Useful apps for French Polynesia: transport, maps, translation

Set up your phone before you fly. Download offline maps for every island on your route, save your flight and ferry confirmations as screenshots, and install a French translation pack for offline use. Mobile data is reliable on Tahiti, Moorea and Bora Bora but patchy on atolls and in the Marquesas, so anything you need on arrival should work without a signal.

For transport, Air Tahiti is the app that matters: it handles inter-island flights, schedules and changes, and it is the quickest way to see whether a seat exists when plans shift. There is no Uber or local ride-hailing app, so taxis, hotel shuttles and pre-arranged transfers are the norm; ask your pension or hotel to book one, often by phone or WhatsApp. Ferries between Tahiti and Moorea run on published schedules — check times the day before and keep a screenshot.

For weather, Météo-France Polynésie is the official source for forecasts and cyclone alerts, which matters in the November–April wet season. For messaging, WhatsApp and Messenger are the practical channels; many pensions reply on Facebook rather than email. A translation app covers menus, signs and taxi conversations, since English is not universal outside tourist hotels.

For money, carry a card app from your own bank and check limits before you go; ATMs are limited outside Papeete, so plan cash withdrawals on the main islands. For connectivity, compare a local Vini SIM against an eSIM pack that covers French Polynesia, and confirm coverage island by island before you buy.