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Here are some information to make sure you’re ready for your holidays in French Polynesia.
- How to get to Tahiti and her islands ?
- From Paris, 17,100 km away, via Los Angeles: Air France (3 per week), Air Tahit Nui ( 4 per week).
- From London, 15371 km away, via Los Angeles with Air New Zealand (4 per week), 19 hours 20 minutes flight time .
- From Madrid, at 18722 km, via Santiago with Lan Chile (2 per week), 24 hours flight time and via London with Air New Zealand (3 per week), 22 hours flight time.
- As well, via London on Air New Zealand (4 per week) with 22 hours flying time, via Paris on Air France (3 per week) with a flying time of 22 hours.
- From Los Angeles at 6,520 km on the same French airlines plus Air Tahiti Nui, the Tahitian company (3 per week), and Air New Zealand (4 per week); the flight takes 7 hours 30 minutes.
- From Honolulu 4,500 km away, (once per week) on Hawaiian Airlines with 5 hours flying time
- From Santiago de Chile, 7,500 km away, via Easter Island on Lan Chile (2 per week) and a 10 hour flight
- From Sydney, at 5,700 km, via Auckland, on Polynesian Airlines in codeshare with Qantas Airways and Air Tahiti Nui (3 per week) and Air New Zealand (4 per week) and a flying time of 8 hours.
- From Auckland, 3,900 km away on Air Tahiti Nui in codeshare with Qantas Airways (3 per week) as well as Air New Zealand (5 per week including 1 via Nadi/Rarotonga); with a flying time of 5 hours.
- From Nouméa at 5,000 km from Tahiti, on Air Calin, (2 per week with one via Wallis). A journey of 6 hours
- From Tokyo and Osaka, 9 500 km away, with Air Tahiti Nui once per week, 11 hours flight time.
- The Faa’a international airport, built on the lagoon is some 5 km west of Papeete near the major hotels. The domestic terminal for Air Tahiti is right alongside it. The domestic terminal for Air Moorea is 300m further on
- What are the entry requirements ?
- Specific points :
- Medical Care :
- Foreign exchange:
French nationals only require a National Identity Card for a stay in Polynesia. However, they are strongly advised to be in possession of a passport valid for six months longer than their return date, in case of any extended or unforeseen stopover in the United States.
The nationals of Belgium, Luxemburg, Monaco and Switzerland may visit without a visa for up to three months, as may nationals of the European Union as well as nationals of Andorra, tha Vatican, Cyprus, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Malta, Norway, St Martin and Australia.
Canadian nationals are entitled to one month without a visa.
Nationals of Argentina, Bermuda, Brunei, South Korea, Croatia, Hungary, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Poland, the Czech Republic, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, USA, Uruguay, Bolivia, Chile, Costa Rica, Equator,Estonia, Guatemala, Honduras, Latvia, Lithuania, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay and Salvador may also stay for up to one month without a visa.
Nationals from all other countries require a visa which may be obtained from the French Embassy or French Consulate in the country of residence. The visa must be endorsed: "Valid for French Polynesia".
Except for the nationals from the European Union and foreigners holding a residency card of 10 years in France, all foreigneirs coming to French Polynesia must posess a return ticket, or must pay a refundable repatriation bond upon their arrival.
Prohibited imports :
live animals *, flowers and fruits (unless specially authorized), copies and pearls originally grown in Polynesia .
*For further information contact the Department of Agriculture, BP 100, Papeete, Tahiti; or at Tahiti-Faaa Airport (tel. (689) 82 49 99 from 7 am to 11 am and from 1 pm to 4 pm.)
Naturally the following are also prohibited: weapons, munitions and narcotics.
