French Polynesia: good to know
The general-information half of trip planning: how expensive French Polynesia feels, what is considered polite, what is not, and the everyday practicalities - alongside our 48 written places.
Easygoing and generous, with a firm Sunday pause; life slows for church, family and the sea.
✓ Considered polite
- Greet with ia ora na and accept a flower lei or tiare when offered
- Remove your shoes before entering homes and family pensions
- Dress modestly in villages and churches - save swimwear for beach and resort
- Respect the Sunday rhythm of church, family and a long ma'a Tahiti lunch
✗ Better avoided
- Haggle - prices are fixed, and bargaining reads as rude
- Expect shops open Sunday or over the midday pause on smaller islands
- Rush anyone - aita pe'a pe'a, no worries, is the pace of everything
- Confuse Tahiti with the whole territory - each archipelago has its own identity
Worth knowing
- Tipping is not customary and not expected - service is included
- Carry Pacific francs to the outer islands - many atolls have no bank or ATM
- Papeete's waterfront roulottes food trucks are the best-value dinner in an expensive country
- The CFP franc is pegged to the euro; cards work on main islands, cash rules beyond them
Plugs and voltage: Wikipedia, «Mains electricity by country» (after the IEC World Plugs list), read 15 October 2026.
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Customs are living things - regions differ, cities relax, generations shift. Take these notes as a friendly head start, watch what locals do, and when in doubt a smile and a greeting in the local language cover almost everything.