Point Venus
A black sand beach under a lighthouse, where Cook observed the transit of Venus in 1769.
Duration
1 hr – 2 hrs
Best time
Late afternoon
Open
Every day
Entry price
Free
Point Venus is the northernmost point of Tahiti, a black volcanic sand beach below an 1867 lighthouse. The name comes from a scientific observation: James Cook anchored here in 1769 to measure the transit of Venus across the Sun.
The stakes were considerable — comparing that measurement from several points on the globe allowed the distance from Earth to Sun to be calculated. It was the official reason for Cook's first voyage; the sealed orders, opened after the observation, instructed him to look for the southern continent.
Getting there
At Mahina, ten kilometres east of Papeete, twenty minutes by road along the north coast.
Rules on site
The black sand gets extremely hot in the middle of the day: wear shoes. The current is strong at the river mouth, at the western end of the beach.