14 Best Things to do in Moorea, French Polynesia
No trip to French Polynesia is complete without a trip to Moorea. Only a 45 minute ferry ride from the main island of Tahiti, Moorea is a gorgeous island with tons of things to do. When planning your trip, here are the best things to do in Moorea! Moorea is a must visit island because there is something for everyone – there is adventure, relaxation, wildlife, and nature! Moorea is one of the most beautiful islands in the world!

Best Things to do in Moorea
1. Swim with humpback whales ( seasonal )
Swimming with whales in Moorea was truly such a magical experience. If you are visiting French Polynesia between July and November, you must do this! There are not enough words to describe this experience, but getting to be up close with the whales is definitely worth it! If you can only do one thing during your time in Moorea, swimming with whales would be it!

2. Go hiking
Moorea has some awesome hiking trails, and great views! Some of the best hikes in Moorea are three pines pass, three coconut trails, magic mountain, and the Afareaitu waterfall.
3. Do an ATV Tour around the island
Doing an ATV tour is such a cool way to explore Moorea. You get to see all the top things like Belvedere lookout, and Magic Mountain, plus some other cool spots only accessible by ATV. This is the tour company we booked through and Fred was such a great guide!


4. Go to Coco Beach for lunch
Coco Beach is a private island located off the Northwest coast of Moorea. It’s a fun way to have some lunch and feel like you’re in the middle of the ocean! Book online early to guarantee a spot

5. Snorkel with reef sharks and stingrays
Moorea is one of the best places to swim with black tip sharks and stingrays. You may get lucky and be able to see them from the beach, depending on where you’re at, but the best option is to book a tour and go out with a guide to really be in the water with them.
6. Rent a car and drive around the island
We rented a car through Albert rental cars both times we visited French Polynesia. They are super easy to rent from, and we found that it was helpful to have our own car to drive around.
7. Stay in an overwater bungalow
When coming to French Polynesia, most people think they have to visit Bora Bora to stay in an overwater bungalow. But Moorea has plenty of overwater bungalows too! If you want to stay in an overwater bungalow, Moorea has plenty of options, like the Hilton, Sofitel, or Hotel Manava.
8. Visit some of Moorea’s best beaches
If you want to relax at a nice beach, there are plenty to choose from. Some of the top beaches to visit are Plage tahiamanu (one of the best beaches on Moorea), Plage Publique de Temae, (which is a lagoon with a great view of Tahiti), and Motu Tiahura, (a public beach with showers). It’s easy to get around and visit Moorea beaches on your own.

9. Visit Belvedere Lookout
The Belvedere lookout is one of (if not the) best viewpoints on Moorea. This is the highest viewpoint that you can drive to in Moorea. From the lookout you can see Cooks Bay on the right, and Opunohu Bay on the left. A lot of the tours will make a stop to Belvedere lookout. This is a free viewpoint. You can access the belvedere lookout on many tours like this one, or you can drive up there on your own.

10. Watch the fire and dance show at Tiki Village
Experience a local Polynesian fire show and dinner at the Tiki Village. This Polynesian show has it all: traditional dances, fire dance, Polynesian songs, and dinner! The Tiki Village is a cultural center, and when you arrive you’ll be welcomed with the sounds of the ukulele. This show is good for all ages!
11. Get a kayak from Les Tipaniers Beach
Les Tipaniers Beach is one of the best beaches in Moorea. From here, you can rent a kayak and explore, where you can reach Motu Fareone and Motu Tiahura nearby. It’s a great area to kayak, as the water is calm.
12. Visit the Rotui Juice Factory and Distillery
The Rotui Juice Factory and Distillery is located at the bottom of Mount Rotui. Here you can get fresh juices or taste the local manatea rum. We visited the Rotui Juice Factory when we did this tour, but this is a fun thing to do if you’re looking for a more low-key and relaxing day in Moorea.

13. Take a safari tour
A safari tour is a great way to see the islands best stops like Magic Mountain, Belvedere lookout, Cooks Bay, and the Rotui Juice Factory. This tour is 4 hours and one of the best ways to see amazing views on Moorea!
14. Book a street food tour
We love booking street food tours when we travel! This is the only one we were able to find in French Polynesia. This food tour is 5 hours of delicious local food, like poisson cru, fruit pies, meat pies, and breads! It’s a wonderful way to explore the island of Moorea as well.
How to get to Moorea
Moorea is located 10 miles from Tahiti. To get to Moorea, you’ll need to fly into Papeete International Airport, on the island of Tahiti. From here, you’ll need to take the ferry from Tahiti or you can take a short plane ride to get to Moorea.

How to get around Moorea
Once you get to Moorea, it’s easy to get around. There is mostly one road that goes all the way around the island. The easiest way to drive around Moorea, is to rent a car. If you don’t want to rent a car, you can also rent a scooter, rent a bike, or there is a bus that goes around the island. If you don’t want any of those, there are plenty of island tours that will pick you up and take you around to whatever activities you want to do on Moorea.

Where to stay in Moorea
In can be confusing to know where to stay in Moorea. We recommend staying either on the north coast, or the west coast. The north coast is closer to most of the restaurants and things to do. This is where the overwater bungalows are like Hotel Manava, the Hilton, and Sofitel. This is also where you can find the dramatic landscapes of Cooks Bay and Opunohu Bay. If you like to be a little away from the busy-ness, we recommend the west coast, where there are lots of great vacation homes, but this are is quiet, laidback, and you get more of the local feel. This is one of our favorite places to stay on the west coast.

If you’re trying to narrow down where to stay, here are some best places to stay in Moorea
Is Moorea Worth it?
Moorea is one of the best islands in the world! There are plenty of things to do in Moorea for all ages, whether you like being active, relaxing at the beach, or hanging with the locals, Moorea is worth a visit! When you visit French Polynesia, make sure to spend at least 3-5 days in Moorea, so that you can fully enjoy all that Moorea has to offer. If you’re planning a trip, here is a 10 day itinerary that we used when we visited French Polynesia.


Make sure to check out these other French Polynesia posts: