The field school will be small, friendly with locals and intellectually engaging. All participants will live with the leaders in a house with a Marquesan family, eating the same fresh fruit, fish, and french bread that they do. Local islanders will also participate in the dig itself, providing additional links to the community. As the only outsiders in the village, participants will be immersed in the Marquesan lifestyle.

Tuition for academic (through your home institution or the University of Hawaii) is extra and depends on the number of credits you take. We recommend you arrange a 3 or 6 credit independent study course through your home institution, because it may be cheaper than the University of Hawaii and you will not have to negotiate the transfer of credits. The maximum number of credits through the University of Hawaii is 6. For a non-resident student, the cost is $784/credit, or $4704.

Visa for entry to French Polynesia

American citizens need a visa from France if they want to stay in French Polynesia for more than 30 days. Americans who enter Tahiti on June 25 and leave on July 23 (our project dates) will not need a visa. But if you extend your stay you will have to get the visa on your own by going in person to a French consulate. I don’t know the rules for citizens of other countries. Please check this yourself if you will not be traveling with a US passport.

HOW TO GET THERE? Fly direct from New York, Los Angeles, or Honolulu to Tahiti to meet the group on June 25. We will fly together (aboard a new 60-seat Airbus) to Hiva Oa and be driven by jeep to board the Tahuata Nui. This ferry crosses the 3 mile channel to Tahuata, bringing us to Vaitahu. We will return to Tahiti together on July 23.

Plane Tickets

You will need two plane tickets, one to Tahiti and a second from Tahiti to the
Marquesas.

Tahiti to the Marquesas.
AFAR will reserve places for you on the Air Tahiti Tahiti/Marquesas flights. The
cost of the roundtrip Tahiti/Marquesas is 600 Euros which is about US$850 depending on the exchange rate. The local currency (Pacific Franc) is tied to the Euro.
Getting to Tahiti.
Please use the Tahiti/Marquesas flight details to schedule your flights to and from Tahiti. There is only one airport on Tahiti: Papeete. My flight from Hawaii will arrive in Tahiti at 9:55 PM on June 25. If you can also fly into Tahiti on June 25, then please wait for my plane and we will all meet at the airport (near the café/snack bar if you don't see me come out of customs). Because our Marquesas flight is at 8:30 AM the following day, we will sleep in the airport (I know all the best spots and this is better than going to a hotel and  waking up at 5 AM to come back out to the airport!).

There are direct flights to Tahiti from Honolulu, Los Angeles, and New York. I will be on the Honolulu/Tahiti flight:
Honolulu to Tahiti. Hawaiian Airlines flt. 481.
Depart Honolulu Friday June 25 5:05 PM. Arrive Tahiti June 25 9:55 PM.

Tahiti to Honolulu. Hawaiian Airlines flt. 482.
Depart Tahiti July 23 11:45 PM. Arrive Honolulu July 23 5:30 AM.

You can join me on the same flight, OR you can fly to Tahiti through Los Angeles or New York. If you want to fly through LA or NY I recommend Air Tahiti Nui Airlines, Air France, or Quantas. One good connection is Air Tahiti Nui flt 1 which departs LA at 1:00 PM and arrives Tahiti at 6:20 PM (ca. $1450 roundtrip).

There are other options too. Search expedia.com or some similar site to find what's best for you. Please reserve and pay for this ticket on your own but be
sure to give me your itinerary. Expedia.com has good prices.

 

Contact Person:

Dr. Barry Rolett
808-384-3509

AFAR