Islands Adventures

Moorea

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Moorea, the sister island of Tahiti, is situated 7 minutes away by plane. As soon as you arrive at Temae airport, you will be enthralled by the beauty of the island renowned for its serenity and a striking change of scenery. The combination of beauty and easy access make Moorea one of the most popular destinations in Polynesia both for the local and the international clientele.
Moorea has the unusual shape of an equilateral triangle with the base deeply indented by two great bays, Cook’s Bay and Opunohu Bay, dominated by the imposing peak Mount Rotui with a summit of 3 000 ft. The island is divided into several coastal villages commonly referred as districts. A luxurious vegetation, an island perimeter bordered with magnificent hibiscus, a lagoon with crystalline waters, beaches of white sand, a peaceful way of life, these are some of the charms of the sister island to which many artists have succumbed to the point of making it their home.
A number of good restaurants are situated all around the island and offer excellent French, Chinese or Italian cuisine, not to mention local specialties. Tourist activities are numerous and varied. They allow you to discover the lagoon and its marvels as well as the interior of the island with its multiple natural and cultural sites. Golfers will also appreciate the tropical setting of the only golf course in Moorea located in Temae.
Finally, Moorea is also the ideal place to observe dolphins all year round or watch the impressive hump-backed whales during the whale-watching season.

Photo gallery

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Districts :

Temae (airport), Maharepa, Paopao, Pihaena, Papetoai, Haapiti, Atiha, Maatea, Afareaitu (administrative center and hospital), Vaiare (Ferry quay and marina) and Teavaro.

Population :

14 471 inhabitants.

Surface area :

135 sq km.

Do not miss :

• Cook’s Bay and Opunohu Bay,
• the “Belvédère” with its panoramic viewpoint on the bays and the impressive Mt Rotui in the middle,
• Temae beach,
• the octagonal temple of Papetoai,
• Afareaitu’s waterfalls,
• the archaeological sites of Opunohu valley,
• Paopao’s market place,
• the Intercontinental Moorea Resort and Spa is home of the Moorea Dolphin Center (dolphins discovery programs); the hotel also shelters a Sea Turtle care center,
• the fruit juice factories of Moorea and Manutea (with visit and tropical fruit tasting)
• the Tiki Village Theatre.

Things to do :

• Nautical activities :
  - dolphin & whale watching (during the season from July to October),
  - swimming with the dolphins,
  - scuba diving,
  - swimming and snorkeling,
  - walking under the sea,
  - outrigger canoe tour around the island including discovery of underwater sea life (tropical fishes, rays, sharks, etc...) and picnic lunch on a “motu”,
  - lagoon cruises,
  - glass bottom boat tour,
  - ocean walk with a helmet dive,
  - jet skiing,
  - kite surfing,
  - surfing,
  - parasailing,
  - motor boat rentals,
  - deep sea fishing.
• Inland activities :
  - tours around the island,
  - 4WD safaris,
  - quad bike tours,
  - hiking,
  - visit of archaeological sites,
  - canyoning,
  - horseback riding,
  - golf (18-hole course).
• Other(s) :
  - aerial tour of the island by plane or helicopter,
  - parachuting.
• Relaxation center(s) and spa :
  - Hélène Spa by Hélène Sillinger, InterContinental Moorea Resort & Spa hotel,
  - LeSpa, Sofitel Moorea Ia Ora Beach Resort hotel,
  - Spa, Hilton Moorea Lagoon Resort & Spa hotel,
  - Manea Spa Moorea, Moorea Pearl Resort & Spa hotel.

Practical information :

• Tourist information : in Haapiti
• Banking Service(s) : Banque de Polynésie, Banque Socredo, Banque de Tahiti. ATM.
• Post office(s) : in Maharepa and Papetoai.
• Phone box(es) : Paopao, Papetoai, Tiahura, Varari, Haapiti, Maatea and Afareaitu.
• Shopping : TOA supermarket near Vaiare ferry dock, Maharepa shopping center (laundromat, bookshop, pastry shop & more), the Haapiti Petit Village shopping center (jewellery shop, cigarette & bookshop, etc...). And also, a variety of souvenir shops and art galleries located all round the island.
• Restaurant(s) : French & International cuisine, Italian cuisine and local cuisine.
• Medical services : hospital of Afareaitu, health centers, private doctors and drugstores.
• Cyberspace(s) facility(es) : L'Iguane (Haapiti), Maria Tapas (Cook’s Bay), Moorea Computer (Maharepa), Tikinet (Haapiti), Top Games (Cook’s Bay).

Did you know that ? :

• Moorea used to be called Aimeho or Eimeo in the past.
• Moorea means “yellow lizard”.
• The highest summit of the island is the Mt Tohiea (more than 1 200 m in height).
• The Papetoai’s temple is one of the most ancient European constructions in Polynesia (1827).
• There are very beautiful ancestral platforms of archery in the valley of Opunohu. Archery was not practiced by warriors but exclusively the male elite of the aristocracy as a sacred game.

Flight schedule :

AIR TAHITI time-table and fares

Our accommodations in Moorea :

Our suggested single island packages

Our suggested island combos