How to Spend One Week on Mo’orea, French Polynesia
After a half dozen visits over multiple seasons I finally feel qualified to write this blog. I first visited Mo’orea for my 30th Birthday in February of 2020 during the rainy season. I spent nearly two weeks on the island - hiking, camping and truly immersing myself in the culture of French Polynesia (with a few nights at a luxury hotel - I need to keep myself honest here).
Every trip since has been to swim with the humpback whales, which I assume is what brought you here to this page. It is an incredibly magical experience that only happens a few places on earth, and this is one of them.
I hope you enjoy the blog and if you find yourself looking to go a little bit more depth check out Kelsey’s guide to Mo’orea for more information to make the most of your visit to the island (and a few of the other islands in French Polynesia)
A brief introduction to French Polynesia
The Islands of Tahiti, French Polynesia is a collection of 121 islands and atolls scattered across an impressive nautical surface area the size of Western Europe. Still, these tiny islands make up a total landmass of only 4,100 sq. km (1,600 square miles). It is is an overseas collectivity of France (and therefore part of the European Union) as well and its sole overseas country.
French Polynesia is divided into five groups of islands:
the Society Islands archipelago, comprising the Windward Islands and the Leeward Islands
the Tuamotu Archipelago
the Gambier Islands
the Marquesas Islands
the Austral Islands.
Among its 121 islands and atolls, only 75 were inhabited at the 2017 census. One of those 75 is Mo’orea.
Mo’orea
“Believed to have inspired the mythical Bali Hai from James Michener's Tales of the South Pacific, Moorea is one of the most scenically striking islands in French Polynesia. Despite her immaculate beauty, she is far from unapproachable. Possessing a relaxed vibe and welcoming spirit, Moorea is just as warm and inviting as the Tahitians lucky enough to call this island home.”
Arrival Documents
You will not need a visa to arrive from Canada or the US into French Polynesia (as of November 2023). However, your North American passport will need to be valid for 6 months from your arrival date in French Polynesia.
On the plane they will pass out two documents for you to fill out. Don’t be like me - have a pen with you. They are primarily tourism based asking about which islands you plan on visiting and the activities you plan on doing. Very simple.
When to visit
The climate in French Polynesia is tropical—warm and humid. A warm rainy season lasts from November until April, and a relatively cool dry season from May until October. If you are looking specifically to come and swim with the humpback whales (there is a section all about that - promise) you could plan to come to Mo’orea between August and the end of October.
Language
French Polynesia is a territory of France and therefore French is the primary language. There is also a local language, Tahitian, on the islands. The dialects change depending on the island that you go to. Most people in the tourism space speak amazing English. If you are learning French (or want to) I advocate that this is the best place in the world to do so. Everyone is extremely appreciative when you try, and will help you learn (even if they speak fluent English).
Currency
French Pacific Francs (CFP Franc). I would recommend changing at the airport in Papeete or else pulling money out from the local ATMs. Although most places will also accept either Euro or USD and all major credit cards. I would recommend carrying some cash (CFP, USD or Euro) as I have run into a number of instances that cards were not accepted or the minimum charge was quite high given the item cost.
Travel Tips
Flying in
You will not find flights directly to Mo’orea with a google search. Instead, look for flights into Faa'a International Airport (PPT) in the capital city of Papeete, Tahiti (the main island of French Polynesia).
North American (and European) flights connect via Seattle (Air Tahiti Nui), San Francisco (United Airlines, French Bee), Los Angeles (Air Tahiti Nui, Delta, Air France) or Honolulu (Hawaiian).
Note that most of these will land late and night and will require a one night stay in Papeete. I linked a handful of hotels in Papeete in the above map, but airbnbs are also extremely prevalent. I will note that Papeete is not the safest place in the world and although I have not ever run into issues I normally get a small lecture when I tell people that I went for a run alone around the city.
the final stretch
From Tahiti, you will take a short (under one hour) ferry ride from Tahiti to Mo’orea. You can technically fly, but it is extremely expensive and the ferry is amazing. There are two ferry operators, Aremiti and Terevau. You can tap the below buttons for the current schedules and pricing. You are able to book in advance (if you have a car I would recommend this) or simply show up a few minutes before your ferry leaves - give a little bit of time to buy your ticket, drop off your bags and check in for the ferry.
getting around
Once you have made it to Mo’orea you will want to have transportation as I do not know of any public transportation options and depending on how much you plan on driving, Taxi rides can get quite expensive. I would recommend renting a car, or alternatively, a scooter.
