8:00 a.m. on Saturday from the Visitor’s Bureau (Fare Manihini) and returns at 5:00 p.m. that evening.

Here’s just a taste of the Tahitian music that will surely fill the air this weekend: