Things to do in Moorea
And where to stay, the best time to visit, what a day costs, and the traps to skip.
Best time to visit Moorea
• a note or something on ✦ an occasion worth the trip
Best months overall, dry weather without peak July crowds.
Single best window, dry season and peak whales with calves.
Whale season runs about 20 July to 20 November.
Wet season, hotter and humid with showers, lusher waterfalls and lower prices.
Worst for a sun guaranteed beach trip, best for waterfalls and empty beaches.
Shoulder value, pleasant weather, fewer people and lower prices.
What's on
- Heiva i Tahiti July
Dance, chant, traditional sports and crafts in Papeete, with smaller festivities on Moorea.
- Va'a outrigger canoe races Oct-Nov
Major races centred on Huahine and Raiatea, worth watching if dates align.
Best things to do in Moorea
Plage Publique de Temae
Long white sand public beach with reef snorkelling straight off the sand and Tahiti views.
Belvedere Lookout
Paved lookout with Cook Bay on one side, Opunohu Bay on the other and Mount Rotui between.
Ta'ahiamanu Beach
Calmer public beach on Opunohu Bay with good swimming, facilities and the best free sunset.
Lycee Agricole Moorea
Agricultural school shop selling its own jams, juices, vanilla and liqueurs at good prices.
Manutea Tahiti - Rotui Juice Factory & Distillery
Taste Moorea pineapple juices, fruit wines and rum near Cook Bay on the Belvedere drive.
Tiahura Beach
Shallow clear water public beach with a local feel and a short hop to Motu Tiahura.
Tiki Village
Evening Polynesian dance show and Tahitian feast in a recreated open air village.
Lagoonarium de Moorea
Supervised fenced lagoon snorkel circuit that suits nervous swimmers and families.
Where to stay in Moorea
North-west and west coast, Hauru, Tiahura, Haapiti
first trip, all-round base
Best beaches, calmest lagoon, most restaurants within reach and the sunsets.
North coast between the bays, Pihaena and Maharepa
resort base, touring by car
Resort coast facing Mount Rotui, near Maharepa shops and interior roads.
East coast, Temae
short stay, golfers, Temae Beach
Sofitel, golf, airport and ferry nearby, with sunrise over Tahiti.
Cook Bay, Pao Pao
scenery, dining, return visitors
Dramatic bay between jagged peaks with good restaurants, but bay swimming only.
South coast, Haapiti south and Atiha
quiet, deliberate local stay
Genuine pensions and big lagoon views, with long drives to tours and restaurants.
Think twice about
- Vaiare and ferry terminal surrounds
Functional transit strip with no beach life and nothing to walk to at night.
- Isolated south and south-east rentals without a car
Stranded in practice, 30 to 45 minutes to most restaurants and tours on unlit roads.
Best restaurants in Moorea
Snack Mahana
Essential cheap lunch for poisson cru, tuna tartare and breaded mahi mahi by the water.
Le Lézard Jaune Café
Polished Polynesian meets French dinner house, a local favourite for poisson cru.
Coco Beach Moorea
Motu lunch by boat shuttle, then snorkel clear water while stingrays pass the tables.
Rudy's
Casual restaurant famous for crab stuffed parrotfish and guest pick up by arrangement.
Te Honu Iti
Classic French dining on a deck over Cook Bay where rays and sharks swim past.
Holy Delices
Upscale steakhouse with seafood and salads, useful after days of fish.
A l'Heure du Sud
Most popular roulotte on Moorea, turning out fresh local plates above truck expectations.
Pura Vida Moorea
Food truck serving fish spearfished by the host cook himself for a true island taste.
Outdoor things to do in Moorea
Moorea Green Pearl Golf Course
Only course on Moorea, 18 holes by Nicklaus Design with lakes and a hard hilly back nine.
Moorea Moana Tours
Small group whale swimming in season with respectful distance and drone assisted spotting.
