Which is better - choosing With or Without Conversion at ATM in Tahiti?
During my month-long stay, I withdrew from several Banque Socredo ATMs. The “With Conversion” option applied a bad rate and a visible fee - whereas “Without” simply showed the XPF and left the final conversion to my provider at market rate. Always pick "Without Conversion" - and double-check your home bank’s foreign withdrawal fee, as that’s what matters here.
I tested both options at two ATMs on Mo’orea Island - one bank lobby and one street kiosk. Both offered “With or Without.” Going with conversion showed the amount in USD but included a hidden markup. Switching to Pacific Francs and letting my home bank convert gave a better rate. It was consistently 2-4% cheaper, so I always choose “Without Conversion” now.
I ran into this at the Credit Agricole ATM near Faa’a Airport. “With Conversion” looked convenient but gave a terrible exchange rate. I declined, and the withdrawal came through in Pacific Francs, letting my US bank do the math. The savings were real - “Without Conversion” consistently gave me more XPF per dollar. Same advice holds: always decline DCC, even in French Polynesia.
That prompt is Dynamic Currency Conversion. When you choose “With Conversion,” the ATM quotes the amount in USD or EUR but adds a hefty markup - usually 5-8%. I tested it at a Banque de Tahiti ATM in Papeete, and choosing “With” cost me nearly 400 XPF extra on a 50,000 XPF withdrawal. Always pick “Without Conversion”, so conversion is done by your own bank at a fair rate.