Tahiti is readily accessible from the east and west coast USA, Hawaii, New Zealand, Australia and Japan. Direct, non-stop flight times are about 8 hours from Los Angeles (daily flights) and Sydney, 5 hours from Auckland and Honolulu, 12 hours from New York.
Papeete (PPT) Tahiti is served by serveral international airlines including Air Tahiti Nui (2008: non-stop to LAX, Japan, Auckland, New York, and Sydney), Air New Zealand (Auckland, LAX, London), Air France (LAX, Paris), Hawaiian Airlines (Honolulu), Air Calin (Noumea), and Lan Chile (Easter Island, Santiago).
Depending on when you arrive in Tahiti, you may be able to take a flight (Air Tahiti) or a ferry to Moorea that same day/night (see Tahiti-to-Moorea page) or you might need to spend the night in Tahiti. There is more detail at the Gump Station website (but please note that Air Moorea is no longer offering flights).
Several types of housing are available at the Gump Research Station. These include hillside bungalows, studio hillside bungalows, waterfront bungalows, and a student dormitory. Rates for these units is covered in the official Gump Research Station webpage. These rates are current and have not increased since 2008.
For symposium attendees, meals on-site are prepared by a local caterer offering a nice blend of Polynesian and European cuisine. Three meals per day are served to registered participants.
In addition to housing on-site, there are local hotels nearby where you may stay. If your flight arrives at Papeete, Tahiti late in the evening after the ferries have stopped running, you may need to spend the night at a Papeete hotel. In both cases Dr. Frank Murphy, manager of the Gump Research Station, can negotiate below-market rates for you. Please contact Frank Murphy if you would like to book a hotel on Moorea or in Papeete.
EU citizens and U.S. citizens planning to stay less than 90 days will need to supply a scanned copy (PDF or jpg format) of your valid passport plus your home address so that the Gump Research Station can prepare your local housing documentation. Please submit this information at least three months before your planned trip.
Submit your scanned PDF or image file here.
For citizens of other countries, you will also need a passport, but please check with your nearest French consulate whether your country participates in French Polynesia's visa waiver scheme and how long you are able to come without a visa. In some cases a visa may be required.
You can read more details of the essential documents at the Gump Research Station website.