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General Travel Information - French Polynesia
Entry requirements
All passengers entering French Polynesia must be in possession of a valid passport and outbound ticket. (passport must be good for 6 months past return date). Note: US "Green Card" is not a travel document.
Citizens of the following countries can stay 3 months without a visa:
European Economic Community (Germany, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom).
As well as citizens of the following other countries: Andorra, Cyprus, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Malta, Monaco, Norway, San Marino, Switzerland and the Vatican.
Citizens of the following countries can stay 1 month without a visa:
Argentina, Australia, Bermuda, Brunei, Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Poland, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, the United States of America and Uruguay.
Visitors from other nations from South America, Africa and Asia need to apply for their visa before entering French Polynesia. Visas for France are not valid.
Since entry formalities may change at any moment, it is strongly recommended that you check with the nearest French Consulate or Embassy. Visas are actually issued in Tahiti and may take up to 3 weeks to be returned back to the French Consulate.
There is NO WORK visa and NO resident visa available
Immunization shots are not necessary prior to going to French Polynesia.
Money and Exchange:
The local currency is the Central Pacific Franc or CFP (XPF is the currency code) which is pegged to the Euro. It is best to change your currency into CFP when you get to Tahiti. Money can be exchanged at the airport bank upon arrival, even in the middle of the night, or later at a bank in any island (banks charge a service fee). Hotels and some businesses will change your currency, but not at the bank rate.
Notes come in CFP denominations of 500, 1000, 5000 and 10,000, and coins in denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100.
The average value of the CFP in relation to the US$ is about 95 CFP for 1 $US (as of Apr. 2004)
Most credit cards are widely accepted and banks will give you a cash advance.
Traveler's checks ($US or Euros) are easily cashed (you will have to show your passport).
Safety is not an issue, and carrying cash around is not a problem. Just don't be careless, and lock your valuables in the hotel safety box (most of them have one in the room).
There are a few ATM machines in all the islands as well.
Luggage Weight Allowance:
On the inter-island flights (Air Tahiti) the weight limit is 20 Kg (42lbs) per person, not including hand luggage. Unless you have a large excess weight, they will not strictly enforce this limit.
Customs and alcohol:
Each person can officially bring 1 liter of wine or spirit into French Polynesia, but this is not widely enforce with tourists.
Tipping:
Tipping is not part of the Tahitian tradition and should not be encouraged on a routine basis.
All the prices quoted on menus, hotels or shops are all inclusive and you need not add anything for service or tax.
Air Conditioning:
Up until recently, very few resorts had A/C in the bungalows as the temperatures do not warrant it. The trend is changing, and most resorts have now installed A/Cto keep-up with each other. Depending on your location, you will most likely find the trade winds cool enough and more pleasant, and probably will not use the A/C while still sleeping with a light blanket.
What to Bring:
Casual clothing is the normal fashion. Due to the warm climate clothing should be light, even in the evenings which remain pleasantly mild. Shorts for men with cotton shirts (no trousers or jackets), and light dresses for women as well as sandals is appropraite. You will need a light plastic raincoat or a windbreaker for the odd tropical downpour, a hat to shield you from the intense sun, lots of sunscreen, some insect repellent, reef or water shoes, a supply of photo film or video tapes, aspirin, Band-Aids etc. You can bring some package snacks, and even a bottle (per person) of your favorite liquor. You do not need to bring a hair dryer as most hotels provide one. Also, you will need a small flashlight if you want to walk to restaurants in the evening. Roads are narrow and unlit, and it gets dark at about 6:30 p.m.
DO NOT FORGET SUNSCREEN! The sun is VERY strong and will burn you after only 1/2 hour of exposure. Wear a T-shirt and waterproof sunblock when snorkeling. Also a good idea: reef shoes if you are going wading in the shallows or the reef. Beaches are all coral, with chunks which can be sharp
Telephone:
The telephone system in Tahiti is excellent.
There are public phones (multilingual) in all the islands and most of them are operated with phone cards (telecarte) which can be readily purchased at the airport coffee shop, in some bars (bar- tabacs), at some magazine stands and of course at the Post Office.
These phone cards are priced according to time unites pre loaded in a microchip embedded in the card. The phone box debits the card and tells you how many units you have left as you are talking. There are cards priced at 1, 2 and 5 thousand Pacific Francs depending on the number of units.
You will find these public phones everywhere in French Polynesia, even in the most remote atolls.
From the US to Tahiti dial: 011 + 689 + phone number.
From Paradise to the world dial: 00 + country code + area code + number.
All the hotels have direct dial, but they may charge you up to $10 per minute to the USA.
Cell phone service:
Excellent cell phone service has been available in FP for many years in the main islands (Tahiti, Moorea, Bora Bora, Tahaa/Raitea, Huahine and Rangiroa).