Car rental agencies are located at the ferry terminal and scooter rentals seems to be in more touristy areas. I assume that this encourages you to take a taxi to your accommodations, drop off your bags, and then pick up a scooter.
Where to Stay
resorts
There are three luxury resorts on the islands. I was lucky enough to spend several nights at the Sofitel for my 30th birthday and can not recommend it more. If this is within your budget, splurging for even a night or two at one of these properties is a truly special experience.
Manava Mo’orea Beach Resort & Spa
Hilton Moorea Lagoon Resort and Spa
airbnb
You can find some amazing airbnbs around the island. If this is the route you are looking to take I would suggest figuring out what you want to do for activities and then finding an airbnb central to your trip.
small hotels and guest houses
In between the luxury hotels and the airbnbs there are a number of all hotels or guest houses (pensions) on the island. I added a number of these to the map but they can be found with a quick google search or look on booking.com or VRBO. When I visited with Tahiti Tourism in 2022 I stayed at the Fenua Mata'i'oa and had an amazing time. It offered kayaks for rent (very close to a lagoon with sharks and stingrays that Kelsey and I paddled out to one morning), it included breakfast and our boat for tours was able to pick us up at our private dock. Do not overlook these small hotels.
What to Eat
Some of my go-to’s
Snacks/grab and go:
Carmaline (this cafe also has some of the best wifi on the island)
Golden Lake Restaurant
Snack Rotui (cash only)
Meals:
Allo Pizza (amazing pizza, and owned by a great friend of mine - I personally love her honey and goat cheese pizza)
Coco Beach
Fare La Canadienne Burger House (of course)
Holy Steak House
Moz Cafe
Pura Vida Food Truck
Snack Taoahere Beach House
What to Do
Drive the Island
One of the simplest and nicest ways to spend a day is to drive the 60km around the parameter of the island. Take a detour up into the mountains (maybe stretch your legs with a short hike) and stop for snacks, lookouts and shopping along the way.
Lookouts to stop at:
Belvedere
Toatea Lookout
Panorama de Paopao
The Bounty
Hikes
There are a handful of very beautiful short hikes on the island (and a few longer ones if you are feeling up to it). I wold recommend bringing trail runners with good tread, lots of water and sunblock any time you head out on a hike… it gets warm fast!
Magic Mountain
Magic Mountain is the first hike I did on Mo’orea and a really great place to catch sunset and stretch your legs. There is a very small (under $5 fee) to hike here but the views are incredible. I highly recommend checking it out while you are on the island.
Length: Approx 1.5 to 2 km (0.9 to 1.2 mi) roundtrip
Elevation Gain: 2-300m (650-1,000ft)
Difficulty: Easy
Location : Papeto’ai
3 Coconuts Trail
This is a great later afternoon/golden hour hike. It starts at the Belvedere lookout and goes up against some of the tallest peaks on the island. This trail will require shoes and the ground can be slippery when wet (as it often is) and there are a lot of roots that cross the path. Just be careful where you step and if you are going up I the later afternoon please bring a headlamp.
Length: 4.1 miles
Route Type: Out & back
Elevation Gain: 898 ft
Difficulty: Moderate
Location : Belvedere Lookout
3 Pines
An easy, short hike that ends with a rope swing to hang out and take photos at. I am sensing a common theme that a lot of the hikes on this side of the island make amazing sunset hikes. As you can see in the image (below) - just before the sun sets it gets caught in the mountain and creates some incredible light rays into the valley.
Length: 3.1km
Elevation Gain: 126m
Difficulty: Easy
Location : Belvedere Lookout
Afareaitu Waterfalls
I have to be honest, if you have been here a minute you will know that I am not really a waterfall kind of gal. But this was a fun short hike to a beautiful waterfall that made for a pretty amazing rainy day activity while driving around the island.
