Moorea

Ideal honeymoon destination, but also great for nature lovers

Moorea is an ideal honeymoon destination, but that’s not the only reason for visiting. This exotic island is part of French Polynesia and offers unique forms of accommodation. When you go inland you’ll find rugged landscapes, and on the coast there are gorgeous beaches.

Moorea is ideaal voor je huwelijksreis, al hoeft dit niet. Het exotische eiland dat onderdeel is van Frans-Polynesië biedt bijzondere accommodaties, maar ook een opvallend ruig achterland. Dat op je wacht... Net als de stranden.

Al kun je hier ook actief zijn. Denk aan kajakken, snorkelen en duiken. Ik heb de belangrijkste bezienswaardigheden in dit artikel beschreven. Met leuke tours om te doen.

Pao Pao

Pao Pao is the largest village on Moorea. It is located in Cook’s Bay. This is where explorer James Cook moored in the 18th century. He made contact with the inhabitants, hence the name of the bay. One of the great excursions is the Moorea Juice Factory. Where you get a tour with tasting. And where you can of course buy fresh fruit juices.

Cook’s Bay

Cook's Bay on Moorea.

Cook’s Bay is a 3-kilometer-long bay in the north of Moorea. You can do plenty of fun excursions here such as swimming and kayaking. And you can stay in one of the lodges in the bay. Pay attention to the landscape behind you. The mountains are very impressive.

Opunohu Bay

The other famous bay in Moorea is Opunohu Bay. This bay is 3 kilometers long. Here you see many sailboats and people swimming during the day. Keep in mind the strong current in this bay.

Col des Trois Cocotiers

Hiking at Col des Trois Cocotiers.

The Col des Trois Cocotiers is one of the mountain peaks on Moorea. And, this is a peak that you can discover on foot. The walking route is 6.6 kilometers long, where you have to overcome 274 meters in height. So it is not too spicy, but not easy either. The route is well marked and gives you a wonderful view over the island and the bays around it.

Snorkelling on Moorea

Snorkelling on Moorea.

You can actually get into the water anywhere with a snorkel and fins. Especially when you go close to the coast you see a lot of fish. But also often rays and sharks. And countless other wonderful sea creatures such as moray eels, sea cucumbers and much more.
Most lodges organise snorkelling excursions. These tours can be a few hours, but also a full day. Usually you have stops at several places.

Diving on Moorea

Just like on the surrounding islands, it's a great spot for diving, although Moorea is not the best known. Around the island you can go diving with sharks, including many reef sharks and lemon sharks. Most sharks often come very close out of curiosity.

Where does the name Moorea come from?

The word Mo’ore’a means yellow lizard, which you’ll see around the island. These days the word Moorea seems to mean dream island more than anything,

Is Moorea expensive?

A visit to Moorea doesn't come cheap. The airline tickets are expensive, although there are sometimes special offers. The accommodations in particular are very pricey, although often meals such as breakfast, lunch and dinner are included in the price.
You can travel cheaper by staying at people's homes. This can be done through Airbnb, which is mostly a lot cheaper. Supermarkets are relatively cheaply and perfect to make your own meals.

Visiting Moorea

These days the word Moorea seems to mean ‘dream island’ more than anything, it’s not as well known as Bora Bora and Tahiti, and therefore it’s quieter, and it’s just as wonderful. Moorea is only 17 km west of Tahiti, so you can easily take a day trip to visit this island from there, either by boat or plane. It is easy to visit from Tahiti by boat in about 40 minutes.

Another option is by airplane. This is more expensive, but even better. Because then you can clearly see how these islands rise from the sea.