Helpful Information to Know
Weather and Climate
Welcome to the islands where it is summer year-round! With the wonderful Trade Winds that blow through the islands, the temperatures don't fluctuate much throughout the year. Average temperatures here usually range around 25 – 30 degrees Celsius or 78 – 86 degrees Fahrenheit, so it is never too cold or too hot to enjoy our wonderful scenery and customs.
Lagoon waters stay a constant 25 – 28 degrees Celsius or 78 – 82 degrees Fahrenheit, and are always a great way to relax and enjoy Polynesian life. Although if you are diving in a lagoon, you need to be aware that the water will begin to get a little cooler about 10 meters deep or so, and continue to cool the further down you go, so be prepared!
For the summer season of November through March, the weather is usually warm with rain showers that drench us during November and December. But these showers are never longer than 30 minutes and are more like a warm shower than anything else. The winter season from April through October is a little cooler, but only by a couple of degrees. This is also the driest time of the year here in Tahiti, although it does rain occasionally.
If you are planning a trip here during July or August, you need to remember that these are the busiest times of the year for tourism here, and you will need to make accommodation arrangements in advance to avoid being sold out. If you are planning a trip here during January through April, you should be aware that this is the hurricane season. But, there are very rarely hurricanes here, in fact the last hurricanes that hit Tahiti were in 1998.
The main weather danger is from cyclones that usually spring up at the end of a very humid summer. While the water and the air are warm, a cyclone can form and carry winds up to 188 mph, although once it hits cooler water and air, it quickly falls apart. The surf is the main problem when cyclones spring up here, since the massive flow of waters that are lifted by the winds of a cyclone produce major waves, and can actually begin to hit the shore before the storm does. In these instances, lower lying areas are evacuated for higher ground. But, the Polynesian people seem to be able to predict when these storms are springing up and are more than willing to help neighbors and visitors to be safe and gain higher ground.
Time Differences
Due to the fact that Tahiti and the islands are a full 10 hours behind the Universal Time (GMT), no matter where you are traveling from, you will experience jet lag when you arrive. So you won't have to sit and figure time differences where you live, here is a short list of some major cities and the time differences between them and Tahiti, based on Tahitian time, when it is 9:00 am here, it is:
9:00 pm in Paris and Continental Europe in the Summer and 8:00 pm in the Winter
12:00 noon in Los Angeles in the Summer and 11:00 am in the Winter
9:00 am in Honolulu
3:00 pm in Santiago
7:00 am the next day in Auckland
4:00 am the next day in Tokyo
4:00 am the next day in Sydney
Languages
There are two official languages spoken here in Tahiti: Tahitian and French. English is also spoke and generally understood in most of the shops and hotels around the islands. In major tourist areas, a wide variety of other languages are also spoken.
Currency Exchanges
The local currency here in Tahiti is the Pacific Franc and it has a fixed rate when it is related to the Euro. 1 Pacific Franc (CFP) = 0.0008 Euros. 1 Euro = 119 CFP. So, a 10,000 CFP bill is worth 84 Euros.
Online currency converter : www.xe.com
Credit Cards
Since tourism is becoming a main source of business here in Tahiti, credit cards are also becoming more prevalent. Most major credit cards are accepted, like Visa, Master Card, and American Express, but you should bring along enough cash just in case. If you are planning on using an ATM machine while in Tahiti, make sure that you carry an international Visa instead of a Master Card, Amex, or Cirrus as most ATM's here don't work with these cards. Some shops and taxis don't take credit cards, so it is always a good idea to make sure that you have a little cash on you when you go out exploring. If you are planning on heading down to the local bank or post office, keep in mind that they close from 2 to 3:30 pm each day.
Normal Business Hours
Most shops stick to these regular business hours: Monday through Friday, 7:30 am through 11:30 am and 1:30 pm through 5 pm. Most markets are open from 7:30 am to 11 am on Saturdays as well. Depending on the shop and the area that you are in, some will reopen on Saturday afternoons too.
Post Office
The post office in Papeete is located near the Territorial Assembly and most locals will be happy to point you in the right direction. Their hours are from 7 am to 3 pm each day, with one window remaining open from 3 pm to 6 pm for rush items. You can check around the town that you are staying in for their postal services and the hours that they keep as well.
Telecommunications
Tahiti boasts one of the best networks anywhere in the world due to the amount of travelers and visitors to the islands from all over the world. Telephone calls are done by satellite, and there are all forms of other communications available such as fax, operator, minitel, and telex. There are phone booths that are located all around Papeete and the main island of Tahiti, and you can ask around to find them on the other islands too. All phones on the islands are accessible through phone cards, which can be purchased at most stores in Tahiti.
To call Tahiti from Europe, you will need to dial “00” and then “689”, which is Tahiti's country code, and then the six digit phone number. To call Tahiti from the United States or Canada, you will need to dial “011” and then “689”, then the six digit telephone number.
To call from Tahiti to the United States, you will need to dial “00”, then “1” and the full telephone number. To call France from Tahiti, you will need to dial “00”, then “33” which is France's country code, and then the nine digit telephone number without the first “0”.
Most of the overseas rates for telephone calls are reasonable, at about 0.84 Euros a minute to call France, the United States, New Zealand, Japan, or Australia. For other European countries and other countries around the world, the rates are usually around 1.39 Euros a minute. When making phone calls home from Tahiti, remember the time difference where you live so you don't wake up those you are trying to call to say “hello”!
Cell Phones
There is only one cell phone provider on the islands, Tikiphone, which operates a network called “VINI”. While here, if you see the “F VINI” on your phone, it means that you have service through Tikiphone. But, before you leave home with your trusty cell phone, you need to talk to your customer service for the service that you currently have to ensure the rates that will apply and that you do have international services. Now that you have your cell phone and the service here in Tahiti, remember that the rates for international cell phone calls can add up, so it is usually better to get a call then to make one! Vini works with GMS bands.
Internet Services
Tahiti has one Internet service provider called “MANA” and you can get a temporary connection kit from them for use on your stay here. There are also several Internet cafes that have sprung up all over Papeete and a few on the other major islands. The Internet is a great way to send your Tahitian photos back home to friends and family.
Water Supplies
Most of the water here is drinkable, but it is generally best to purchase bottled water just to be safe. If you are planning a hike or boating trip, make sure that you carry with you enough water since there might not always be a store to purchase bottled water from. While there are large amounts of fresh water here, during a heavy rain, the water will come out brown when the faucet is turned on.
Health Regulations
There are no vaccinations required to travel to Tahiti or any of the other islands unless there is an epidemic at hand, and the only illness that you need to be aware of is dengue fever, which is a form of the flu. During your stay, if you develop a fever, headaches, and muscle aches, you should seek the nearest drug store for anti-inflammatories and vitamin C. Don't take aspirin, since it is a blood thinner and can make the symptoms worse and even cause internal bleeding, so you need to find a doctor immediately.
Here in Tahiti, we have great medical and dental offices that can be found all over the islands. There are also private clinics, pharmacies, and specialists that can be found in the Territorial Hospital center. In Tahiti, there are hospitals and infirmaries along with the normal doctors that provide top notch medical care to anyone and everyone in need. But, be sure to check with your insurance provider before traveling to see what type of coverage you will have while in Tahiti.
Safety
While there is not much crime here in Tahiti, it is still recommended that you don't leave anything valuable visible in a car or your hotel room. Most hotels provide patrons with a safe or safety deposit box to keep their valuables in when they leave the room, but if your hotel does not, you can leave them with the reception office.