World Travel GuidesFrench Polynesia


 Find Hotels     Follow Me on Pinterest 
Cook Bay, Moorea, Society Islands
Cook Bay, Moorea, Society Islands
Author: Rv (Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported)



French Polynesia is a constituent country of the French Republic located in the South Pacific Ocean. It comprises groups of islands of which the most populous is Tahiti, located within the Society Islands group. French Polynesia covers 4,167 sq km (1,609 sq mi) and has a population of 270,000 (2011 estimate). The capital of French Polynesia is Papeete while the biggest city is Faaa.

Guide to French Polynesia Hotels

Here's a list of hotels in French Polynesia that you can book online, listed by city, with full description, star rating, address, location map, evaluation, and prices as offered by different booking sites. This helps you to make your room booking with the site that offers the best price.


More on French Polynesia

French Polynesia operates in three time zones, from 10 to 9 hours behind Coordinated Universal Time (UTC-10, -9:30, -9). The official currency here is the CFP franc (XPF). Traffic is driven on the right here. The phone IDD code is +689.

French Polynesia has an economy fueled by tourism. Its GDP is the fifth largest in Oceania behind that of Australia, New Zealand, Hawaii and New Caledonia. In 2006, French Polynesia had an estimated GDP of $5.65 billion, equivalent to a per capita GDP of $21,999.


Marina Taina, Papeete, Tahiti
Marina Taina, Papeete, Tahiti
Author: Remi Jouan (Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported)


Until the arrival of Europeans, French Polynesia was a loose collection of chieftainships inhabited by indigenous Polynesians. The Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan was the first to arrive when he sighted Pukapuka in the Tuamotu Archipelago in 1521. He was followed by Dutchman Jakob Roggeveen who discovered Bora Bora in 1722. Then in 1768 French explorer Louis Antoine de Bougainville discovered Tahiti, with Captain James Cook also arriving there the following year.

Catholic missionaries from Spain were the first mission group to arrive in Tahiti, in 1774. They were followed by Protestants from the London Missionary Society in 1797. As the people of the islands converted to Protestantism, King Pomare II was forced to relocate to Moorea in 1803.

French Polynesia experiences a tropical climate with temperatures that are fairly uniform and high humidity. Average ambient temperature is 27°C (80°F). The months of November to April are slightly warmer as these are the summer months in the southern hemisphere..


Richard B. Gump Station, Moorea, French Polynesia
Richard B. Gump Station, Moorea, French Polynesia
Author: Jeromenpetit (public domain)


France began to claim the islands from the 1880's. By 1903, the area was colonized as the French Settlements in Oceania. In 1946, the Polynesians were granted French citizenship, as the islands were elevated to the status of overseas territory. As autonomy was extended to the islands, French Polynesia was made an overseas collectivity of France from 2004.

Visiting French Polynesia

Faa'a Intrernational Airport (PPT) is the main airport for French Polynesia. It is located in the Faa'a municipality, just 5 km from the down center of Papeete. You can fly here by Air Tahiti Nui from Sydney, Auckland, Tokyo, Paris, New Yock and Los Angeles.

Preparing for visiting Bora Bora

  1. Bora Bora, French Polynesia
  2. Tahiti Bora Bora Cruise
  3. Bora Bora honeymoon
  4. Bora Bora Cruise Contacts
  5. Luxury Hotels in Bora Bora
  6. Vacation Packages to Bora Bora, Tahiti
  7. St Regis Bora Bora Resort Tahiti French Polynesia









Island Groups and Archipelagos of French Polynesia

  1. Austral Islands
  2. Gambier Islands
  3. Leeward Islands
  4. Manihi
  5. Marquesas Islands
  6. Palliser Islands
  7. Rurutu
  8. Society Islands
  9. Taha'a
  10. Society Islands
  11. Tikehau
  12. Tuamotu Archipelago
  13. Windward Islands

Major Cities in French Polynesia

  1. Papeete - Capital of French Polynesia

Tourist Destinations in French Polynesia

  1. Bora Bora
    One of the most beautiful and famous of the Society Islands in French Polynesia.

  2. Fakarava
    Coral atoll on the western part of the Tuamotu archipelago.

  3. Hiva Oa
    Second largest of the Marquesas Islands.

  4. Huahine
    One of the Leeward Islands of the Society Islands group in French Polynesia

  5. Maupiti
    A small atoll island to the west of the Leeward Islands.

  6. Moorea
    A beautiful island within the Society Islands archipelago.

  7. Nuku Hiva
    The biggest of the Marquesas Islands.

  8. Papeete
    Main town and capital of French Polynesia

  9. Raiatea
    Island in the South Pacific dotted with high-end resorts. Raiatea has an archaeological site considered the cradle of Polynesian civilization. It shares an atoll with another island, Tahaa.

  10. Rangiroa Atoll
    Atoll within the Tuamotu Archipelago.

  11. Tahiti
    The main island of the Society Islands group. The only one with a major town, Papeete, which serves as capital of French Polynesia.


Return to Discover This World






  • Tips to become a smart traveler: Useful tips to remember, to get the best out of your travels.
  • Preparing for a Trip: Systematic approach to help you prepare for your trip.
  • How to plan your travel itinerary: Step-by-step build to creating the itinerary for your trip.
  • How to compare hotel room rates: Learn to use a booking search engine to compare rates across all major booking sites.
  • How to pack your luggage: Useful steps to take when packing your luggage.
  • Packing List (PDF): Print out this free packing list to make sure you don't forget anything for your trip.
  • Voltage, Frequency, Plugs & Sockets of the World: Learn about the mains electricity supply in the world.
  • Travelers' List of Plugs and Sockets (PDF): Easy-to-use list of electricity and plugs for all countries.
  • Making International Direct Dail Calls: Learn to make IDD calls from anywhere in the world.
  • IDD Call Prefixes & Country Codes (PDF): Listing of Call Prefixes and Country Codes on one page for you to bring on your trip.
  • Safety Tips When Traveling Alone: Useful advice for when you travel on your own.
  • Guide to Health Matters related to Travel: Comprehensive coverage of different issues related to your health when traveling.
  • Getting Travel Insurance for your trip: Benefits of travel insurance, and advise on when you should signing up for one.
  • Improve your travel photography: Tips to improve your photography skills, especially when traveling.
  • Guide to Traveling Around the World: Useful tips for encircling the globe.


  • Find a hotel







    Follow Me on Pinterest

    Point - Click - Discover!

    Thanks for visiting this webpage. To continue exploring, choose another destination!


    My World Travel Guides - celebrating a beautiful world beautifully.

    Earning a living as a Happy Jobless Guy

    I am a Happy Jobless Guy! I am one of the few people who is fortunate enough to earn an income from my websites that I don't to go out to work. My sites get thousands of visitors every day. It has been a long process, but it is something everybody can achieve, and that means YOU. The following are some articles which you might want to read if you want to do what I do:
    1. Money Making Manual
    2. How to earn from writing websites
    3. Guide for earning a living without holding a job
    4. Generate a Sitemap for your website
    5. Complete Step-by-Step e-Business Building System