Moorea Travel Guide
If you’re looking to get away to a tropical paradise without breaking the bank, then Moorea is the perfect spot! It’s much more affordable than Hawaii with just a couple extra hours of travel time (if you’re coming from the US).
How to get to Moorea
Fly to Tahiti, Faa’a International Airport, then take a 30 minute ferry ride to Moorea. There are two companies you can use, Terevau (the cheaper option) & Aremiti. If you are bringing a car with you, you have to book a specific day/time and make sure to book it a couple weeks in advance because there is very little space for cars. If you aren’t bringing a car, you can buy a ticket online and go whenever. They don’t sell out of passenger spots (as far as our experience goes, the ferries were about 20% full with passengers, but all the car spots were taken).
You could also fly from Faa’a International Airport to the Moorea airport but that will cost much more.
Renting a Car
There is no public transportation available for tourists and cabs are pricey and can add up, so my suggestion is to rent a car. Unless you are staying at the fancier hotels that you don’t plan on leaving from, a car is worth it. You have more freedom to explore on your own without having to book a ton of excursions. You can rent a car in Tahiti and bring it over on the ferry or rent in Moorea but there are limited options in Moorea and a lot of cars are manual. We booked our car a month in advance in Tahiti and had no problem getting an automatic but we also were not there during their busier tourist season.
Where to stay
I would highly recommend staying anywhere on the Northeast to Northwest stretch of the island. That’s where you’ll find the best hikes, beaches, restaurants, viewpoints, accommodations, and more. The south side of the island is mostly locals with very little to do.
Airbnb: Bungalow on the Water – $200/night
We stayed at this cute bungalow on the water for two nights. It cost about $200/night compared to the over $1000/night you’d pay for the fancy overwater bungalows at the Hilton or Sofitel. The location is right in front of the sting ray and shark lagoon where all the excursions are. The host provides kayaks (2) and paddleboards (2) to use for free so we kayaked out on our own to swim with the rays and sharks and skipped having to pay for an excursion. The lack of air conditioning made us nervous but with the breeze off the water it stayed cool (we were there end of November).
Hotel: Cooks Bay Hotel: $400/night
This hotel had just opened 6 months prior so it’s extremely well-kept and modern. It has a great pool, small beach, a tiny bit of snorkeling off the dock (not great), the best Happy Hour on the island, the rooms are comfy and spacious. Walking down the path to the restaurant to have the amazing views of Cook’s Bay while enjoying a cocktail makes the price worth it.
Must See Locations in Moorea
Things to Do in Moorea
#1
Swim with sting rays and blacktip reef sharks: We went out two different times because we were able to kayak from our Airbnb for free and the first time the current was really strong and we only saw a couple sharks. The next time we went out at 7:00am when the water was mostly calm and saw tons of sting rays and sharks. Be aware if you book an excursion, conditions can play a role in what you’ll see!
#2
Snorkeling: Temae Beach (my favorite), Plage des Tipaniers, Ta’ahiamanu.
#3
Belvedere Lookout: We got there around 8:00am and there was no one there yet but after we hiked Les Trois Sapins, there were tons of cars and tour groups. Suggest getting there by 8:00am or earlier to avoid crowds.
#4
Rent kayaks and kayak to a motu.
#5
Buy fruit from a fruit stand: I had the best grapefruit and avocados of my life on this island!
#6
Swim with humpback whales (July – mid Nov): We are so bummed we just missed this because we went at the end of Nov – beginning of December but heard this is a remarkable experience. Just be aware when you book an excursion, you aren’t guaranteed to swim with the whales. Conditions, how strong of a swimmer, where the whales are, all determine if you end up swimming with them, so do your research on reputable companies that have good ratings!
Restaurants in Moorea
Snack Mahana
Closed on Sun/Mon, get there when they open to guarantee a spot: 11am, my suggestion: try the Poisson Cru!
See You Soon
Amazing pizza, totally worth it, but some of the slowest service we had on the island.
Cooks Bay Hotel Restaurant
Pricier food but worth trying it for one meal! And the views of Cooks Bay are spectacular. They have a great Happy Hour every day from 5:00 – 6:30pm. If you don’t want to spend a ton at dinner, grab drinks and a couple apps at Happy Hour.
Te Honu Iti
Great French cuisine located right on Cooks Bay
Allo Pizza
Located right off the main road, you can sit and look at the tropical views around while waiting for your pizza. A lot of people get this pizza to-go. It was pretty good pizza but See You Soon was better.
Les Tipaniers
They have some fun tropical drinks, didn’t try the food. The beach was one of the most beautiful and peaceful beaches on the island.
La Macaroulotte
Macaroon food stand located right by the ferry dock. Delicious and colorful macaroons
Carameline
Amazing bakery that we didn’t find until our last full day. Suggestion: go there one of your first days so you can go back if you find something you love!
***If you’re an iced coffee girly like me, you are out of luck in Moorea. I searched everywhere for a cold brew or iced latte and when I finally thought I found the solution at Carameline, they took hot coffee, blended ice in it to make it cool and that’s how it was served.
Hiking in Moorea
Les Trois Sapins
Moderate hike, it was humid/hot, muddy, and will have to go over a couple streams but views were spectacular. There’s a tire and regular swing at the viewpoint.
Afareaitu Waterfalls
Easy hike, but will have to cross over very shallow streams. We wore Tevas. Pack a swimsuit if you want to dip into the water at the bottom of the Falls. We were charged by some locals at the beginning of the hike to park our car, around $2, but aren’t sure if we got bamboozle or not. Just be aware that you might have to pay.
Mount Rotui
Extremely hard hike, steep elevation, scrambling, ropes, no trail maintenance, ridgelines, and foot placement needs to be precise in many areas. Wearing pants is a must, long sleeves if you won’t overheat, but I wore a tank top and just got a few scratches on my arms. If you have vertigo, I would suggest against this. We turned around before making it to the peak due to safety reasons but the views were amazing, one of the most beautiful hikes I’ve ever done!
Other Hikes
- Col des Trois Cocotiers: Medium hike
- Mount Mou’aputa: Extremely hard hike, favorite among locals, guide suggested
- Magic Mountain: Moderate hike on paved road to view of lagoon, have to pay $2 per person
