Parroquia De San Pedro-Celestino

This fairly small and modestly turned out Catholic church is classic and cute. Painted a soothing white on the outside, and most of the interior, it stands in bright contrast to the surrounding greenery of the mountains and leafy coconut palms that flank it. It’s highly photogenic, pretty enough to be a postcard.

It is a place of worship for locals, but tourists often visit the church as well, probably out of general interest (churches, after all, give the world some of its finest art); traditional Catholic masses are conducted in French and Tahitian.

Situated in the centre of the village of Vaitape, the church inside, despite its relatively small size, is open and airy, with lofty sloped ceiling panels, and a stained glass section just behind the altar; it depicts some traditional Catholic symbols, as well as a cluster of native Bora Bora types of scenes. It’s well worth a visit, a quiet respite in the shade of a hot day.