All Major Resorts and Restaurants accept Credit cards. The smaller stores and B&B's take mostly cash only. You should bring cash or Travellers checks and exchange them on arrival at the bank at the airport. The bank is open for all late arrivals. Do not exchange your money in the US.

Regards

BO

Hi osing:

Best to bring along travelers cheques and cash them at the money exchange at the airport in Papeete upon arrival. You can use your credit card for purchases at finer dining restaurants and fancy shops. A small amount of cash for incidental purchases such as snacks, lunch out, little souveniers etc is recommended. Be sure to find out what your credit card company will charge you to do the conversion on international purchases (most are 3%...Amex is 2%).

Some cards will waive the fee, some don't have a fee. Let them know you are leaving the country so they don't freeze your card when they see unusual charges too!

Don't change dollars into XPF at the hotels, worst rate, or the shops, even worse. Best to give them their own currency XPF.

sunny regards,

shully

Thanks Shully,

So one cannot use EUROS then, I gather?

Also, are the currency rates at the airport decent (or perhaps as good as you can get on the islands)?

Regards,

Osing

hihi.....

The best exchange rate is at the airport money exchange upon arrival. There is a fee everywhere you change money it seems....Just change the US dollar travelers cheques, best to use XPF as noted and your credit card for larger purchases.

Am happy to help! Have a great trip!

sunny regards,

shully

Since you seem to have quite a bit of knowledge....are you recommending traveler's cheques because of less chance of theft compared to carrying cash, or is there any other advantage, too?

If you already have euros and are not going back to europe anytime soon you may as well exchange those at the airport. Just don't do any double exchanges USD-EURO-CFP.

Regards

BO

Indeed travelers cheques are the safest way to transport your money, you can replace them if they are lost or stolen.

Since you are from the USA I recommended changing USD or travelers cheques into XPF.

sunny regards,

shully

Another good reason to use Travelers Checks is that almost everywhere in FP you can use US dollars as easy as the local

currency. If you lose US cash or have it stolen it can and will be used. TC are the safest way to carry your money.

One thing I forgot to ask about was the use of ATM cards. I had read somewhere that the ATMs (I believe they are called distributeurs in FP) do not work with many of the U.S. issued ATM cards. I have an ATM card/debit card with the VISA logo, and I am wondering if anyone has had any luck using such cards as a means of getting cash in FP? I do not want to use an actual credit card for a cash advance as the credit card companies charge interest as soon as you make a wothdrawal.

Regards,

Osing

Hi osing:

ATM's are extremely unreliable in french polynesia. Don't rely upon them. Best to change some USD or travelers cheques into XPF and then use your credit card for larger purchases. Some people have no problem with ATMs and many have lots of problems. Best not to get stuck without access to your money while in paradise.

sunny regards,

shully