Moorea Things to Do Tips by wadekorzan Top 5 Page for this destination

See a Polynesian dance show Island activity Review

It's going to be hard to go to Polynesia and NOT see one of these shows, as they are everywhere and at all of the major hotels. However, the dances are fascinating and even the first explorers to explore the islands hundreds of years ago wrote wild tales about the fabulous dances of the islands. Polynesian dancing was suppressed for many years but made a comeback about 50 years ago, and nowadays there are alot of different groups performing all over the island, so check out what is going on during the time that you will be there.

The Belvedere Lookout Belvedere Review

The viewpoint called Belvedere is definitely worth the trip! At Cook's bay, there is a small village called Paopao, where the road going to the Belvedere Lookout begins. It takes quite awhile to get up there and it is slow going, because the road is not paved. There are alot of holes in the road and rocks and rubble strewn about, so you really should take it slow. Be careful if it rains, it could get quite muddy and in that case I definitely would not recommend the road. Once up at the lookout, you have a great view of Mt. Rotui and you'll be able to see the two bays---Cook's Bay and Opunohu Bay.

A catamaran--another great way to spend the day Water activity Review

Almost all of the major hotels provide catamaran excursions like the one shown in the picture, and again, this is such a great way to enjoy Moorea. Alot of our time on moorea was spent doing sifferent water activities such as this, because the incredible beauty of the sea plus the fact that the water is so warm simply draws you to the sea constantly. You should be able to find out at your hotel what catamaran trips are available, because there are day trips, sunset sails, etc. Lots of fun!!!

Boating around Water activity Review

A nice way to spend an afternoon is by renting a kayak or a boat like the one in the picture. It is very relaxig and once you get a little bit away from the shore, it affords you wonderful views of the mountainous scenery as well as of the coral reefs and fish below the water. The boat shown in the picture was a bit hard to manoever at first (I guess because I simply did not know how to do it correctly) because I seemed to going around in circles...but then again, that wasn't so bad after all, the water was nice and the views were stunning. I would recommend renting some kind of boat such as this to spend a few hours enjoying the ocean.

Cook's Bay Cook's Bay / Opunohu Bay Review

Cook's Bay is a beautiful setting located on the northern side of Moorea. There are two main tourist areas on the island, and this is 1 of them. You'll find besides the spectacular scenery some hotels, shops, restaurants, etc. There is also an aquarium, a Black Pearl Farm, an art gallery, and the market in the little village called Paopao. It's also here in Cook' Bay where you can start the drive up to the Belvedere Lookout, which I definitely would recommend!

Stop rushing around and sit down to relax

One of the things which we really enjoyed in the evening were the beautifl sunsets. Our particular hotel had a great bar overlooking the sea, and it was a great place to sit in the early evening when the sun was going down and to converse wth fellow travellers. I think that a trip to Moorea should include some simple relaxation and tranquil moments enjoying the whole atmosphere. Most of the major hotels are right along the water, so sitting down to enjoy the sunset should be quite easy to do. This particular photo is at the bar of the Sofitel Ia Ora Hotel.

Try to go to a Motu Water activity Review

A Motu is like a tiny offshore island, and there are several around Moorea. Though small and there is not much to see on the Motu itself, it really makes for great swimming as the water is incredibly clear, warm, and beautiful, and there are no currents.

Try to meet the locals

Meeting local people is always a great experience, as it can give you insight to alot of things that a guide book cannot. In Moorea, however, if you stay in your resort and eat in only places where tourists are eating, you'll have a hard time coming into contact with the locals. We did meet alot of nice travellers, some who really liked being photographed as you can see in the picture.....

Snorkeling is a great way to enjoy the sea Water activity Review

We did alot of snorkeling in Moorea and really enjoyed it. It is easy to rent snorkel gear and there are many different areas for snorkeling. The fish life is incredible as is the coral. We were even lucky enough to see a couple of barracuda, though it was also a bit frightening. You'll want to be careful, of, course, not to snorkel near the reef where the currents are stronger and you'll want to be sure not to try to get cut by the coral, as it is a living organism and a cut can become infected if not treated properly.

Swim with the Manta Rays Water activity Review

This was one of the neatest things I have ever done! We did this on a full day excursion actually, which included a boat ride, swimming with the sharks, the manta rays, swimming at a motu, and a BBQ lunch on a motu (a motu is like a tiny island). For the swimming with the rays, you are taken to a point where the water is very very shallow (you are in water only waist high) and I would say there were about 50 rays around us. They really are swimming all over the place and in fact they will swim right up on top of you if you let them!!! I was not that daring. This is an experience I certainly won't forget and I can highly recommend it.