Welcome! This post covers the most common FAQs for traveling to French Polynesia.
First, where is French Polynesia? Deep in the South Pacific Ocean lies paradise, I mean French Polynesia. You will find beautiful beaches, a never ending lush jungle, from the mountain peaks to the sea, everything is vibrant, full of life, and breathtaking.
Polynesia takes up 2,500,000 square kilometers of the Pacific Ocean. On a map, you will see it is about halfway between California and Australia. At its widest point, The Polynesian Triangle is 180 degrees, half of earth.
Despite the massive size, Tahiti (PPT) is just an 8 hour flight from LA.
When is the best time to visit?
The best time to visit is the months of June through October. The weather is cooler, drier, and it is Humpback Whale season. Later in this guide are the details on swimming with whales.
What language do they speak?
French and Tahitian are the official languages of French Polynesia. Later in the post we will go over a few Tahitian sayings you will hear often and can learn before your trip.
English is common, more so in hotels and tourism oriented businesses.
What is the currency?
The currency is the Pacific Franc (XPF) and the exchange rate is approximately 100 XPF to 1 USD. As a quick trick, when I get a bill, I cover the last two digits and that gives me a rough estimate of the total in USD.
Example:
450 XPF = 4 USD
45000 XPF = 450 USD
4500 XPF = 45 USD
Can you use your cell phone?
If you do not have an international plan with a provider such as T-Mobile, buy a local SIM card immediately. Vini works great on all the islands. Before you leave the store, make sure the SIM is activated and working properly.
Another option is to turn off all cellular data and roaming then only use your phone when connected to WiFi. After 10 days in paradise, a friend of mine, returned home to a 6,000 phone bill. No one wants that.
Four years ago, I switched to T-Mobile and have been a happy customer ever since. As soon as the airplane wheels touch the ground, my phone works. In every single country with no daily data charge like AT&T and others. This is not sponsored by T-mobile.
Is is safe?
French Polynesia as a whole is extremely safe. Just like any location in the world with high rates of tourism [Moorea, Tahiti, Bora Bora] there are occurrences of petty theft. As well as, rare break-ins at hotel rooms and bungalows.
Follow international rules: do not leave your valuables alone on the beach or out in the open in a vehicle.
How long should you visit?
As long as you possibly can.
French Polynesia has 118 islands and atolls, 70 are lived on, and 40 have airports. To say, you’ve seen one you’ve seen them all, would be a massive understatement. From the landscapes to the locals, each island is unique. I would spend a minimum of ten days between two or three islands.
When you plan your trip to Moorea make sure you check out all the resources I have shared for you on my website. Highly suggest starting with my Ultimate Travel Guide to Moorea.
When I left corporate health care to travel full time, French Polynesia was my first destination.
The Tahitian way of life restored my faith in humanity. Most importantly, it reset my heart and soul back to what really matters in life.
Every year, I return for a few months to explore new islands and see friends. In total, I have spent one year living on the islands.
With each trip back to Polynesia, I will continue to update and share more information here for you.
Enjoy your trip!
