Oceania > French Polynesia > Gambier (GMR)
The Car or no Car advice for Gambier can be broken down into three similar questions - do you need a car in Gambier ; is it worth it (based on costs), and ultimately - should you rent one? (a balance of the two).🚆 🚌⛴️ Do we need to rent a car in Gambier ?
These scores are based on the quality of public transport and other travel options. If these are good enough to see the main points of interest, then you don’t need to rent a car.
💰💶💳 Is it worth hiring a car in Gambier?
These scores reflect the practical factors that affect whether renting a car is convenient, good value, and stress-free.
Where are the Gambier Islands? 🌍
The Gambier Islands (Îles Gambier) sit at the far eastern edge of French Polynesia, well away from the more familiar tourist centres such as Tahiti, Bora Bora, or Moʻorea. Mangareva is the main island and the administrative centre, and nearly all visitors arrive via Gambier Airport (GMR) on a limited number of flights from Tahiti.
This remoteness is part of the appeal. Life here is slow, local, and strongly tied to the sea rather than to roads. Gambier is the last land you will get to before needing to take a boat if you ever want to reach the Pitcairn Islands, somewhere even more remote!
Getting around without a car 🚶♂️🚤
In practice, almost everyone gets around the Gambier Islands without a car. Distances on Mangareva are short, and walking is often enough for day-to-day movement around the village areas. A small number of local vehicles exist, but there is no established, international-style car rental market.
Boat transport matters far more than road transport. Many of the surrounding islands and motus can only be reached by boat, and excursions, supply runs, and daily life revolve around the lagoon rather than asphalt.
Bicycles are sometimes available locally, either informally or through accommodation providers, and they are well suited to the flat coastal roads 🚲.
Why car hire is rarely relevant 🚫🚗
Unlike larger Polynesian islands, the Gambier Islands do not have resort sprawl, long coastal highways, or multiple population centres. Hiring a car would add little value, even if it were easily available. The real experiences here are lagoon trips, pearl farms, hiking viewpoints, and cultural encounters, none of which depend on driving.
If transport is needed, it is usually arranged locally through guesthouses, boat operators, or informal lifts from residents.
Conclusion: should you rent a car in the Gambier Islands?
Conclusion – should you rent a car in the Gambier Islands?
For almost all visitors, the answer is no. The Gambier Islands are best experienced on foot, by bicycle, and especially by boat 🚤. This is a destination where transport adapts to the landscape, not the other way around, and where simplicity is very much part of the charm.
