French Polynesia is composed of 118 islands divided into 5 archipelagos located in the middle of the South Pacific ocean. Spread over a surface larger than Europe, these 118 islands barely occupy 4,000 km² of land (less than 1/100 of the surface of France).

Of this surface, the atoll of Rangiroa alone, with its lagoon large enough to contain the island of Tahiti, is the largest one, covering 1,600 km² followed by the island of Tahiti  with a surface of 1,000 km².

250 000 visitors per year, mostly coming from the U.S., Japan and Europe, are expected for the next decade.

Entry formalities :
A valid passport but no visa is required up to 1 month for the following nationalities :

Dangers

The sun
For those whose skin is sensitive to sun exposure, we do not recommend using monoi that won't protect against UVs. UVs are responsible for damaging epidermic cells which release substances dilating the blood vessels: sunburn. The effects can consist of tiredness, cramps and an unquenchable thirst. You must know that one hour of sun exposure is equivalent to 8 km of walking! We advise you to avoid the sun at its peak moments -between 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., limit yourself to only two hours of exposure a day, and finally drink abundantly.

Food Tahitian food is mainly made out of natural fresh products such as fruits and vegetables that are sold every day at Papeete Market. Meat is also safe, either produced here or imported from New Zealand. Moreover, sea-product-lovers will enjoy the great diversity of fish -from lagoon or deep-sea fishing- prepared in a dozen different ways.