Length: 1.4km
Elevation Gain: 149m
Difficulty: Moderate
Location : Tupauru'uru
Beaches
There are two main beaches on Mo’orea, one near the airport in Temae and the other, more popular, on Cook’s Bay. You can find them both on the above map.
Temae Beach
Public Beach Ta'ahiamanu
Land Tours
When the weather cooperates there is no shortage of things to do on Mo’orea. Some popular tours include:
ATV
Horseback Riding
Ziplining
Food Tours
Safari Tours
Water Tours
Likewise, in the water Mo’orea offers no shortage of options for adventurers to be had including:
Lagoon tours
Jetskiing
Flyboarding
Kayaking
Night Snorkling
Scuba Diving
Whale tours
During the months of August-November there is a population of humpback whales that come up form Antartica to French Polynesia to give birth, mate and rest. Although regulations can change quickly - currently this is one of very few places in the world that we are allowed in the water to see the humpback whales.
There is a lot more information about this specifically in Kelsey’s guide with an extensive list of all of the boat operators on the island. I included a list of private and shared tour companies that I have been fortunate enough to have gone out whale watching with over the years.
My recommendation is that if this is your main objective to go out on the water as many times as you can. There is no guarantee that you will see whales and the more time you spend out the higher your chances are for an amazing encounter. You can also join me October 13-19, 2024 in French Polynesia for five days on the water swimming with humpback whales. Apply via the button below.
What to Pack
I am working on a full packing guide to Mo’orea including sections for hiking in the tropics and for living specific trips.
One of the most important things to remember when traveling to French Polynesia, or any tropical destination, is that all sunscreen must be reef safe. This means that it can not include any if the following:
Oxybenzone (benzophenone) & Octinoxate (octyl methoxycinnamate)
Octocrylene (octocrylene)
These chemical UV absorbers have all been linked to coral bleaching and damage to our natural ocean life. As active ingredients, you will frequently see these listed on the front. However, it’s normally safer to check the full ingredients list too.
Cinnamates (Octyl methoxycinnamate and Cinoxate)
This is a common UV-B filter that has been shown to be harmful to coral reefs. As an active ingredient, this may be listed on the front. Always check the full ingredients list though.
Parabens (Butylparaben, Methylparaben, Benzyl Paraben, Ethyl Paraben and Propylparaben)
Parabens are frequently used as chemical preservatives and are considered harmful to coral reefs and marine life. These may not show in the active ingredients, so make sure you check the full ingredient list.
Para-aminobenzoic acid (PABA)
4-methylbenzylidene camphor, Triclosan, Homosalate, Octisalate, Butyloctyl salicylic acid
Exfoliating Beads (any form of microplastic sphere or bead)
Nylon Powders (Nylon-6 (polyamide 6), Nylon-10 (polyamide 10), Nylon-11 (polyamide 11), Nylon-12 (polyamide-12), polyester-8, polyester-25, nylon glitters, polyester glitters, HDI/trimethylol hexyllactone crosspolymers, polycarolactones and polyethylene powders or fibers)
These are all listed on the Haereticus Environmental Laboratory’s (HEL) 2023 updated ‘Protect Land + Sea’ certification list.
The HEL is a non-profit scientific organisation working to conserve wildlife and ecosystems. Their list is updated every year for their certification. So, you can be assured it contains everything in the most up to date research.
I look for labels that explicitly state that they are "reef safe," "ocean safe," "reef friendly," "ocean friendly," “100% Mineral,” or their active ingredient is non- nano Zinc Oxide.
Coral Gardeners
Coral Gardners in an NGO on Mo’orea founded by Titouan Bernicot. He created Coral Gardeners for one reason: to save our coral reefs. This association is revolutionizing ocean conservation and generating collaborative action to restore the reefs of Mo’orea, French Polynesia, and beyond.
They are an amazing organization doing great things for our oceans and I am very honoured to be one of their ambassadors. I would love it if you would take a minute to have a look at their website, see what they have accomplished and consider donating. Or adopting a coral!
*Please note that some of the links above are affiliate links, and I may earn a small commission on any purchase made - at no additional cost to you. As always, all ideas and opinions expressed in this post are entirely my own. Thank you for your support!
