Ultimate Guide to Moorea, Tahiti
Getting to Moorea
Ferry: We booked the ferry when we got there. When you arrive at the ferry station there are two areas to get a ferry, one is a fast ferry and the other is a slow ferry. Just get on whichever one comes first. They leave about every hour or so. There is also a little cafe in the ferry building to grab a coffee and a snack. It costs about $20 one way.
Rental Cars: We did a rental car and it is really the best way to see the entire island and get around. There is only one main road, so it's really easy to drive. The hotels had pretty limited transportation, so highly suggest a car. The car rental station is right outside the ferry when you get into Moorea. If you want to wait to get the car until the 2nd or 3rd day of your trip, the rental company with come get you from your hotel and bring you to the rental station.
Where to Stay:
Each hotel in Moorea is very different and each offers a unique living experience. One thing to note: this is the time to splurge on a hotel. There is a massive difference between a superior over the water bungalow and any other room. The non superior bungalows typically don’t face the water and will leave you regretting not just paying a little extra for a nicer room. Hotels are very pricy in Moorea, so keep an eye out for sales and longer stay deals. My biggest suggestion again is to splurge - stay at the Sofitel, in a superior over the water bungalow and it will change the entire trip in a positive way.
Sofitel: The nicest hotel on the Island is by far the Sofitel. I highly encourage staying here if possible. The huts on the water are the nicest due to the lagoon the hotel is sitting on. You can jump right into the water and snorkel, swim and watch the sunset. The grounds are also stunning. Everything is green, with water running through the property and flowers everywhere.
Hilton: The Hilton is one of the biggest hotels on the Island with about double the amount of huts on the water then the Sofitel. The Hilton is also in one of the most pristine lagoons in Moorea with crystal blue water.
Manava: The Manava is a very different feel than the Sofitel or Hilton. The bungalows are set in very deep water, so you don’t have that same crystal blue look as the other two. However, it is still beautiful and is great for snorkeling right off the deck. If you are staying at the Manava, you must request the superior huts over the water or else it honestly is not worth it. There is a massive difference between staying in a garden suit and staying in a superior over the water bungalow. The garden sweets are tucked away with no view and feel very closed off. Also, the standard over the water bungalows are not facing out to the ocean, they face the hotel and lack privacy, so I do not recommend them. If you stay here, you will regret not doing the superior over the water bungalow.
Restaurants:
For restaurants, they are pretty limited on the island, but these are some you should definitely check out. Keep in mind, the food is a mix between Asian and French, so you will find some very interesting menus.
Cocoa Beach Motu - Go for lunch. You can spend the day here. It is a small island you take a boat to from the Hilton
Moorea Beach Club - Go for sunset, great french pizza. It sounds weird, but really good!
L'Ananas Bleu - Very homey restaurant on the water, we went for lunch after hiking the Belvedere
Sofitel - Suggest going to a sunset drink and dinner
Excursions:
Moorea Miti Tour - This is one of the shark and ray tours, by far the best one available! They take you on a full-day tour on a boat, you only have around 8 other people with you so it feels very exclusive. The best part is you are the first ones at the sharks and rays, so you get to be there before the crowds. They make you lunch and you get to explore other islands, really fun.
Lagoonairium - probably one of the coolest experiences we had. Similar to swimming with the sharks and rays, but you get way closer to the animals and it is more private because it is on a Motu. You rent a little shack for the day and need to bring your own food and drinks. You can buy tickets when you arrive at the Lagoonairium, they were about $40 per person for the full day. The tickets include the cost of the hut and a two way boat trip to and from the Motu + swimming with rays, sharks, etc. Bring your snorkel stuff + make sure you have food.
Belvedere Lookout - A must! Go first thing in the morning to avoid the clouds and tourists. You can actually drive all the way up to the look out, which is what we did instead of hiking the entire thing.
Tema'e - The public beach right next to the Sofitel
Take a drive around the island, it is beautiful and there are so many hidden beaches. We drove 3/4th of the island in about 2.5 hours.
Manutea Tahiti - Rotui Juice Factory & Distillery - If you like pineapple, you can actually do a little tour of their local pineapple wine factory - super close to the Hilton. It is extremely small, so it won't take you more than 40 min to do the tour and tasting.
A few notes about Tahiti/Moorea in general:
Everything is very expensive once you get there, so just keep that in mind and bring sunscreen, goggles, fins, etc. with you. You will not want to buy it there.
Check out the fruit stands on the side of the road, they are super good and really cheap
Check to see when your flight leaves at the end of your trip, as Ferrys don't start running till around 6am and take up to an hour. So if you have an early flight, you might need to spend the night in Tahiti before your flight home.
