Currency in FP?

[berniem22]

How important is it to convert from $US to local currency for cab fare, restaurants, souvenirs, tours?

 

Are $US readily acceptable at a competitive exchange rate?

 

I can also use my credit card if necessary.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

It's more polite than anything, at least that's just a feeling I have. You should be able to convert directly from CDN to CFP at the airport, so you don't have to convert twice.

 

US Dollars were taken at par last time we were there (2 years ago), but the exchange rate has changed drastically since then, with a USD buying about .92 of a CFP (or something like that). So using dollars you would lose something, I'm thinking, on small transactions. Just a guess.

 

I am going to take some traveller's cheques, in CDN, change them at the airport. And have some US currency and/or Euros in my pocket, plus credit cards, etc.

[Eric and Sandy]

We arrived a day early at night so we were concerned to have some money exchanged, so at LAX we changed some in the international area, which probably was a good idea, because we arrived in Papeete at 730 that night and i wasnt sure how the taxi drivers would feel about US money. The Money is not hard to use if you just use it a couple of times it was really kind of fun, but most everyone takes US money. Some take 100 to one US dollar and some took anywhere from .78cents to 100 CPF to about .92 cents per 100CPF. The intercontinental exchanged money at the front desk for you. Personnally i rather had used there money the whole time that way i wasnt always trying to make sure the conversion was being figured correctly all the time. As long as they took one dollar for 100francs it was OK, which was probably about 70 percent of the time. Dont worry about it its nothing to loose any sleep over, do what you think you will be comfortable with and go for it, it will be fine, really.

Eric

[Bob100]

How much money would anyone recommend converting if you were planning to use US dollars for the most part? Would a hundred dollars be enough?

[Eric and Sandy]

WE orginally did $100 in LAX, but later on Papeete got another $150 just to have in case we needed, we had no problem using it up, what i had left i gave as extra tip for our cabin steward. Easy enough he can use anytime , when he gets off ship.

 

Eric

[MVPinBoynton]

Life in any foreign country is simplified if you have their currency. It eliminates one less hassle from a trip. Plus the FP money is quite pretty and makes for a lovely souvenir.

[sprinkles]

We only got $100 worth of their money when we were on the TP this past March. We found it was nice to have just in case, but for the most part we found we were better off using US. If they SEE that you have their money they will want that instead. It was funny getting on the LeTruck in Moorea, the driver was taking $3.00US per person from the people in front of us. DH was too slow in putting away the XPF and the driver saw it and told DH "No, I want that money" pointing to the XPF instead of the US. Basically we couldn't buy 300 XPF for $3.00 US, so it cost us more to ride the bus then the couple in front of us (not much I know - but since you're asking). We found we rarely NEEDED to have the XPF. Have a great time.

 

Tammy