"Moorea, Tahiti's beautiful smaller... " a Moorea Travel Page by easyoar

If you have stumbled cross this page accidentally, then there is a good chance that you won't even now where Moorea is or indeed what it really is.

Moorea is a smaller, less developed (by this read not badly over-develped) and more beautiful than its sister Island of Tahiti. Moorea is part of the French Polynesian Society Islands of which Tahiti is the largest and most important, and by far the most well known. The name Moorea actually means 'Yellow Lizard'. Apparently this comes about from a legend where a huge yellow lizard opened up the two bays with two huge swipes from his tail.

Most people who go to Tahiti use it for its International Airport and get out as quickly as they can to islands such as Moorea and Bora Bora. Indeed Moorea is where many Tahitians go for weekend breaks, as it is far more relaxed that the more hectic and over-developed Tahiti.

Moorea is only 12 miles (20 km) from Tahiti, and is quite cheap to visit from Tahiti. Unfortunately this is one of the only cheap things in French Polynesia - only visit if your wallet needs to go on a crash diet, because you can rest assured it will be much lighter when it leaves than when it arrived!

Highlights of Moorea are the Lagoonarium (where you can swim with Turtles and sharks [yes - really!]), Tiki Village (where you see local people 'living' in a traditional way as well as an evening show with loclas dancing, preparing food and showing local crafts) and just generally driving round the island and enjoying the views and the beaches/watersports.

French Polynesia was born out of fire (there are extinct volcanoes everywhere), which may account for the fire dance ritual they perform here.