Dr. Poole's Dolphin & Whale Eco Tours
Whale watching led by the biologist who began Moorea whale research over 30 years ago.
Moorea EcoTour
Six person whale tours praised for calm, knowledgeable captain and guide pairs.
Top Jet Moorea
Guided jet ski loop around much of the island with bays, sandbar and snorkel stops.
Top Quad Moorea
Guided quad ride on farm tracks to Magic Mountain and Belvedere area viewpoints.
Col des Trois Cocotiers
Popular jungle hike to a saddle with views over both coasts and Mount Rotui.
Magic Mountain
Short steep climb to a summit platform over Opunohu Bay for soft early or late light.
Best hotels in Moorea
Sofitel Kia Ora Moorea Beach Resort
Renovated resort on the best resort beach with overwater villas and house reef snorkelling.
Hilton Moorea Lagoon Resort and Spa
Overwater resort with updated rooms, spa, overwater creperie and an on site reef centre.
Manava Beach Resort and Spa Moorea
Four star overwater entry at about half the Sofitel rate, with a lagoon infinity pool.
Cook's Bay Hotel and Suites
Modern small hotel with suites for self caterers in the most scenic bay on Moorea.
Moorea Beach Lodge
Small stylish beachfront lodge on the best coast with sunset aspect for couples.
Moorea Island Beach
Mid range beachfront hotel on the west coast named as a Beach Lodge alternative.
Niu Beach Hotel Moorea
West coast beach hotel in the same mid range band as Moorea Beach Lodge.
Linareva Moorea Beach Resort
Small Polynesian style beach hotel lending kayaks, bikes and snorkel gear free.
Is Moorea expensive? What a day costs
| Budget | CFPF 12,000 a person |
|---|---|
| Classic | CFPF 30,000 a person |
| Splurge | CFPF 85,000 a person |
A day of food, drink, sights and getting around, before the room
What to book ahead
- Tiki Village: a few days ahead
- Moorea Green Pearl Golf Course: a few days ahead
- Moorea Moana Tours: weeks ahead
- Dr. Poole's Dolphin & Whale Eco Tours: weeks ahead
- Moorea EcoTour: weeks ahead
- Top Jet Moorea: a few days ahead
- Top Quad Moorea: a few days ahead
- Sofitel Kia Ora Moorea Beach Resort: weeks ahead
- Whale trips in July to November book weeks ahead, small groups go first.
- Book overwater and dry season stays well ahead for May to October, especially July and August.
- Reserve Coco Beach days ahead and Te Honu Iti, Le Lezard Jaune, Holy Delices and Keiki in high season.
Is Moorea safe?
- Lock cars and hide valuables at secluded beach car parks, Temae is named in reviews.
- Give loose dogs space on secondary roads, beaches and the golf course.
- Never swim in the passes, respect Temae currents, wear reef shoes for stonefish.
- Use repellent for dengue, reef safe sunscreen for strong sun, and drive slowly on unlit roads.
Moorea travel tips: tourist traps to skip
- An all resort, no car, meal plan trip wastes Moorea advantages and doubles the food bill.
- Do not try ferry, lagoon tour, Belvedere and Temae all in one day trip, pick two.
- Tiki Village is dinner theatre, not a substitute for Heiva festival culture.
- Bring your own golf balls, pro shop prices are punitive, and check rain before Afareaitu in dry spells.
Getting around Moorea: public transport and more
- Take the Papeete to Vaiare ferry, 30 to 45 minutes, and buy tickets a day ahead in busy season.
- Rent a car for the whole stay, public transport is scarce and sights spread around a 60 km ring road.
- Confirm resort ferry shuttles at booking, and ask restaurants about pick up when reserving.
Who Moorea suits
| Solo travellers | Good |
|---|---|
| Groups of friends | Good |
| Couples | Great |
| Bachelor parties | Good |
| Families | Great |
| Bachelorette parties | Good |
Make Moorea your trip
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