Money and payments
Cards and cash
Banknotes, international credit and debit cards and traveller's cheques are accepted.
Tipping
Tipping is not a custom in Tahiti or the nearby islands.
//
Oceania · PolynesiaOutline guideFrench overseas collectivity in the Pacific
Photo: Peter Gill / UK, CC BY 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
French Polynesia (French: Polynésie française) is a collection of over 100 islands in the South Pacific Ocean, halfway between California and Australia. It is an overseas country (pays d'outre-mer), the only French territory with this status.
Answers to what travellers most often look up about French Polynesia.
Cards and cash
Banknotes, international credit and debit cards and traveller's cheques are accepted.
Tipping
Tipping is not a custom in Tahiti or the nearby islands.
French
The official languages are French and Tahitian with French being the language of business and government and Tahitian being the language of day-to-day discourse.
Tap water may or may not be drinkable depending on where you are in the territory.
Medical treatment is generally good. Two major hospitals as well as several private clinics provide 24-hour medical service.
Tahitians are proud of their islands and happy to share their way of life with their guests in many ways.
Attractions, food, stays and travel essentials, with ratings, reviews, opening hours and directions.
far to the east, closer to Mexico, is administered directly by the Ministry of Overseas France
remote atoll
Most-inhabited western island group, a group of high tropical islands encircled by coral reefs and lagoons (divided administratively into Windward Islands and Leeward Islands). Among the Leeward Islands Bora Bora is outstanding, Huahine, Maupiti and Raiatea are especially remarkable, in the Windward Islands Moorea is spectacular and Tahiti is a classic beauty with the capital Papeete.
Vast central archipelago of coral reefs. It is a collection of low islands or atolls. Rangiroa is outstanding.
Northeastern archipelago, a group of high islands near the equator, whose steep mountains are inhabited by wild horses, goats and pigs. Nuku Hiva and Hiva Oa are outstanding.
To the south-east, rarely visited, consisting of the high island of Mangareva and its fringe of islands which are the eroded remains of its former gigantic crater, is in the far eastern corner of French Polynesia.
Small southern archipelagos (includes Tubuai Islands and Bass Islands). Last inhabited islands of the South Pacific, these ancient volcanoes with soft relief are far off the beaten track.
Public transport and paid services in French Polynesia.
By boat
By plane
Air Tahiti offers domestic flights to other destinations in French Polynesia.
Apps for booking a taxi or a ride in French Polynesia.
Finding apps for French Polynesia…
Operators checked against their official websites in October 2026; services that have stopped running are not listed. Logos and Wikipedia links: Wikidata (CC0)
Choose an airport to see hotels, stations, taxi ranks and car rental desks around it.
Papeete · International · PPT
Loading places around the airport…
Calculated from climate averages: mild daytime highs and lower rainfall. It does not account for festivals, crowds or prices.
Average conditions in Papeetē
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg. high | 28° | 28° | 28° | 28° | 27° | 27° | 26° | 26° | 26° | 26° | 27° | 27° |
| Avg. low | 26° | 27° | 27° | 27° | 26° | 25° | 25° | 24° | 25° | 25° | 26° | 26° |
| Rainfall (mm) | 190 | 175 | 134 | 116 | 90 | 69 | 52 | 47 | 40 | 84 | 113 | 221 |
| Humidity | 80% | 81% | 80% | 80% | 79% | 78% | 77% | 77% | 77% | 78% | 79% | 81% |
Choose your passport and destination to see whether you need a visa.
Budget
$90
Per person, per day
Mid-range
$250
Per person, per day
Luxury
$645
Per person, per day
| Budget | Mid-range | Luxury | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accommodation | $45 | $135 | $370 |
| Food and drink | $25 | $60 | $135 |
| Local transport | $10 | $25 | $60 |
| Activities | $10 | $30 | $80 |
Estimate from World Bank price levels (2021). Actual costs vary by city and season. World Bank
—
We do not label countries as safe or unsafe. Below is the official advice from two governments, with the date it was last updated. Always read the full advice before you travel.
US Department of State
Level 1 of 4Exercise normal precautions
Reissued after periodic review without changes Exercise normal precautions in French Polynesia. Read the country information page for additional information on travel to French Polynesia. If you decide to travel to French Polynesia: Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive security messages and make it easier to locate you in an emergency. Follow the Department of State on Facebook and X/Twitter. Review the Country Security Report for French Polynesia. Visit the CDC page for the latest Travel Health Information related to your travel. Prepare a contingency plan for emergency situations. Review the Traveler s Checklist.
UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
No advice against travel. Read the full advice before you go.
Before you travel No travel can be guaranteed safe. Read all the advice in this guide. You may also find it helpful to: see general advice for women travellers read our guide on disability and travel abroad see general advice for LGBT+ travellers read about safety for solo and independent travel see advice on volunteering and adventure travel abroad Travel insurance If you choose to travel, research your destinations and get appropriate travel insurance. Insurance should cover your itinerary, planned activities and expenses in an emergency. About FCDO travel advice The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) provides advice about risks of travel to help you make informed decisions. Find out more about FCDO travel advice. Get travel advice updates Sign up to get email notifications when this travel advice is updated. Follow FCDO: travel advice on X travel advice on Facebook Travel Aware on Instagram
Stories, itineraries and practical advice for travelling in French Polynesia.
Culture & historyFrance has possessed multiple empires over its existence, but the two most recent, the First French Colonial Empire (Premier empire colonial français) of the Early Modern Era and the Second French Colonial Empire…
Wikivoyage
ItinerariesThor Heyerdahl (1914–2002) was a Norwegian biologist, ethnographer, adventurer and political activist. He is mostly remembered for his voyages on modern replicas of ancient boats, as proof of concept that ancient…
Wikivoyage
Culture & historyReenactment is an activity where people recreate or commemorate historical epochs and events through dramatization, costumes, props, staging, and/or authentic environments.
Wikivoyage
Travel tipsApart from making your way round the Caribbean or Polynesia by offering a hand on board yachts which seems to be common and easy, the most common route is the Atlantic crossing from Europe to the Americas (mostly to the…
Wikivoyage
Nature & adventureScuba diving is an activity in which you swim underwater for extended periods using self-contained underwater breathing apparatus, hence the acronym scuba.
Wikivoyage
Travel tipsThe Magellan–Elcano circumnavigation, taking place between 1519 and 1522, was the first recorded journey around the world.
Wikivoyage
Every section of the guide. Open one to read it in full.
