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French Polynesia Helpful Facts
Location:
French
Polynesia is located south of the Equator, around mid way between Sydney,
Australia, and Los Angeles, California. The area is in the same
time zone as Hawaii.
Language:
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Mostly Tahitian and French are
spoken, but you willfind that English is spoken in hotels and
restaurants. Locals appreciate it if you learn a few of their
words and are more than happy to assist.
Entry
requirements:
All
visitors must have a return airline ticket to their home country, or to
at least two other following destinations. On top of this,
visitors must show evidence of sufficient funds to support themselves
while in French Polynesia.
For
most tourist visitors a passport that has six months left to run is
required, although US, Canadian, Australian and New Zealanders only
need three months.
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Exceptions
are where visas are required, for instance with from Israel, Brazil,
Venezuela, and Panama. In some other cases visas are required for stays
of over one month, and in other cases over three months.
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Always check with tour
travel agent or French Consulate in your country prior to travel.
Health
requirements:
There
are not many health requirements for French Polynesia, as it is not a
malaria area. However, ensure your vaccination program is p
to date by visiting your doctor at least five weeks before travelling.
Also
you are advised to take out comprehensive travel insurance before
leaving home. There are some outbreaks of dengue fever in Tahiti,
so ensure that you have mosquito repellant with you, and cover yourself
up at dawn and dusk.
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The
Law:
The Law in French Polynesia is French law, so be aware that it is a
criminal offence if you fail to offer assistance to a person in danger.
This includes motor accidents, and any other occasion when a person is in
danger, except if you would endanger yourself by offering assistance. If
guilty you could be fined or be given a suspended prison sentence.
Other
important things to take note of:
- You must carry your passport at all times.
- There are no sales taxes or hidden service
charges in French Polynesia.
- The currency is the Pacific French Franc [CFP],
but bring traveller's cheques rather than cash. Amex, Mastercard,
and Visa are all accepted at all major establishments.
Most important of all, prepare
yourself for high costs. French Polynesia is 30 to 50% more
expensive that most areas of the South Pacific.
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 Bora Bora is one of the islands in the Leeward group
of Society Islands in French Polynesia. This is an overseas
collective of France in the Pacific Ocean. Bora Bora is around 230
km (140 miles) northwest of Papeete. The island is surrounded by a
lagoon and a barrier reef.
A
major international tourist destination, which is famous for its aqua-centric
luxury resorts. Vaitape is the major settlement, located on the
western side of the main island and opposite the main channel into the
lagoon.
Produce
of Bora Bora is mainly limited to what can be taken from the sea and the
plentiful coconut palms.
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OOREA, FRENCH
POLYNESIA - HOTELS & RESORTS
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 Mo'orea is a high island in French Polynesia, part of
the Society Islands, 17 km (roughly 9 mi) northwest of Tahiti. The word,
Mo'orea means "yellow lizard" in Tahitian. Early Western colonists
and voyagers also referred to Mo'orea as York Island. Several
ferries go to the Vai'are wharf in Mo'orea daily from Papeete, the
capital of Tahiti. The Vai'are wharf is in the Vai'are bay. The Mo'orea
airport is located north of the Vai'are bay.
Because
of its stunning scenery and accessibility to Papeete, Mo'orea is visited
by many western tourists who travel to French Polynesia and the island is
especially popular as a honeymoon destination.
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APEETE, FRENCH
POLYNESIA - HOTELS & RESORTS
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 Papeete is the capital of French Polynesia. The
commune (municipality) of Papeete is located on the island of Tahiti, in
the administrative subdivision of the Windward Islands, of which Papeete
is the administrative capital.
It is
the primary center of Tahitian and French Polynesian public and private
governmental, commercial, industrial and financial services, the hub of
French Polynesian tourism and a commonly used port of call. The Windward
Islands are themselves part of the Society Islands. The name Papeete
means "water from a basket".
Traveling
tourists arrive and depart Papeete via cruise ship at Papeete Harbor or
domestic airline at Faa'a International Airport, which was completed and
opened in 1962.
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NAAUIA, FRENCH
POLYNESIA - HOTELS & RESORTS
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Punaauia is a commune in the
suburbs of Papeete in French Polynesia, an overseas territory of France
in the Pacific Ocean. Punaauia is located on the island of Tahiti.
In the
late 1890s, the French painter Paul Gauguin lived in Punaauia. Here he
painted his masterpiece, "Where Do We Come From? What Are We? Where
Are We Going?".
The
commune borders Faaa on the north and Paea on the south. The
Aremiti ferry is the main ferry that sails to Moorea and a few other
Society Islands. The ferry is white white with red stripes. The other is
the Moorea Ferry which is white on the top and blue on the bottom.
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ITI, FRENCH
POLYNESIA - HOTELS & RESORTS
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 Tahiti is the largest island
in the Windward group of French Polynesia (an overseas country of the
French Republic), located in the archipelago of the Society Islands in
the southern Pacific Ocean. It is the economic, cultural and political
centre of French Polynesia.
The
capital, Papeete, is located on the northwest
coast with the only international airport in the region, Faa'a
International Airport, situated 5 km (3.1 mi) from the town centre.
Tahiti was originally settled by Polynesians between CE 300 and
800.
The
island was proclaimed a colony of France in 1880 although it was not
until 1946 that the indigenous Tahitians were legally authorised to be
French citizens. French is the only official language although the
Tahitian language (Reo Maohi) is widely spoken. It was part of the
Kingdom of Tahiti until its annexation by France in 1880.
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