COVID-19 Travel Resources

At the time of this writing, French Polynesia requires that you comply with one of the following:
1) Purchase Travel Insurance covering COVID-19 medical expenses; or
2) Personally assume ALL expenses related to the cost of your healthcare including potential hospitalization, quarantine, or medical evacuation/ repatriation, should you fall ill during your stay in the Islands.

Although you are presented with a choice, Venture Tahiti strongly recommends that you do purchase an independent insurance policy. Please see our Tahiti Travel Tip entitled, "Should I Buy Insurance" for more information or click this link to sort, compare, and purchase travel insurance from multiple providers.

Yes, the entry requirements for French Polynesia, as of the date above, require proof of a negative COVID-19 test carried out within three days prior to your international departure. Even if you are fully-vaccinated. In addition, you will be tested upon arrival under the new entry protocols. At this time, French Polynesia requires a "RT-PCR" based test prior to departure. Rapid tests of any kind are not accepted.

You will also be required to carry out a self test on the fourth day of your stay. Please see our Tahiti | COVID-19 Entry Requirements and Tahiti | COVID-19 Self Test Instructions articles located below in our COVID-19 Travel Protocols section for more details including which tests are acceptable, and other entry requirements.

You can find a list of testing centers equipped to provide the "RT-PCR" based test through this website. For additional information on testing centers, please see our Air Tahiti Nui's COVID-19 policies article located below in our COVID-19 Travel Protocols section for more details, including information on the new testing center located at Los Angeles International Airport.

It is the responsibility of the traveler to make sure the test results are available prior to their international flight. Please remember to discuss this with your potential test facility to see if results will be available online or via email to ensure you receive them prior to check-in for your international departure.

Your COVID-19 test must be carried out within three days prior to your departure. According to the examples provided by Tahiti Tourisme, the following days are the earliest you could get tested based on which day of the week you will be departing. Any time of day will suffice, regardless of your actual time of departure.

- Sunday Departure = Preceding Thursday (This is the earliest day you could be tested.)
- Monday Departure = Preceding Friday
- Tuesday Departure = Preceding Saturday
- Wednesday Departure = Preceding Sunday
- Thursday Departure = Preceding Monday
- Friday Departure = Preceding Tuesday
- Saturday Departure = Preceding Wednesday
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Please note, if departing early in the week, you will need to verify that the lab actually works over the weekend and results will be available on time. It is the sole responsibility of the traveler to make sure their test results are available in time for their international flight.

For additional information, please see lease see our Tahiti | COVID-19 Entry Requirements page. It is updated on a regular basis.

On January 26, 2021 the CDC announced that all travelers flying to the United States from foreign countries (including US Citizens) will need to present a negative COVID-19 test prior to boarding their flight to the US. Upon this announcement, the government in French Polynesia implemented quick and convenient testing procedures available to all US bound passengers. Testing facilities that comply with US testing requirements have been set up at the Faa'a International Airport in Tahiti, as well as three other sites on the Island of Tahiti and one site on Moorea. It is our expectation that additional sites on different islands will be opened as time goes on.

Your Venture Tahiti Specialist will make sure that your travel itinerary allows for testing at Faa'a International Airport prior to your flight back to the United States, with minimal disruption to your current itinerary. More details are provided below in our COVID-19 Travel Protocols section.

Venture Tahiti strongly recommends that you purchase a third-party travel insurance policy that protects you in the scenarios covered below. You can compare coverage and pricing and purchase a policy through this link.

Prior to Leaving the United States: If you are unable to travel to Tahiti because you tested positive for COVID-19 prior to departure, you will be able to apply 100% of your payments toward new travel dates. Venture Tahiti will work with your airline and resorts to reschedule your trip once new dates have been selected.

During Your Stay: If you test positive after taking the required self-test, you will be put in contact with the Health Monitoring Bureau and Ministry of Tourism. They will assist you with any assistance or itinerary adjustments required for the remainder of your stay. You will have to quarantine for 7 days from the date of completion of the self-test. Keep in mind that once you receive your self-test results, you may only have 3 or 4 days of quarantine remaining.

