French Polynesia: plugs, voltage, currency, time & travel facts

Plugs and voltage

French Polynesia uses Types C and E sockets; Types A, B and F are also found. Mains supply is 220 V at 60 Hz.

Most sockets are European-style at 220 V, 60 Hz; some hotels also have 110 V US-style sockets.

At 220 V, devices made only for 100–127 V (many American and Japanese hair dryers, curling irons and some shavers) will be damaged without a step-down converter. Chargers labelled “100–240V” work fine with just a plug adapter.

Money

CFPF CFP Franc XPF

Average in 2025: 1 USD = 105.9 XPF (World Bank). No daily reference rate is published for this currency by the ECB; check a live rate before exchanging.

CFP Franc: where it's used

Price level 101 (US = 100, 2021)

Everyday household prices in French Polynesia are about 101% of US prices when converted at market exchange rates: dearer than the median country (50). All countries

Language

Frenchofficial98%
Tahitianofficial31%

Bars show the share of the population that speaks each language (CLDR estimates).

Time

French Polynesia spans 3 time offsets right now:

– UTC−10 Pacific / Tahiti
– UTC−9:30 Pacific / Marquesas
– UTC−9 Pacific / Gambier

The capital is on UTC−10 (Pacific/Tahiti).

Driving

Traffic in French Polynesia drives on the right, so the steering wheel is on the left.

Public holidays in the next 12 months

14 national public holidays from 2 November 2026. Banks, offices and many shops close; regional holidays are not shown. Dates marked “estimated” follow a lunar calendar and can move by a day.