Fees · Country Guide
French Polynesia
Atoll passes, shark sanctuaries, whale season, and lagoon days across the South Pacific
Fees And Permits
Confirm these fees before you book so your operator plan and day budget match what you will pay onsite.
Fees You Can't Skip
- Accommodation and local visitor taxes - Varies by commune and lodging; often shown around XPF 50 to XPF 200 per person per night
- National scuba or snorkel visitor permit - No single national visitor dive tag identified
- Typical payment pattern: Most visitors do not buy a single national scuba permit for French Polynesia.
What people usually pay
Most visitors do not buy a single national scuba permit for French Polynesia. Costs usually appear as accommodation taxes, operator fees, domestic transfers, and premium guided wildlife trips. Marine rules are still important: whale approaches, protected-species interactions, shark and ray disturbance, anchoring, and local rahui restrictions are governed through operator permits, environmental law, and local management rather than a simple tourist tag.
| Fee | Amount | Applies to | Where to pay | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accommodation and local visitor taxes | Varies by commune and lodging; often shown around XPF 50 to XPF 200 per person per night Per night | Overnight visitors | Collected by hotels, pensions, guesthouses, and resorts | Check the quoted rate and final invoice, because tax handling can differ between luxury resorts, pensions, and remote atoll stays. |
| National scuba or snorkel visitor permit | No single national visitor dive tag identified Not applicable | Scuba divers, snorkelers, and freedivers | Dive and snorkel operators manage site access and local compliance | Even without a public dive tag, protected-species, no-feeding, no-touch, anchoring, and rahui rules still apply. Follow the local operator briefing. |
| Whale and marine mammal observation authorization | Operator authorization; guest cost is normally included in tour pricing Seasonal professional operations, including July 20 to November 20 for authorized observation windows | Whale watching, guided whale snorkeling, filming, and commercial marine mammal operations | Guests book authorized guides; professionals apply through the Environment Department process | Private or unpermitted vessels must respect approach distances and cannot behave like licensed commercial guides. Water entries are limited, guide-controlled, and animal-behavior dependent. |
| Commercial filming or marketing with protected marine species | Application based Per approved project or production | Commercial photographers, film crews, influencers, and tourism marketing teams | Environment Department or designated online application channel | Protected marine mammal, shark, ray, and turtle imagery may require permissions when used commercially. Recreational travelers should still avoid close approaches, feeding, or staging wildlife behavior. |
| Tainui Atea and local marine management compliance | No public tourist pass identified Ongoing | All ocean users | Not sold to visitors; comply through operators and local signage or briefings | French Polynesia's territory-wide ocean protection and local marine managed areas affect fishing, anchoring, wildlife disturbance, and extractive activities more than ordinary guided diving fees. |
| Inter-island transport and baggage costs | Varies by route, fare class, baggage weight, and pass type Per ticket or pass | Travelers moving between Tahiti, Society Islands, Tuamotu atolls, Marquesas, and Austral Islands | Domestic airlines, ferry companies, resorts, and travel agents | Dive gear and camera bags can make baggage rules important. Compare island passes, individual flights, and ferry segments before committing to a multi-island route. |
Fee
Accommodation and local visitor taxes
Per night
- Amount
- Varies by commune and lodging; often shown around XPF 50 to XPF 200 per person per night
- Applies to
- Overnight visitors
- Where to pay
- Collected by hotels, pensions, guesthouses, and resorts
- Notes
Check the quoted rate and final invoice, because tax handling can differ between luxury resorts, pensions, and remote atoll stays.
National scuba or snorkel visitor permit
Not applicable
- Amount
- No single national visitor dive tag identified
- Applies to
- Scuba divers, snorkelers, and freedivers
- Where to pay
- Dive and snorkel operators manage site access and local compliance
- Notes
Even without a public dive tag, protected-species, no-feeding, no-touch, anchoring, and rahui rules still apply. Follow the local operator briefing.
Whale and marine mammal observation authorization
Seasonal professional operations, including July 20 to November 20 for authorized observation windows
- Amount
- Operator authorization; guest cost is normally included in tour pricing
- Applies to
- Whale watching, guided whale snorkeling, filming, and commercial marine mammal operations
- Where to pay
- Guests book authorized guides; professionals apply through the Environment Department process
- Notes
Private or unpermitted vessels must respect approach distances and cannot behave like licensed commercial guides. Water entries are limited, guide-controlled, and animal-behavior dependent.
Commercial filming or marketing with protected marine species
Per approved project or production
- Amount
- Application based
- Applies to
- Commercial photographers, film crews, influencers, and tourism marketing teams
- Where to pay
- Environment Department or designated online application channel
- Notes
Protected marine mammal, shark, ray, and turtle imagery may require permissions when used commercially. Recreational travelers should still avoid close approaches, feeding, or staging wildlife behavior.
Tainui Atea and local marine management compliance
Ongoing
- Amount
- No public tourist pass identified
- Applies to
- All ocean users
- Where to pay
- Not sold to visitors; comply through operators and local signage or briefings
- Notes
French Polynesia's territory-wide ocean protection and local marine managed areas affect fishing, anchoring, wildlife disturbance, and extractive activities more than ordinary guided diving fees.
Inter-island transport and baggage costs
Per ticket or pass
- Amount
- Varies by route, fare class, baggage weight, and pass type
- Applies to
- Travelers moving between Tahiti, Society Islands, Tuamotu atolls, Marquesas, and Austral Islands
- Where to pay
- Domestic airlines, ferry companies, resorts, and travel agents
- Notes
Dive gear and camera bags can make baggage rules important. Compare island passes, individual flights, and ferry segments before committing to a multi-island route.