Moorea, French Polynesia: What to Know

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Moorea is a heart shaped volcanic island about 17 kilometres northwest of Tahiti, close enough to see across the channel from Papeete on a clear day and easy enough to reach that it works as a day trip, though staying a night or two is worth it. It runs greener and considerably cheaper than Bora Bora while covering much of the same lagoon and mountain scenery, which makes it the easiest French Polynesia add-on for a Tahiti trip.

Getting there: the ferry

The Aremiti and Terevau ferries run from Papeete to Vaiare on Moorea’s east coast, a 30 to 45 minute crossing that operates frequently from roughly 5:30am to 9pm, priced somewhere around 1,000 to 2,030 XPF depending on the sailing. It is the one inter-island route in French Polynesia that is a boat rather than an Air Tahiti flight; everywhere else, Bora Bora included, you fly. A short 10 minute Air Tahiti flight also exists for anyone who wants it, but the ferry is the standard, cheap way most visitors get here. Rent a car or scooter at the Vaiare dock; the island’s ring road makes getting around straightforward.

Cook’s Bay, Opunohu Bay, and the Belvedere

Moorea’s north coast holds its two defining bays, Cook’s Bay and Opunohu Bay, separated by Mount Rotui rising directly between them. Both are dramatic, near-vertical green walls dropping into flat turquoise water. The Belvedere Lookout, about 250 metres up and the highest point reachable by car, sits above the Opunohu Valley and gives a single view over both bays and Rotui at once; the drive there passes an agricultural college and an ancient marae on the way. Go earlier in the day, before cloud tends to build over the peaks.

The peaks: Tohivea is not Mou’aroa

Two mountains get mixed up constantly in photos of Moorea. Mount Tohivea, at roughly 1,207 metres, is the island’s true high point. Mount Mou’aroa, nicknamed the “Shark’s Tooth” for its sharply pointed summit, at about 880 metres, is a separate, lower peak, distinctive enough that it’s often mistaken for the highest one simply because it’s more photogenic. A third viewpoint, “Magic Mountain,” is a lower 4x4-track lookout distinct from both, and a popular stop on guided tours, best done early before other vehicles arrive. In the Opunohu Valley, the Manutea distillery runs a free self guided tour of its pineapple juice and rum production, an easy stop on the same drive.

The lagoon: the Sharks Sandbank and whale swims

Moorea’s marine draw is the “Sharks Sandbank,” a shallow lagoon area where outrigger canoe tours stop so you can stand in waist deep water among roughly 20 blacktip reef sharks and stingrays that gather there, calm enough for nervous snorkelers, with a motu stop usually built into the same trip. The Moorea Dolphin Center is a separate, land based option for anyone wanting time with dolphins specifically. Between July 20 and November 20, Moorea is also the top accessible base in French Polynesia for humpback whale swims, run by accredited operators only, boats kept 100 metres off, with a maximum of 6 swimmers in the water at a time; this needs booking ahead of your dates, not a same-day decision.

Tiki Village and culture

The Tiki Village cultural center puts on Polynesian dance and craft demonstrations, a straightforward way to see ‘ori Tahiti dance and traditional crafts without traveling to Papeete for the Heiva i Tahiti festival, which runs in July and dates back to 1881; Tahiti Tourisme publishes the exact dates each year.

Where to stay

Moorea covers both ends of French Polynesia’s accommodation range. The Hilton Moorea Lagoon Resort, Sofitel Kia Ora Moorea, and Manava Beach Resort Moorea sit at the resort end, with Les Tipaniers and a range of family run pensions covering a more budget friendly stay, often with direct lagoon access and breakfast included. One flag worth knowing: the InterContinental Moorea is permanently closed and no longer bookable, so skip any listing still referencing it.

Book these before you go

Worth knowing: the currency is the CFP franc (XPF), permanently fixed at 1 EUR to 119.33 XPF, and tipping is not customary here. Dengue is endemic in French Polynesia with recurring outbreaks, so pack repellent, and ciguatera fish poisoning affects some reef fish, worth asking locally before eating anything caught that week. There is no malaria. Moorea has good basic medical care, but anything serious means an air evacuation to Papeete running $10,000 or more, a real argument for travel and evacuation insurance.

Moorea features in most French Polynesia itineraries of any length; see the 3 day plan for a Moorea-focused trip, or the 5 day and 7 day plans for the classic combination with Bora Bora added. Official tourism information is at Tahiti Tourisme .