French Polynesia — Shopping
Shopping
Facilities are concentrated in Papeete. Special purchases include Marquesan woodcarvings, dancing costumes, shell jewelry, Tahitian perfumes, Monoi Tiare Tahiti (coconut oil scented with Tahiti’s national flower), vanilla beans and brightly patterned pareu fabrics that make the traditional Tahitian pareo.
Shopping hours: Mon-Fri 0800-1200 and 1330-1700/1730, Sat 0800-1100. Shops sometimes close for lunch, anytime between 1100-1400. Some shopping centers in the suburbs of Tahiti are open 0730-2200
Currency
French Pacific Franc (XPF) = 100 centimes. Notes are in denominations of XPF10,000, 5,000, 1,000 and 500. Coins are in denominations of XPF100, 50, 20, 10, 5, 2 and 1. The French Pacific Franc is tied to the Euro.
Currency Exchange
Exchange facilities are available at the airport, major banks and at authorized hotels and shops in Papeete.
Credit Cards, Debit Cards, and ATMs
American Express, Diners Club, MasterCard and Visa are all accepted. ATMs are common on Tahiti, with a few on the smaller islands.
Travelers Checks
The recommended means of importing foreign currency. To avoid additional exchange rate charges, travelers are advised to take traveler's checks in US Dollars or Euros.
Currency Restrictions
There are no restrictions on the import or export of local or foreign currency. However, amounts exceeding €10,000 or equivalent must be declared if traveling from or to a country outside the European Union.
Banking Hours
Mon-Fri 0745-1530. Some are open Saturday 0745-1130.
Exchange Rate
| 1.00 GBP = 156.7 XPF |
| 1.00 USD = 97.55 XPF |
| 1.00 EUR = 137.7 XPF |
| Currency conversion rates as of 19 July 2011 |