Upon arrival or departure from French Polynesia, some items are subject to a particular regulation :
Narcotics, counterfeit items and cultured pearls of non-Polynesian origin which are prohibited ;
domestic pets whose importation is prohibited except with autorisation of the Food and Veterinary Department, BP 100, PAPEETE, TAHITI, Tel(689) 42 81 47 – fax (689) 42 08 31;
living animals, and animal products, their importation is subject to some specific rules, contact the Food and Veterinary Division of the Rural Development Service of French Polynesia, BP 100, PAPEETE, TAHITI, Tel(689) 42 35 24;
all plants and plant material and other products are subject to phytosanitary control, contact the Food and Veterinary Division of the Rural Development Service of French Polynesia, BP 100, PAPEETE, Tel. (689) 54 45 85 (port), (689) 82 49 99 (Airport);
cultural items (arts, collections and antiquities), medicines, contact Customs in the country of departure.
some species of fauna and flora protected by the Washington Convention whose importation must be covered by a CITES certificate issued by the Conservation Department;
weapons (any types) and munitions, whose posession or transfer must be covered by an autorisation provided by the High Commissioner of the Republic of French Polynesia, Tel.(689) 46. 85. 56 post 556
All telecommunications and radio equipment requires an import licence issued by the the Postal and Telecommunications Division Tel.( 689) 53. 22. 44 Fax. (689) 53. 28. 01. or contact the Office of the High Commissioner for French Polynesia, Postal and Telecommunictions Division: Tel.(689) 54 27 15 Fax.(689) 46. 86. 33 ou 42 27 85.
Some further information can be found on the Internet at the following address : www.finances.gouv.fr/douanes.
Tahiti and Her Islands enjoy a high standard of health, with excellent medical and dental services.
No vaccinations are required, except for visitors arriving from an infected area (please contact your travel agent or airline company).
Fixed exchange rates : 1 Euro = 119,33 FCFP
Variable exchange rates : please refer to the web site of SOCREDO bank ( http://www.banque-socredo.pf/socredo/websoc2.nsf/getdevises?openagent )
The following forms of payment are accepted: all legal bank notes, international credit cards, and traveler’s checks (an exchange commission is charged on the latter).
The international banks in Tahiti and in the most frequently visited islands with foreign exchange offices are the Bank of Tahiti (Bank of Hawaii group), the Bank of Polynesia, Socredo bank. International hotels also provide this service but a word of warning: some atolls and islands in the Austral and Gambier group have no banking facilities.
In Papeete two extra foreign exchange offices are available: the airport office (from Monday to Friday from 7:45 am to 3 :30 pm as well as one hour before departures and after arrivals of international flights); the Overseas Passenger wharf on the waterfront (open from 7 am to 7 pm Monday to Saturday and from 7 am to 1 pm Sundays and holidays).
- What can I bring back home ?
Handcraft items available in souvenir shops or in the Craft Centers to be found in each village include: various woven goods such as hats, bags and mats, polished or carved mother of pearl, shell necklaces or bracelets, Tuamotu pearls, pareos, tifaifai (bedspreads with appliqué plant or geometric patterns), Marquesan tapa cloth, fine wood carvings for domestic use or as decoration, dried vanilla pods, gardenia-scented monoi oil and, why not a tattoo ?
- Which languages ?
- Tourist Development Taxes
5% on international classified hotels’ rooms.
200 F.CFP/pers/day on tourist international cruises.Taxes
V.A.T on tourist services = 7%
V.A.T on hotels = 4%
Sojourn tax of 150 F.CFP/pers/day on international classified hotels and any other establishments of equal chracteristics.
Sejourn tax of 50 F.CFP/pers/day on non classified hotels. These sojourn taxes are to be included in your bill in Faa’a, Punnauia, Papeete, Moorea-Maio.
Sojourn tax of 150 F.CFP/pers/day on international classified hotels and any other establishments of equal chracteristics.
Sojourn tax of 50 F.CFP/pers/day on non classified hotels. These sojourn taxes are to be included in your bill in Bora Bora, Huahine and Rangiroa.
