Practical info
Once the island is picked and booked, these are the pre-trip questions asked most: whether you need a visa, how to carry money, what is easy to leave out of the bag.
Visa & entry
French Polynesia is a French overseas collectivity, outside the Schengen area, with entry rules that don't fully match mainland France — and requirements vary considerably by nationality, with occasional policy changes for specific countries. Follow the latest official guidance for your own passport before you go.
- · Check the current visa requirements directly with the French embassy/consulate or Tahiti Tourisme's official site — don't assume rules from visa-free destinations like the Maldives apply here
- · You may be asked to show a return ticket and hotel booking confirmation on arrival; a phone screenshot is fine
- · Buy travel insurance covering overseas medical care and evacuation — especially worthwhile if you plan to dive or do water sports
- · Keep your passport valid 6+ months past your departure date
Currency & payment
The local currency is the Pacific franc (XPF/CFP), pegged to the euro (about 119.33 XPF per EUR). Resorts typically quote in USD or EUR, and card payment is widely accepted.
- · Resort bills can almost always be settled by card (Visa / Mastercard most common); small local shops lean on cash
- · Carry some small-denomination cash (euros or XPF) for tips and small local purchases
- · Before checkout, check whether the city tax (roughly $1–2 per person per night, varies by island) and service charge are itemised separately
Inter-island transfers
Tahiti (Papeete) is the international gateway; Bora Bora, Moorea and Taha'a connect onward by Air Tahiti domestic flight or, for Moorea only, ferry, then a resort speedboat from the local airport or dock.
- · International flights often land in Papeete late at night — if you can't catch the last domestic connection, plan an overnight in Tahiti and build that into your booking
- · Air Tahiti's baggage limit is usually 20kg with steep excess fees; book high-season (July–August, Christmas/New Year) flights early
- · Bora Bora and Taha'a resorts sit on small motu inside the lagoon with no road link to the airport — every guest transfers by resort speedboat, luggage handled for you
- · Moorea can be reached by domestic flight (about 10 min) or ferry (30–45 min) from Papeete — the ferry is cheaper and smoother
- · Multi-island trips (e.g. Tahiti + Bora Bora + Moorea) are common — factor the wait time at each connection into your itinerary
Wi-Fi, power & water
Resorts generally have Wi-Fi coverage, but speed and reliability vary more than in the Maldives given the remoteness; tourist SIMs / eSIMs from local carriers (Vini, Vodafone Tahiti) are available at the airport.
- · Local-carrier counters at the arrivals hall in Papeete sell tourist SIMs / eSIMs; you can also buy an eSIM ahead of time and activate on landing
- · Resort Wi-Fi is free but can slow down at peak times or in overwater bungalows further from the router
- · Voltage is 220V with French-standard Type E/C two-round-pin sockets — bring an adapter
- · Tap water is usually desalinated or treated — fine for brushing teeth; resorts typically provide bottled drinking water daily
- · Air conditioning runs strong year-round and rooms get chilly at night — bring a light layer
Health & safety
There is no malaria locally, so no special vaccinations are needed for a routine trip — the real things to guard against are sunburn, dehydration, coral cuts, and the fly-after-diving window.
- · Equatorial / tropical UV is strong — reapply SPF50 every 2 hours, and stay in the shade around midday
- · Wear water shoes / reef socks when snorkeling; don't step on coral or rocks — reef fish and sea urchins are common in shallow water
- · Don't fly (including inter-island flights) within 18–24 hours of diving; most itineraries skip diving on the last day
- · Ciguatera fish poisoning (from eating contaminated reef fish) has occasional sporadic cases locally — stick to reputable restaurants and seek care promptly if you feel unwell
- · Mosquito-borne illnesses like dengue and Zika circulate sporadically across the South Pacific — pack repellent; bring enough of any regular prescription medication, as the resort medical office can only handle emergencies
How much to tip
French / French Polynesian culture has no mandatory tipping norm and bills usually already include service — tipping here is far more relaxed than in the Maldives.
- · Butler / housekeeping: a token amount if you're happy with the service, often a few dollars or euros a day — not obligatory
- · Dive guides / boat crews / spa therapists: tip extra for a great experience, amount is up to you; water-sports centres often have a shared tip box
- · Restaurants: service is usually already included — extra is optional, leave a little if you enjoyed the meal
- · Carry some small-denomination cash (euros or dollars) just in case, but there's no need for the stack of small bills the Maldives calls for
Culture & etiquette
French Polynesia blends French and Polynesian culture, and dress and social norms are far more relaxed than the Maldives — resorts generally have no special restrictions.
- · Swimwear and bikinis are fine anywhere on resort grounds; some pool/beach areas may permit topless sunbathing depending on the resort's own policy — check at the front desk if unsure
- · Dress a bit more conservatively when visiting town (Papeete) or a church
- · Local Polynesian culture places real value on flower crowns (couronne de fleurs), traditional dance and outrigger canoes — many resorts run cultural activities worth joining
- · French and Tahitian are the main languages; five-star resorts widely speak English, and a simple French greeting goes a long way
Traveling with kids or elders
Before booking, confirm with the resort: minimum child check-in age (many honeymoon-focused resorts set one), whether there's a kids' club, and the guardrail / water-access situation on overwater bungalows.
- · Some honeymoon- or adults-leaning resorts set a minimum child age — confirm before booking; the quiz auto-filters or flags these based on your child's age band
- · Beach villas are generally more toddler-friendly than overwater bungalows, which often have limited railing on the water side
- · For elders, favor itineraries with fewer connections and the Moorea ferry over flights where possible, to cut down on transfer fatigue
- · Boat excursions and snorkeling trips often have age or height requirements — check with the resort's water-sports centre before booking
Packing checklist
The destination is hot and humid year-round; most items are standard for any overseas trip — the ones with a reason noted are specific to this destination and easy to forget.
- Passport (valid 6+ months past departure)
- A photocopy / phone photo of your passport info page, kept separate from the passport
- Round-trip flight itinerary, hotel booking confirmation
- Travel insurance policy (ideally covering water sports / medical evacuation)
- A dual-currency credit card + small-denomination euros / dollars in cash
- Phone charger + power bank
- French-standard Type E/C two-round-pin adapter
- A waterproof phone pouch (for snorkeling photos)
- An underwater camera (optional)
- Two swimsuits, so one can dry while you wear the other
- A long-sleeve sun shirt / rash guard
- A sun hat, sunglasses
- Flip-flops / beach shoes
- A light jacket (for the plane and the always-strong room A/C)
- One smart-casual outfit — a few high-end restaurants require it
- Reef-safe sunscreen
- After-sun gel / aloe vera
- Lip balm, ideally with SPF
- Basic toiletries — resorts mostly provide them, bring what you prefer
- Motion-sickness tablets — you may need them on inter-island transfers
- Stomach medicine, cold medicine, plasters
- Regular prescription medication, enough for the whole trip — not just a few emergency doses
- Insect repellent
Entry and payment rules can change; check the latest official rules before you go. For a specific resort’s dining / occasion fit, go to Browse resorts