WHAT SHOULD I BRING WITH ME ?
We live in a tropical area, so we suggest wearing light cotton clothes: shorts, cotton slacks or jeans, summer dresses, swimsuit… A jumper or a light wrap is a good idea since temperatures can drop on top of the mountains or at night during the dry season (July-August). You may also want to bring a windbreaker or a raincoat since showers may happen.
ON YOUR ARRIVAL
Once you’ve collected your luggage, please exit the terminal and meet our guide who will wait for you with your name displayed on a name board.
« e-TAHITI travel / Paradise Tours »
Your travel documents and vouchers will be given to you upon arrival. Your arrival pack will include your itinerary, your e-tickets for your domestic flights & your vouchers. Please make sure you keep them as they will be required for the various accommodation check in, your activities… In the pack you will also find our emergency number available 24/7.
Regular check-in is between 2:00 pm & 3:00 pm, check out is between 10:00 am & 11:00 am. Ask your personal travel consultant for more information.
YOUR DOMESTIC FLIGHTS WITH AIR TAHITI
Air Tahiti offers free seating in its aircrafts. We do recommend to seat on the left hand-side of the aircraft to benefit from the best view when leaving Tahiti
YOUR SOUVENIRS
The best address for souvenirs is the Papeete market. Upstairs you will find handicrafts from the Marquises with beautiful sculptures as well as weaving from the Australes islands. Make sure to check with the shop if you need to get any special treatment for the goods as some may require a bio-security clean depending on your destination.
In the city most stores are open weekdays from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, and from 8:00 am till midday on Saturday (especially in downtown Papeete). No shops are open on Sundays.
LOCAL POLYNESIAN DISHES
Do not leave without trying one of the local specialties like the Tahitian raw fish with coconut milk, the Tuna sashimi, the Mahi Mahi (Snapper) or the grilled Meka (Swordfish) with vanilla sauce.
Do not hesitate to try the local fish with its light white meat and the tropical fruits which are real delights: Bananas, Mango, Pineapple, Papaya with Lemon, Rambutans in season.
We highly recommend you dine at the « Roulottes » (Local food Trucks) located at the Vaiete Square in Papeete. From 6PM you will find plenty of food options from Tahitian, to Chinese and European cuisine. Remember it is good idea to carry some cash as the food trucks usually don’t accept credit card.
TIME DIFFERENCE
French Polynesia is GMT – 10. When it is Noon in Papeete, it is:
| Papeete | Los Angeles | New York | Paris | Tokyo | Auckland |
| Noon | 3PM (+3h) |
6PM (+6h) |
Midnight (in Summer) (+12h), 11PM (in Winter) (+11h) |
7AM the next day (+19h) | 11AM (in Summer) (+23h) 10AM (in Winter) (+22h) |
EXCHANGE RATE
The currency used is the French Pacific Franc. Its abbreviation is XPF or CFP.
The exchange rate fluctuates with the US dollar, ie 1$US is about 105 French Pacific Franc (XPF).
The exchange rate with the Euro is a fixed flat rate: 1euro (€) = 119,33 French Pacific Franc (XPF).
A currency exchange and a currency changer are available at the airport. Some banks agree to trade at their counter.
Visa, Mastercard and American Express credit cards are accepted in most shops, restaurants and hotels.
Cash machines accept all cards (except American Express which is accepted only in some ATMs of the island of Tahiti).
GRATUITIES & TIPS
A tourism development tax is in place and is charged between 70 and 200 XPF daily. This charge will be added directly to your hotel or guest house’s bill.
ELECTRICITY (VOLTAGE)
Power voltage used is 220 Volts (60Hz). Be sure to double-check your appliances compatibility before plugging them in. Converters / adaptors may be available upon request at your hotel front desk, however we recommend bringing your own for personal use.
DRIVING
People drive on the right side of the road. Rules, signals and priorities are the same as in Europe or the USA. As a consequence, there is only one essential precaution: drive slowly and carefully.
WATER
Tap water is safe in Papeete and Bora Bora. Elsewhere, prefer bottled spring water.
TEMPERATURE
At its peak, the temperature can reach 27 to 30°C (80 and 86°F). During the cooler season (July to August), it oscillates between 25 and 28 °C (77 and 82°F), falling below 20 °C (68°F) at night.
IMMUNISATION
A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required from travelers who stayed in infected areas for more than a year. No other vaccinations are required for entry into French Polynesia. Ask your personal travel consultant for more information.
TELEPHONE
French Polynesia area code is +689 with 8 digits (+689 xx xx xx xx). Direct dialing for local and international phone calls is available everywhere. International phone call: dial 00+ code of your country.
For mobile phone, we use GSM. Main islands are covered by the network. Prepaid cards are available at any post office (O.P.T), or any Vodafone or Vini shops. For any information such as roaming, please contact our local operators or click to www.vini.pf or www.vodafone.com.
INTERNET
Vini and Vodafone are the main Internet providers (headquarters located in Tahiti island). All hotels and most of the guest houses offer access to the Internet (additional charge may apply). E-TAHITI travel is pleased to offer a “Connectivity Pack” in collaboration with Tahiti Wifi to all our customers, so you can stay connected during your holidays. Ask your personal Travel Consultant for more information.
POST OFFICE
Post Offices offer the same kind of services as you would find in your home country. Mail sent to Europe and the U.S.A will reach destination between 8 to 15 days. Regular opening hours are from Monday to Friday between 7:00 am and 3:00 pm.
Contact us for any questions !
