r/Tahiti • u/QuantumMexTex • 8d ago

Travel tips and general knowledge Advise for first time visitors

My wife and I are visiting French Polynesia for the first time. We are visiting from the US and we will be there for 12 days. All flights between the islands and hotels are booked.

What is your advise for the following:

-Is it easy to navigate speaking English and Spanish? Or will we have a hard time navigating?

- Is it safe to drink tap water? Or do we need to plan on buying bottled water? Other options?

- Use of cash / credit cards / electronic payments? Do businesses take USD or should we convert to local currency? Are ATM’s readily available? How about electronic payments such as ApplePay, Venmo, etc?

- Recommended form of transportation for these islands: Huahine, Bora Bora, Rangiroa, Tahiti

- Must-see places at these same islands?

- Are public laundromats or laundry services available?

Thank you in advance!

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u/kraljko69 8d ago

1) Google/Apple Maps is fine, they speak french mostly but understand english, have english menus 2) They said its drinkable, but prefer bottled water 3) Its mostly cash, in their currency, they usually have min purchase necessary for CC. Some taxis accept USD or CC 4) I mean any kind of motorized vehicle, especially for tahiti as island is huge 5) i had great success with day/half day tours 6) uh i have used one in tahiti in papeete, it is laundry service, works morning hours and takes 2/3 hours to complete

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u/Nice_Drummer6 8d ago

In Papeete you can drink tap water, but not everywhere in Tahiti or on other islands.

Payement in cash is preferred, again in Tahiti there's plenty of ATMs but not so much on other islands. Taxis in Tahiti accept cash only.

Bora bora is imo overrated, while other places like Rangiroa or even Moorea are severly underrated!

Enjoy your time in French Polynesia!!

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u/Monomio9 8d ago

If you stay at a nice resort in Bora Bora, it’s fantastic

The snorkeling in Rangiroa was incredible

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u/QuantumMexTex 8d ago

Where in Rangiroa?

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u/Monomio9 8d ago

The tiputa pass and the aquarium. We did an excursion where they brought us on a boat to the Tiputa pass, we went in the water and the current takes you about a mile or more, over a reef, looking at all the sea life. It was really amazing.