✅ Must Do: Sleep in an overwater bungalow, Bora Bora
✅ Must Eat: Poisson cru (coconut-lime raw tuna)
✅ Bring Home: Black pearl (farmed in the Tuamotu atolls)
🧠 Trivia: The overwater bungalow concept was invented here in 1967 on the island of Raiatea.
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Not Everything You Need to Know, But a Good Place to Start
The best time to visit French Polynesia is during the dry season, from May to October. The weather is sunny with lower humidity, which is perfect for enjoying the beaches and water activities. The wet season, from November to April, can bring heavy rainfall and a risk of tropical cyclones.
Read our season-by-season guide on choosing the right time to visit French Polynesia.
To enter French Polynesia, U.S. citizens need a valid passport. A visa is not required for tourist stays up to 90 days. As a French territory, the same visa rules as mainland France apply.
The official currency is the CFP Franc (XPF), which is pegged to the Euro. While U.S. dollars may be accepted at some high-end resorts, it is essential to use CFP Francs for most transactions. Credit cards are widely accepted at hotels and larger businesses.
French Polynesia is made up of five archipelagos with over 100 islands. To get between the main islands, you will take domestic flights with Air Tahiti. For travel within an island, taxis and rental cars are available. Most resorts also offer shuttle services.
Yes, French Polynesia is an excellent destination for cruising. Many cruise lines, both large and small, offer itineraries that visit several islands. Cruising is an efficient way to see multiple islands, as it provides transportation and accommodation in one package.
The main cruise port for French Polynesia is in Papeete, Tahiti. Most cruise ships begin and end their itineraries here. Other popular ports of call include Bora Bora, Moorea, and Raiatea.
The official languages are French and Tahitian. Knowing some words in both languages is a great way to show respect for the local culture.
Tipping is not a customary practice in French Polynesian culture. In fact, many resorts have a “no-tipping” policy. A service charge is often included in the bill, and if you feel the service was exceptional, a small tip is appreciated, but it is not expected.
The overwater bungalow is a quintessential symbol of a luxurious vacation in French Polynesia. It was invented in the islands and offers a unique experience of waking up to a stunning lagoon view and having direct access to the water from your private deck.
The black pearl, or poe rava, is a national treasure and a major part of the local economy. It is cultivated in the lagoons of the Tuamotu and Gambier archipelagos. You can visit a pearl farm to learn about the cultivation process and see how these rare and beautiful pearls are grown.
The tiare is the national flower of French Polynesia. It is a symbol of love and hospitality. Locals wear a tiare behind their ear, and its placement has a special meaning: if it’s behind the left ear, it means you are in a relationship, and if it’s behind the right, you are single.
French Polynesia is made up of five archipelagos, each with a unique character. The Society Islands (Tahiti, Moorea, Bora Bora) are famous for their lush landscapes and lagoons. The Tuamotu Islands are a string of low-lying atolls famous for their incredible diving and pearl farms. The Marquesas Islands are wild, rugged, and famous for their unique culture and stone tiki statues.
The traditional Polynesian tattoo, or tatau, is a sacred and ancient art form. It is a symbol of a person’s heritage, status, and life journey. The word “tattoo” itself comes from the Tahitian word “tatau.” It is still a very important part of Polynesian culture today.
French Polynesian cuisine is a delicious fusion of French and Polynesian influences. A must-try dish is poisson cru, which is a type of raw fish salad marinated in coconut milk and lime juice. Another unique food is the ahi tuna, which is caught fresh and served in a variety of ways.
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