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Do you dream of a real paradise on earth? One such place can be found on the opposite side of the globe in the Pacific Ocean, and it is French Polynesia. We were fortunate enough to fulfill this dream and we have the unique opportunity to share our experiences and adventures with you. How to plan a vacation to French Polynesia at a reasonable price? When is the best time to go? What about transportation between the islands, renting a car, paying by card, internet access, and other things? Read on carefully. We bring you a unique summary of tips and tricks on how to explore French Polynesia on your own.

How to buy tickets to French Polynesia

  • First of all, it is important to mention that the promotional price for round-trip flights is up to €1300, a super promotional price is under €1000 (we managed to buy it for an incredible €882 Vienna -> London -> San Francisco -> Tahiti with 1 large luggage for 2 people) – follow cheap flights
  • Flights go to the only international airport in Tahiti – Papeete (PPT), where more than two-thirds of the population of French Polynesia live
  • Buying a round-trip ticket Vienna (VIE) / Budapest (BUD) – Papeete (PPT) on sale under one airline is difficult, almost impossible, so I recommend looking for a combination of two airlines
  • Our recommended flight combination through the USA:
    1. Vienna / Budapest -> San Francisco with British Airways / Air France (sales usually start in early January)
    2. San Francisco -> Papeete with French Bee (low-cost airline, consistently good prices)

TIP: Don’t forget to allow enough time for a layover in the USA, or consider spending a few days in San Francisco, like we did

Which islands to choose for the itinerary

  • The greatest gems are undoubtedly Bora Bora and Moorea
  • Since you will be flying in and out of Tahiti, you will need to include it in your itinerary either at the beginning or end of your trip
  • We recommend choosing the other islands based on the Air Tahiti Pass, which is worth buying for transfers between islands:
    • Bora Bora Pass includes the islands of Moorea, Huahine, Raiatea, Bora Bora, Maupiti
    • Bora-Tuamotu Pass includes the islands of Moorea, Huahine, Raiatea, Maupiti, Bora Bora, Rangiroa, Tikehau, Fakarava
  • There is no optimal time to spend on each island, but if you want to enjoy it, spend at least 3-6 days on each. We visited 4 islands in 19 days.
  • Moorea has the best spot to see blacktip reef sharks (Sandbank stingrays and sharks), while Maupiti is great for observing manta rays (Manta ray cleaning station)

When to Go to French Polynesia

  • Main season is May – October, we chose the end of May and early June
  • Generally, the dry period (May – October) has lower temperatures and precipitation, while the rainy period (November – April) has higher temperatures and precipitation
  • The average temperature throughout the year is 27°C and the ocean temperature is around 26°C
  • Daylight is 11-13 hours year-round from around 6 am to 6 pm, so expect that there isn’t much to do after 6-7 pm in the evening regardless of the season you visit
  • The time difference is exactly -12 hours (same as in Hawaii)

Transportation between the islands and car rental

  • Boat: A boat operates between the islands of Tahiti and Moorea, while other islands are mainly accessible by air with Air Tahiti
  • Plane: For visiting multiple islands, we highly recommend the Air Tahiti Pass – specifically, our Bora Bora Pass costs around €435 off-season / €470 in-season, including a large 23kg baggage allowance (for comparison, a round-trip flight from Tahiti to Bora Bora alone costs from €350). The basic condition of the Air Pass is to make a circle around the islands starting and ending in Tahiti / Moorea
  • Car: An international driver’s license is not required for renting a car
    • In Tahiti, we recommend the company Eco Car , we booked directly through their website
    • In Moorea and Bora Bora, we had a good experience with Europcar, booked through Rentalcars.com
    • Gasoline on the islands is relatively cheap (€1.22/l as of 06/2022)
  • Taxi: You can contact some taxi drivers directly via Whatsapp, for example, our good contact in Bora Bora is Taxi Jerry +689 87769930

How to pay and ATM withdrawals

  • You can pay in French Pacific Francs (XPF) or more rarely in US Dollars (USD) – we do not recommend paying in USD as the exchange rate will be significantly unfavorable
  • The Euro has a fixed rate of 1 EUR = 119.33 XPF, so paying by card is most optimal (in some stores, payment was only accepted above a certain amount, e.g. 1000 XPF)
  • There was no fee for ATM withdrawals – tested at Banque SOCREDO with a Unicredit VISA card
  • Tipping is not customary in the islands of French Polynesia, so it is not expected. If you decide to tip for exemplary service, this gesture is always welcome and appreciated.

Internet and Wi-Fi

  • You can buy a local SIM card from two main operators, Vini (largest coverage, more expensive) and Vodafone (smaller coverage, cheaper).
  • The cheapest data SIM is Vodafone’s “Vodacard Internet” with 8GB for 1800 XPF (approximately 15€, information from 06/2022). The initial credit is valid for 30 days on Tahiti, Moorea, and Bora Bora. You can purchase it directly at Papeete airport at the TAHITI WIFI store.
  • Wi-Fi internet is a standard feature in hotels and guesthouses.
  • Orange does not have a data partner, so internet data will not work at all. Telekom charges 10€/MB through the Vini operator.

General Tips

  • Special vaccination is not required
  • Knowing French is a great advantage as not everyone spoke English
  • The beaches on the islands are sandy, but bring water shoes for sharp corals
  • Some beaches have strong currents close to the shore, so be cautious, for example, we experienced this on Moorea at Temae and Tiahura beaches
  • Blacktip reef sharks or Stingrays you encounter in Polynesia are generally safe
  • The underwater world and corals are right by the shore, so you don’t have to pay for boat trips on every island
  • The most effective mosquito repellent can be found in local stores
  • Hard liquor in stores is expensive, for example, a bottle of regular rum costs 40-50€
  • We recommend sunscreen with a minimum SPF of 25

Interesting Facts

  • The first overwater bungalow was built in the 1960s on the island of Moorea
  • The sun travels from east to west through the north (not the south, as we are used to in our region)
  • The Tahitian alphabet has only 13 letters – vowels a, e, i, o, u and consonants f, h, m, n, p, r, t, v
  • The word “tattoo” originated in French Polynesia and has long been considered a symbol of beauty in Polynesian culture
  • The Tiare flower is the national symbol of Tahiti. If you are in a relationship, you wear the flower on your left ear, if not, you wear it on your right ear
  • Tahiti is not a destination of endless white beaches, but quite the opposite, its coastline is mostly black
  • In 1910, Milan Rastislav Štefánik was sent to Tahiti to observe Halley’s Comet. He gradually built the first astronomical observatory in Polynesia and fell in love with this paradise

If you also desire to visit these distant but incredibly beautiful islands, you can look forward to detailed articles coming soon.

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