Is it better to take travellers in your own currency? Is it easy to change TC's on the islands other than Tahiti? I'm also taking some currency with me since I don't want to be caught out by waiting in a huge line at Faaa airport bank. Anything I should be aware of?

We don't take Travelers cheques anymore. Too much of a pain to cash. I have pre-ordered XPF's from a local bank and have taken them, a credit card and an ATM card and been just fine.
I thought I read that the bank is no longer open when flights arrive. Check out the following thread.

http://www.tahiti-explorer.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Number/89549/page/3#Post89549

Do not use the money changers at any airport as the exchange rates will be very low. Make sure you inform your CC company where and how long you will be in French Polynesia so they don't freeze your account. Ask you local bank in Scotland if they can
order you some Pacific Francs before you leave home.

Travellers cheques are becoming increasingly difficult to cash. I would not suggest bringing them. The bank at the airport is no longer open for arrivals....only for regular daily business hours. They are NOT making it easy for us travelers. :-(

Honestly your best bet is to order some money at home before you leave and use your credit card as much as possible while over there. You will get the best rates using your card.

I agree with everyone else... we used to bring traveler's checks but do not anymore because they can only be cashed at a bank, the airport bank is no longer open, and the Tahitian banks sometimes charge an extra fee for cashing them (per check). If you can order some foreign currency in your own country at a reasonable rate, that's the best option. If not, using your credit card at ATMs in FP is the next best thing. There are two ATMs in the PPT airport: one is to your left as you exit immigration, on the wall near the Hawaiian Airlines office, past the Mareiti pearl shop. The other is to the right, facing the curb next to the Air Tahiti office -- called Socredo Bank. They sometimes run out of money, especially on the weekends, so don't rely on them exclusively.

Just FYI, while all other currencies fluxuate against the CPF, the Tahitian franc is fixed to the Euro at a rate of 119.33.

WE used to bring travelers check, not being in the US and our banks not converting xpf, as I guess, we are the only ones using it. Checked Wells Fargo......we are non resident:( and also amex....need 3 working days. We are doing a prestay, and if atm's run out, we are up the creek. Always used T/C and was quite happy to do so. Becoming more of a workout to get there.

We always bring TravChecks....If CCs and ATMs are down, there's no way to access cash or services. We don't like to carry around much cash in the first place so utilize ATMs several times during our stay.
TravChecks are like having a safety net. We've had the same $600 TravChecks since FP began more reliable ATM service for US customers and have yet to cash them but still, we like the security of knowing we have a back-up plan.
And yes parislady....its becoming more of a workout (and more expensive!) to get to FP these days.

Hi Kelo,

The Post Office now offer CPF in the UK, I don't know of any other high street currency exchange that does, I would definitely get yourself some currency before you go, and then just use your credit card whenever you can whilst you're over there (better exchange rate than you can get for cash here).

Rate against sterling is great at the moment.

DD

Thank you guys. I'm going to pick up my TCs tomorrow but I think I'll ask the bank to change them to cash - I had ordered some cash anyway but if it's very hard to change TCs I might as well take cash even though it's a nightmare to protect it from straying hands. I use a prepaid CC because I just don't like endless credit so I'll top it right up before I get there.

Thank you, again.

It's not impossible to cash them...it's just getting more difficult. It probably wouldn't hurt to have some cash in travelers checks for safety purposes.