Tax on cruising activity (T.A.C) : 500 F.CFP/pers/day - Jetlag
- Customs Declaration :
- The people who live in Tahiti and her Islands
Polynesians welcome their visitors with songs and cheerful instrumental music along with scented flower leis; a custom that says a lot for their happy nature and their sense of hospitality!
There are 219,521 inhabitants (1996 census), 86% of whom live in the Society Islands (74 % in the Windward Islands, mainly in Tahiti itself). 7% of the islanders live in Tuamotu-Gambier, 4 % in the Marquesas and 3% in the Austral Islands. The population is 83 % Polynesian (Ma’ohi including 20% of mixed origin), 12% Europeans (Popaa) and 5% Chinese (Tinito).
- A tropical climate ?
- Water and electricity
- Postal and telecommunication services
French and Tahitian are the two official languages. English is also widely spoken, particularly in tourist areas.
Tahiti and her islands are 10 hours different from GMT. This is 12 hours on summer time or 11 hours wintertime difference from Paris, – 2 hours different from the United States Pacific Coast, – 6 hours from Santiago de Chile, – 19 hours from Tokyo and Sydney and 22 hours different from Auckland.
All non-prohibited items brought in must be declared, and the duties and taxes must be paid at the customs office.
The following items are allowed in free of duty :
Items (1) Quantities
TOBACCO
Cigarettes 200 units
Or Cigarillos 100 units
Or Cigars 50 units
Or pipe tobacco 250 g
ALCOHOL
Wine 2 liters
And
Either drinks with + than 22° 2 liters
Or drinks with 22° or less 2 liters
PERFUMES 50 g
EAUX DE TOILETTE 1/4 l
COFFEE 500 g
or extracts and essences of coffee 200 g
TEA 100 g
Or extracts and essences of tea 40 g
OTHER ITEMS
Per Traveller aged :
from 15 years and more 30 000 CFP
less than 15 years 15 000 CFP
(1)Travelers less than 17 years of age are not entitled to duty-free tobacco or alcohol
The French Polynesian islands enjoy a tropical climate; the maximum number of hours of sunshine is close to 3000 per year in the Tuamotu! The temperature, which is always pleasant, is cooled by the trade winds of the
Pacific that blow throughout the year. The average ambient temperature is 27º C, and the waters of the lagoons are a fairly constant 26º C. There are two seasons of note: a hot season which goes from November to March, and a cooler season from April to October.
| JAN | FÉV | MARS | AVR | MAI | JUIN | JUIL | AOÛ | SEP | OCT | NOV | DÉC |
| 27 C | 27.1 C | 27.4 C | 27.1 C | 26.4 C | 25.2 C | 24.7 C | 24.6 C | 25 C | 25.6 C | 26.3 C | 26.6 C |
| 80.6 F | 80.8 F | 81.3 F | 80.8 F | 79.5 F | 77.4 F | 76.5 F | 76.3 F | 77 F | 78.1 F | 79.3 F | 79.9 F |
Bring summer clothes, beachwear, sports wear and boat wear, all preferably in cotton. Have something warm available for the evenings which are sometimes cooler (lagoon side, boat trips and in the mountains). Footwear: sandals, sneakers, boat shoes.
Essential: swimming costumes, sunglasses, hat, sunblock creams (intense reflection off the lagoons) and a powerful anti-mosquito lotion (useful in the islands and certain seasons).
Tap water in Papeete and Bora Bora is safe to drink; enquire locally in the other islands. If in doubt use mineral water in sealed bottles.
Electricity: 110 or 220 volts (60Hz) depending on the island and type of accommodation. Check before plugging in.
Papeete Central Post Office, located near the Yacht Wharf and Bougainville Park and is open weekdays from 7 am to 6 pm and on Saturdays from 8 am to 11 am. There is a Philatelic Center at the Post Office.
Post offices in the islands usually open weekdays from 7 :00 am to 3 :30 pm.
There are many international card-operated call boxes throughout most of the islands.
