Fees · Country Guide

French Polynesia

Atoll passes, shark sanctuaries, whale season, and lagoon days across the South Pacific

Updated Apr 26, 2026 • 28 sources

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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.