Want to avoid last-minute ATM runs. Do most hostels in Bora Bora take card payments at check-in
Resorts in Bora Bora love cards - they’ll happily accept Visa, Mastercard, Amex. But for the handful of budget pensions, cash is what they prefer. I stayed in one run by a family near Matira Beach, and cash was required. There’s a Banque de Tahiti ATM in Vaitape, but if it’s down, you’re stuck. So yeah, avoid last-minute ATM runs by bringing enough francs from Tahiti before you fly over.
I stayed at a pension outside Vaitape and the host told me “cash only” at check-in. Luckily I had francs ready, but a few other travelers had to scramble to find the ATM in town. Resorts are fine with cards, but the cheaper side of Bora Bora is very cash-driven. If you want to avoid last-minute stress, bring cash over from Papeete. The islands aren’t really set up for frequent ATM use.
My small guesthouse on Bora Bora only accepted cash, despite advertising card acceptance online. Resorts will happily swipe your Visa or Amex, but budget stays run differently. I ended up at a Banque de Tahiti ATM in Vaitape to get enough CFP francs. It’s not a place with many cash machines, so it’s smart to withdraw before you leave Tahiti. Definitely avoid expecting every place to accept cards.
Bora Bora is not the kind of place with “backpacker hostels” in the typical sense. Most accommodations are resorts, and those definitely accept cards. But there are a few family-run pensions or guesthouses, and those often asked me to pay cash in CFP francs. At one pension near Vaitape, the owner didn’t even have a machine. Don’t risk it - carry enough cash if you’re staying outside the luxury resorts.