Organize your stay French Polynesia
Covid-19 : current situation French Polynesia
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, entry and travel restrictions may apply French Polynesia. Remember to visit the site of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs before you leave for the latest information
Money French Polynesia
The currency in French Polynesia is the Pacific franc (symbol: CFP or XPF, sometimes FCFP). There is no fluctuation between the euro and the Polynesian franc, so the exchange rate remains constant. 1 € = 119.33 CFP. 1,000 CFP = approximately 8.38 €. Your local purse will be filled with coins of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100 CFP, and bills of 500, 1,000, 5,000 and 10,000 CFP.
Budget & Tips French Polynesia
Due to the importation of many products, transportation costs and taxes, life is very expensive in French Polynesia. The prices below are given as an indication - they tend to vary between a supermarket, a restaurant or a hotel -, but here is an idea. A baguette costs between 50 and 55 CFP in Tahiti (up to 70 CFP on the remote islands), a pastry about 200 CFP, a cocktail 800 to 1 400 CFP, a sandwich 250 to 1 000 CFP, a raw fish 1 000 to 1 800 CFP, a dish of the day around 1,000 CFP in a snack bar and from 1,500 CFP in a restaurant, a bottle of water from 100 to 450 CFP, a coffee from 150 to 400 CFP, a draught from 300 to 800 CFP, a fresh fruit juice on the terrace of a café from 500 to 800 CFP. Of course, the prices of tourist and hotel services in Bora Bora are very different from those in the Australs or the Gambiers, which are less frequented.
To enjoy Tahiti and its islands without excess, plan on a minimum of 3,000 to 3,500 € per person for a 10-day stay (the minimum to soak up the Polynesian atmosphere), including airfare from Paris and a few of the islands, in a comfortable setting close to the population, with boarding house type accommodation. Add about 50 to 125 € per person per day for a "classic" stay with accommodation in a classified hotel and half-board at the hotel. Add another 100 to 300 € per person per day for a stay in a luxury bungalow type hotel on stilts, with organized excursions and sports activities. These tips are based on double occupancy, because going alone costs more. Ten days are indeed the minimum to hope to see the immense Polynesia, but they remain insufficient to be able to soak up its sweetness of life. It is barely enough to discover two or three of the most touristic islands, and there are five archipelagos to visit! Nevertheless, we offer you some suggestions in the section "Inspire" - Ideas for trips. Depending on your budget, you can expect to spend between two and three weeks in such a remote destination and to discover the country honestly (that is to say, between 3,000 and 5,500 €).
All stores, restaurants and cafés display their prices including all taxes, but this is not always the case for accommodations/boarding houses, in particular, for which it is sometimes exclusive of tax, sometimes including it: check carefully before booking!
On the spot, you will find it easy to withdraw money from the big islands and major tourist centers. Be careful, however, this will not be the case everywhere: some small islands, such as Maupiti, are not equipped with ATMs! Therefore, take precautions by withdrawing enough money upon arrival, especially since the small structures do not generally accept credit cards.
Passport and visas French Polynesia
A biometric passport valid for six months after return is required for travel to French Polynesia (in case of an extended or unexpected stopover in the United States). Nationals of Monaco and Switzerland, as well as member states of the European Union and Canada, benefit from a three-month visa-free stay.
Since January 12, 2009, if you are passing through the United States, even for a short transit, you must fill out a prior authorization request on the Internet: the ESTA, for a fee of US$21 per person (https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/). It takes about 72 hours for your request to be validated (or not). The authorization is valid for 2 years, so be sure to bring proof of approval (e.g. printed confirmation).
All goods must also be declared and the corresponding taxes paid at the customs office (see http://www.polynesie-francaise.pref.gouv.fr).
Driver's license French Polynesia
You will need your driver's license if you plan to rent a vehicle or even take part in a quad bike tour. Think about it!
Health French Polynesia
Tahiti's health situation and overall hospital infrastructure are comparable to those of Western countries. Tahiti has two clinics (Cardella and Paofai) and two hospitals (Mamao Territorial Hospital, near Papeete, and Taravao Hospital). Tahiti is, of course, the island of French Polynesia with the best supply of general practitioners and specialists. Elsewhere, only Moorea and Raiatea have a hospital. On all the islands, you can normally consult a doctor or, failing that, a nurse from the dispensary. In case of a serious emergency on an island with insufficient facilities, you will be repatriated to Tahiti by Evasan (medical evacuation): by helicopter, you will be taken to the nearest hospitals.
In addition to sunburn and sunstroke, nono bites, tourista and coral wounds, beware of mosquitoes at all costs! Although Polynesia has no predators for humans, this annoying insect can potentially cause you a lot of trouble: dengue fever is relatively widespread, as well as chikungunya, and zika to a lesser extent. Almost all Polynesians have already caught them, and all of them will tell you that it's really not funny... These diseases can be dangerous, so protect yourself well. Forget the metropolitan mosquito repellents and buy some locally: Off and Aerogar are much more effective. If you are a bit "anti", remember that the risk benefit over a two or three week stay is definitely in favor of these products, despite their questionable chemical composition. More natural otherwise, the lemon monoi.
Finally, due to humidity, scars take much longer to disappear than in our latitudes and also get infected more easily. So make sure you disinfect your wounds.
Mandatory vaccination French Polynesia
No mandatory vaccination to travel to Polynesia: it's always one less thing to deal with before departure!
