Tips for Travelling to French Polynesia

This year, French Polynesia is under the international spotlight as it is bound to host the 2024 Olympic Games surf competition in Teahupo’o, Tahiti (more on this topic later 😉). If you’re planning on travelling to French Polynesia in 2024, here’s what you need to know.

Entry requirements

French Polynesia is —you’ve guessed it— a French territory. This means that similar rules apply both in France and in French Polynesia in terms of visa requirements, length of stay, passport validity and more. Every traveller has a different situation so make sure to check this webpage to learn more about this topic.

Flights

If you’re still wondering where French Polynesia is located —honestly, we won’t blame you—, grab a map and look for the big blue expanse of ocean between Asia and South America. You probably won’t see us because we’re so tiny but, sure enough, you’ll realize how remote we are from the rest of the world. Luckily, from the island of Tahiti, you can fly direct to some major international airports: Los Angeles (LAX), San Francisco (SFO), Auckland (AKL), Tokyo (NRT) and Paris (CDG). If you’re already in the South Pacific, we also have direct connections to Hawaii (HNL), New Caledonia (NOU) and Rarotonga (RAR).

Weather

French Polynesia is a tropical country which means that, no matter the time of year, it never actually gets cold —but we do love an icy-cold A/C, so make sure to bring something to cover up! Luckily, French Polynesian Islands don’t ever get unbearably hot either. On the warmest months, the average temperature is around 30°C and it drops down to approximately 25°C during the coolest months. What you might want to take into considerations when planning your trip is the rain: rainfall is significantly higher between December and March.

Language

There are two official languages in French Polynesia: French and Tahitian. Most people speak French and, the further away you travel from Tahiti, the more you’ll hear people conversing in Tahitian (or a dialect that is closely related). Now, if you learnt French at school, you might not exactly recognize the academic French you were taught —our version of it is populated with our iconic Tahitian accent and our unique slang. We recommend learning a few words of Tahitian to greet or thank people —it will earn you laughs and smiles from the locals but, trust us, we always appreciate the effort.

Payments & prices

The local currency in French Polynesia is the Pacific Franc (XPF). It’s only used in a few French Overseas Territories and you’ll definitely have a hard time finding it at your local bank. To make things simpler, the Pacific Franc is tight to the Euro (€) and the conversion rate never changes: 1€ equals 120 XPF — so, no, it’s not uncommon being a millionaire in Tahiti 😋. For everyday payments, Tahitians prefer cash so make sure to load up when you arrive at Tahiti International Airport or whenever you come across an ATM.

Now, we know you’re wondering if French Polynesia is an expensive destination and the short answer is yes. There’s no way around it: we’re extremely remote and our 120 islands are scattered across 5 million square kilometers, we import 90% of the products we consume, and there’s a lack of competition to bring market prices down. Your best bet if you’re on a budget is to embrace the local lifestyle —and, if you ask us, that’s the best way to do it!

Bookings

Some destinations are just as simple as booking a plane ticket and figuring everything out once you get there. French Polynesia isn’t exactly like that and, as much as we worship spontaneity in travelling, failing to book ahead might ruin your experience in our islands. It’s important that you make a booking for your accommodation and your flights in-between islands as early as possible —demand is high, availability is limited, and this holds true no matter the time of year. If you’re really excited about a particular activity (whale watching, SCUBA-diving, or else), it might be a good idea to book ahead as well.