French Polynesia Visa RequirementsFor United States passport holders

French Polynesia is an overseas collectivity of France in the South Pacific Ocean, comprising 118 islands spread across an ocean area the size of Western Europe. US citizens enjoy visa-free access as with other French territories. French Polynesia is synonymous with luxury paradise travel , the overwater bungalow concept was invented here at the Bali Hai hotel on Moorea in 1967. Bora Bora is consistently considered the world's most beautiful island, with its turquoise lagoon, dramatic black peaks of Mt. Otemanu, and extraordinary luxury resort offerings. Beyond Bora Bora, Moorea (accessible 30 minutes by ferry from Tahiti), the Marquesas Islands, the Tuamotu atolls (Fakarava, Rangiroa for diving), and the Austral Islands offer extraordinary diversity.

Tahiti is the hub for all interisland travel in French Polynesia. Air Tahiti connects Papeete to Bora Bora (50 minutes), Moorea (7 minutes), the Marquesas (4-5 hours via stopover), and Tuamotu atolls. The Cook Islands (NZeTA or visa required for Americans, not part of French Polynesia) are in the same general South Pacific region. New Zealand and Australia are the major transit hubs for connecting US-French Polynesia itineraries via the Pacific.

French Polynesia uses the French Pacific Franc (XPF) pegged to the euro (1 EUR = 119.33 XPF). Card payments accepted at major hotels and restaurants; cash preferred at markets and smaller establishments. ATMs are available on the main islands. French Polynesia is extraordinarily expensive: luxury overwater bungalow resorts at Bora Bora charge $1,500-5,000+ USD per night. More affordable options exist at small pension (guesthouses) on Moorea and the Tuamotus from $80-200/night. Supermarket food on Tahiti is expensive (high import costs).

Moorea is many travelers' preferred alternative to Bora Bora , almost as beautiful, dramatically cheaper, and accessible by 30-minute ferry from Papeete. The snorkeling at Moorea's lagoon (Tiahura area) is superb. Rangiroa atoll in the Tuamotus has world-class drift diving through the Tiputa Pass , schools of hammerhead sharks, mantas, and dolphins. The Marquesas Islands are remote, rugged, and deeply tied to Paul Gauguin (who lived and died there) and Thor Heyerdahl (who launched the Kon-Tiki voyage from Callao, Peru with Polynesian navigation research). Papeete's market (Le Marche) is excellent for fresh fish, pearls, and tiare flowers.