Security French Polynesia
French Polynesia is a relatively safe destination, only the risk of cyclone deserves special attention if you plan a trip during the rainy season (roughly from November to April).
On the spot, one of the main dangers may be found on the roads. French Polynesia is indeed one of the regions of France where the number of road deaths is the highest in proportion to the population. Don't expect the traffic conditions of emerging countries either - rules exist and are enforced - but pay special attention to pedestrians, cyclists, dogs and scooters, the main victims of the road, who can appear at any time in front of your bumper. At night, be extra careful! It is not uncommon to come across children riding bicycles with no lights, no brakes, and sometimes even riding the wrong way "to better see the cars coming". Be very careful!
Beyond this risk, rare violent outbursts can occur in discotheques when the atmosphere is at its peak and the alcohol starts to take effect. In this case, it is better to leave the establishment than to find yourself in the middle of a fight.
Visitors should also respect the local spirit and adapt their culture to Polynesian life, not impose it. An open-minded attitude will lead to surprising and pleasant encounters, while a lack of respect will lead, as in any country, to discord. These negative examples are relatively rare, but it is advisable to report them in order to be able to react in the best way and have an excellent stay.
The French national police are present in Tahiti and the only police station in the territory is located in Papeete, on Avenue Bruat. In the islands, the gendarmerie is in charge of the surveillance of the territory and is sometimes the only one to represent the French State. They know the country well, its problems and dangers, and will be able to direct you for any difficulty. Some urban communes also have a municipal police force. In general, the welcome is smiling, the flower in the ear, and the civil servants are friendly and helpful.
Time difference French Polynesia
In French Polynesia, the time is GMT -10. As France is at GMT +01, there is a time difference of -12 hours in summer and -11 hours in winter between Polynesia and the mainland. Example: when it is 11am in Paris on D-Day in summer, it is 11pm in Tahiti on D-Day-1. When it is 10am in Paris on D-Day in winter, it is 11pm in Tahiti, day D-1. However, there are a few exceptions: the Marquesas archipelago is half an hour ahead of Tahiti; the Gambier archipelago, one hour. Easy!
Spoken languages French Polynesia
The official language in Polynesia is French, and almost everyone speaks it correctly. So you will have no trouble being understood. However, although they have long been banned, ancestral languages still exist on some islands of the archipelago. This is notably the case of the Marquesan in the Marquesas, and the Austral, who still speak practically one language per island (except Tubuai, which lost its language to Tahitian). The paumotu of the Tuamotu and the mangarevien of the Gambier Islands are less and less practiced; the Tahitian on the other hand, officially recognized since 1980, is used in everyday life, just like French, on the rest of the territory. The staff of hotels and tourist establishments also speak English, more rarely German or Japanese.
Communication French Polynesia
Communicating in Polynesia in 2020 is much easier than it was even ten years ago: cell phones have a relatively good reception (on the main islands, well enough to make calls and sms), and broadband has even arrived in Tahiti and on ten islands of the Tuamotus and the Marquesas! Well, concretely, if it has arrived in the center of the village of the concerned islands, it had not yet been connected everywhere at the time of our last survey at the end of 2019, so that the Internet connections were still very laborious... But be patient, it will come soon! Overall, the connection speed is "acceptable", but twice as slow in the islands as in Tahiti (or even much slower!). Most of the tourist islands have at least one place to connect; otherwise, restaurants, guesthouses and hotels are usually equipped with wifi. The latter sometimes charge for the service.
There are currently two Internet service providers in French Polynesia: Vini, which for a long time had a very lucrative monopoly, and Vodaphone. Both offer solutions adapted to visitors, with a SIM card costing a few hundred CFP, to be topped up with phone credit and/or Internet data. Top-ups can be purchased in any store or post office in the territory. A third operator appeared in 2018: Tahiti Wifi, more adapted to longer stays.
Electricity and measurements French Polynesia
Everything is 220 volts, with the same plugs as in France, although some luxury hotels offer both 110 volts and 220 volts. But it is 60 Hz, against 50 Hz in France. If this does not pose a problem for most appliances, some of them may run 1.2 times faster (60 divided by 50).
In the remote islands, electricity is often private, thanks to generators, or solar. It is more and more rare to find 24 volts, but it still exists.
As in France, we speak in meters, kilometers, grams and kilos.
Luggage French Polynesia
As for clothes, don't overload yourself! Shorts, Bermuda shorts, T-shirts, blouses, swimsuits, plus an evening outfit (light pants and blouse) will do. For your feet, boat shoes are ideal (no need for socks); eventually, consider a pair of tennis shoes for walks. Don't forget your pair ofaquashoes (waterproof shoes made of PVC and polyester, for example Tribord at Decathlon) to walk on the flats (not always sand under your feet!), as well as flip-flops.
Sweaters will stay in the closet (unless you plan to go to the Austral Islands), as well as suits. Casualness is the rule, so much so that even businessmen and government ministers only trade in their pareos and floral shirts for suits on very special occasions or when traveling abroad.
As for ties, members of the Mormon Church are practically the only ones to wear them in the country. You'll see them riding their bikes with their helmets on all the islands of Polynesia. Even in Tahiti's most exclusive hotels and clubs, you'll be able to walk in wearing jeans, sneakers and a T-shirt. Bars, restaurants and nightclubs mostly prohibit shorts, sandals and tank tops, so any other clothing will do.