It uses the GSM 900 system which is not compatible with US cell phones. Some multiband unlocked phone may work if you buy the connection kit ($75) while in Tahiti. You will also need to buy air time ($55 for 45 local call minutes). But ask to test a local SIM card in your phone at the shop prior to buying, as many GSM phones may not be compatible or may be locked by your provider.
Internet Access in French Polynesia:
Internet communication is via satellite relay to France, which is why it is slow and expensive.
Please check out this website: "Help for World Travelers" gives all the info you need regarding telephone and electrical adapters and how to set your modem before you go http://kropla.com
You can set up a per minute connection to the Internet from a laptop in your hotel (a few have a modem port in the room).
However, you will incur per minute charges from the IP (33 CFP/Minute) as well as from the hotel for a local call. Ask the hotel about this service/charges.
1/ Set up your modem to dial 368-888
2/ User ID is : ANONYMOUS
3/ Pswd is: ANONYMOUS
Business Hours:
Offices and shops are usually open from 8 am to 12 noon and from 1.30 p.m. to 5 or 5.30 p.m. In the suburbs, smaller family corner stores may not close until 10 p.m. Shops close at 11 am on Saturdays.
Banking hours are 7:45 am to 3:30 p.m. Monday to Friday, and some banks (e.g. the Bank of Tahiti) are open on Saturday from 7:45 to 11:30 am.
Currency Exchange counters are available at Faaa International Airport and are open for all arriving flights, no matter the time.
Post Office:
The French Polynesian postal system is on par with any standards. The mail delivery is efficient, but count on one week to ten days for mail to and from the US. The main Papeete post office is very modern and located on the waterfront boulevard. Services offered include photocopying, fax and telegrams as well as and "poste restante" where you can have your mail delivered and waiting for you. They also sell sets of beautiful collectors stamps. Hours are 7:30 am to 5:00 p.m. on weekdays and 7:30 to 11:30 am on Saturdays.
Time:
French Polynesia is 10 hours behind GMT, two hours behind US Pacific Standard time (same time as Hawaii) and 21 hours behind Australian Eastern Standard time.
Thus, when it is noon Sunday in Tahiti, it is 2pm Sunday in Los Angeles (+1 hour summer time) and 9 am Monday in Sydney.
Voltage:
The standard current is 220 volts AC with round European-style plugs. If you come from the USA, you need to bring a plug adapter. The better hotels have hair dryers in the bathrooms. The 110 v. socket in the bathrooms will only work for shavers. If you want to use your own hair dryer you need a voltage converter that can handle the wattage of your hair dryer.
To recharge your camcorder/camera, you only need the plug adapter, as most chargers are multivoltage.
Water:
The tap water is good tasting and safe to drink in hotels, restaurants etc. Bottled mineral water is readily available in food shops around the islands.
Health and Medical Care:
No need for any type of inoculation against exotic diseases when going to Tahiti.
French Polynesia enjoys a high standard of health, with excellent medical and dental services, pharmacies, private clinics and a large hospital in Tahiti.
Tourism and Information Center in Tahiti:
The main tourist office is in the center of Papeete., on the waterfront where the cruise ships dock. It is very easy to find across the street from the Vaima Shopping Center, in a large traditional Tahitian building. They have maps and info on most islands with accommodations and excursions. They are very helpful and speak excellent English.
The address of the Tahiti Tourist Office is Fare Manihini ( 689 / 42-96-26), Boulevard Pomare, BP 65, Papeete, Tahiti, French Polynesia.
For their US (LA) office, call : (310) 414 - 84 84.
Travel Insurance:
Travel insurance is always a good idea, if for no other reason than a plane delay and the loss of a few (expensive) nights of accommodation. Cost and coverage may vary depending on the cost of your trip.
Car rentals:
Car rentals are readily available at the airports, hotels, throughout the islands.
Weddings:
You cannot be legally married in any ceremony in French Polynesia unless you have been a resident of the particular island for 30 days prior. This applies to Tiki Village ceremony and any other ceremonies, religious or otherwise.
Books and Newspapers:
There are several good bookstores and magazine racks in Papeete.
The largest store is upstairs in the Vaima shopping center where you will find an excellent selection of English titles as well as US magazines and newspapers (usually 1 or 2 days old). Other bookshops include Libraire Klima, Place Notre Dame, to the left of the cathedral where you will also find local nautical charts.
A handy travel guide to take along is David Stanley's Moon Handbooks: Tahiti (including the Cook Islands) published by Avalon Travel Publishing (not for sale in French Polynesia).
Work and Work Permits:
As much as working paradise is your dream, there are no jobs in Tahiti, and work permits are impossible to get, unless you have an employer who can be responsible for you, as well as having been granted a residency permit (also hard to get).