Do taxis take US$$ in Papeete?

[makai 7]

I'm sure this has been asked before, sorry for asking again.

Do you recommend changing some cash into XPF before/upon arrival, or will the taxi's take US$ from the airport to the hotels (Intercontinental Beachcomber)?

 

Are there atm's at the airport that seem to work with US bank cards?

 

Thanks!

 

10 days and counting till we leave!

[Spikesgirl]

Due to the exchange rate, they actually prefer USD to their own currancy. The only place that would not take USD during our time there was an art store. Even the vendors will gladly take our currancy. Now, you get out to the smaller islands and you will need CFP or NZD if you are going to Rarotonga.

 

Hope this helps. Enjoy your cruise!

 

Charlie

[Rob & Beckys mom]

Due to the exchange rate, they actually prefer USD to their own currancy. The only place that would not take USD during our time there was an art store. Even the vendors will gladly take our currancy. Now, you get out to the smaller islands and you will need CFP or NZD if you are going to Rarotonga.

 

Hope this helps. Enjoy your cruise!

 

Charlie

 

We have some leftover euros, are these good as well?

 

Jan

[Spikesgirl]

Okay, this one has me stumped. I just don't know if they would take euros, but I know the bank (or most bigger hotels)will convert them readily enough. I think the best advice I could give would be to ask the cabbie. just make sure you have enough in either USD or CFP to cover the cost if they don't.

 

Charlie

[lalawgirl]

There were some Europeans on my cruise using Euros. But given the low value of the dollar and the fact that most people are likely to do just use the 10F-$1 conversion, perhaps dollars are your best value.

 

That's the plan I used -- I took some money out of an ATM in Papeete, figuring about 93F to the Dollar. So, if a taxi driver or a store owner would take Dollars at 100F to Dollar, I would pay in dollars. Otherwise, I would use local currency or CC.

[JRoeT]

We were surprised to find that the taxi driver that we took from the airport in Papeete to the resort in Arue did not take dollars.

 

The bellperson at the resort told us the taxis who pick up at the airport are supposed to accept dollars, but tat our driver was "lazy." (!!!) (ie didn't want to go to the bank to exchange.)

 

So I'd suggest changing some. We had to exchange at the hotel desk to pay her, and the rate they offer is not a good one (for us anyway - it was good for them!)

 

Have a great time!

[WeBeGone]

In 20 days, the only time we needed "local" money was for the Le Truck.

[ldparker]

I always have some local money with me when I travel for business or pleasure. It is easy to exchange $100 or so before you leave. Your local bank can do it.

 

The various vendors who deal with tourists will gladly take our dollars because they don't want to miss a sale, but I'm sure they would rather have their own currency. They have to exchange our dollars into PF before they can use the money.

 

I also think it shows some respect for the country we are visiting. Right or wrong, we Americans have a nasty worldwide reputation as being loud, obnoxious, and arrogant. This is often the result of a lack of understanding on our part of local customs. I think this money exchange is an example of our unintended and inocent ignorance.

 

David

[ldparker]

sorry, triple post

[ldparker]

sorry, triple post.

[SDHALFAN]

[quote name=l Right or wrong, we Americans have a nasty worldwide reputation as being loud, obnoxious, and arrogant. This is often the result of a lack of understanding on our part of local customs. I think this money exchange is an example of our unintended and inocent ignorance.

 

David[/quote]

 

Yes indeed we Americans have a reputation for being loud and obnoxious - arrogant I'm not too sure about. However, we still are mere "pikers" compared to the French and Germans as far as being ignorant and arrogant go - just ask any European who is neither French nor German. This from a former "Brit".

 

Back to the subject at hand: thanks for the information since I will be in Papeete and Bora Bora in just a couple of weeks and wondered about whether or not I should try to exchange money. I always get a kick out of how despised the Americans are but how widely their dollars are accepted. In 34 days going from San Diego to Rio (down the west coast, round Cape Horn and up the east coast) we never had to worry about whether our American dollars would be acceptable - they were welcomed, especially in Argentina where they were having money problems of their own and for once our American Dollars were actually worth their weight in gold. Europe, however is another story altogether.:)

[Emdee]

A number of shops accepted US but our Taxi from the radisson to the airport didnt. We changed at the hotel.

 

We just changed a small amount in LAX and some more at the hotel.

[dot73]

I think it is just better to exchange a few dollars into FP currency, which I have done for my January TP cruise. It will avoid a possible hassle with a taxi driver when you first arrive. From previous experiences in travelling in France and French-speaking countries, I find the French don't particularly like any tourists, not just Americans. I hope my experience in FP will be different. In Guadeloupe, for instance, I found the white French very rude. They pretended they didn't understand me when I tried to speak the little French I know. I found the native population (if I can call them that) very receptive and helpful and appreciative of my trying to speak the language.

[missouri_girl]

Interesting. I have never had a problem in a French speaking country. I have traveled in France extensively and have had few problems with rudeness. In fact, less than I have experienced in New York City. We went to Guadeloupe 2 years ago and found everyone very friendly. I would return to those beautiful islands.

[lalawgirl]

 

I also think it shows some respect for the country we are visiting. Right or wrong, we Americans have a nasty worldwide reputation as being loud, obnoxious, and arrogant. This is often the result of a lack of understanding on our part of local customs. I think this money exchange is an example of our unintended and inocent ignorance.

 

David

 

I had to think a while before responding to this post, which I felt was aimed at my response.

 

I am very experienced traveler and I do not believe that in most occasions using American Dollars in Tahiti was disrespectful. Granted, Tahiti was one of the few places I've been where American Dollars were welcomed (other places were port cities in Mexico, Costa Rica, some parts of Eastern Europe), and I am always cautious before I just take out my wallet and say, "how much in dollars?"

 

I look for clues -- for example, are prices listed in US dollars? Do I see others using dollars with no problems?

 

Many places in Tahiti didn't take dollars -- for example, places in the Marche. So I didn't even try. But if they accepted dollars, the price was a round number, and I had correct change, I will use dollars. I will not ask someone to make change for a twenty for something that costs the equivalent of $1.50.

 

I did get local currency in Papette. When I had a problem with my ATM card not being on the same network, I waited in a bank for an hour and half and used my basic French to get local currency. I always travel with both -- dollars and local currency.

 

One last point: Don't try to use dollars in the Cook Islands; they won't be accepted.

[dot73]

"Don't try to use dollars in the Cook Islands; they won't be accepted."

 

Thanks for the advice. I haven't picked up any NZD as half the time the TP doesn't make it to Rarotonga. Is it possible to exchange for NZD on the ship?

[lalawgirl]

"Don't try to use dollars in the Cook Islands; they won't be accepted."

 

Thanks for the advice. I haven't picked up any NZD as half the time the TP doesn't make it to Rarotonga. Is it possible to exchange for NZD on the ship?

 

I don't know if the ship exchanges NZ dollars, but we just used one of the numerous ATMs in town. Very easy.

 

And the exchange rate is fairly good for Americans; prices will seem a lot cheaper than they are in Tahiti. Not a bad place to do some extra shopping, pick up pearls, etc.