If you require medical assistance, you will be transferred to the nearest hospital. If you are asymptomatic or only have mild symptoms, you can stay at your reserved hotel if health conditions permit. Otherwise, you will be transferred back to Tahiti and placed in a dedicated accommodation (most likely a villa rental) at your expense, if not covered by an insurance policy.

Please note, from July 15th through December 5th of last year, only 135 out of 35,000 tourists tested positive on the self-test (.38%) and all were asymptomatic.

Prior to Returning to the US: If you test positive prior to departing Tahiti at the end of your stay, after taking the required self-test, you will be expected to quarantine for 7 days as described above, at your own expense, if not covered by an insurance policy.

On April 16, 2021, the High Commissioner and the President of French Polynesia have announced that the authorities in France are mandating that upon reopening on May 1st, all incoming travelers, including children and minors, will need to be-fully-vaccinated, or show proof of immunity due to a prior COVID-19 infection (positive antibody test).  

Up until recently we did not anticipate that a vaccine would become a requirement for travelers so soon given the high percentage of people without access to a vaccine at this time. Unfortunately, this is part of the gradual reopening protocols. These requirements are subject to change and we do not know how long they will be in place.

If you have already been vaccinated or immunized, you will still need to present a negative COVID-19 test prior to boarding your flights to, or from, Tahiti. Please see our detailed Entry Requirements for Tahiti and the United States below.

If borders are closed for your future travel dates due to COVID-19, your Venture Tahiti Specialist will assist you in rescheduling your trip with new travel dates. Under our Book with Confidence! policy, 100% of your payments will be applied to your amended travel itinerary.

We understand you may be concerned about making a final payment toward your Tahiti vacation or honeymoon if the borders are currently closed. Please contact our Client Services team to inquire about flexibility on your final due date.

If borders remain closed, rest assured that 100% of your payments can be applied to new travel dates under our Book with Confidence! policy, detailed below.

Tahiti reopened to tourists on July 15, 2020. We have sent many happy clients to Tahiti since July, prior to the recent, temporary border closing. Our clients and colleagues have overwhelmingly provided good feedback mentioning that the new health and safety protocols did not detract from their overall experience. You can read recent feedback in our Client Testimonials section.

Venture Tahiti has also curated a collection of recent articles written by Travel + Leisure and other travel writers about the experience of traveling to French Polynesia during COVID-19. You can find these first-hand accounts in our Tahiti Travel Trends, News & Articles section.

Postponing or rescheduling is a more favorable option financially than completely cancelling a trip. If borders are open and the airlines and hotels are operating, we will need to defer to the terms and conditions of the suppliers that were provided at the time of your booking. Many resorts will require a certain amount of advanced notice, but they may also be operating under special conditions with more flexible rules.

Assuming borders are closed or adequate advanced notice has been given (usually 30 days), your prior payments and pre-purchased airfare are held as credits to be applied to your new travel dates, once dates have been selected and new reservations have been confirmed. You can read more about this under our Book with Confidence! policy,

If you have booked through Venture Tahiti, we will work with your resorts and airline to reschedule your itinerary for you. You would not have to select your dates immediately.

Should you prefer to cancel in full, Venture Tahiti will work with the resorts and airlines to cancel your reservations and request any available refunds. We will also work with your suppliers to preserve any credits associated with your non-refundable airfare, insurance policy premiums and non-refundable deposit.  

Below you will find a collection of comprehensive resources concerning many COVID-19 related travel topics including recent news articles on the subject. In addition, we recommend checking your airline’s website as well as Tahiti Tourisme.

Importantly, prior to any international travel, we always recommend visiting the State Department travel website for safety information related to your travel plans. For medical and health information, we recommend visiting the Centers for Disease Control website as well as consulting with your family physician.