Travel to Moorea

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Moorea, French Polynesia Tahiti Bora Bora

Nicknamed 'the island of the Butterfly' because of its shape, Moorea offers a beautiful lagoon and bays with names reflecting exoticism such as Opunohu Bay and Cook Bay which was named after the famous English navigator.

This island is also the preferred place of relaxation for Tahitians who come to spend the weekend or even just a picnic day (it takes between 25 minutes and 45 minutes by ferry and only 7 minutes by plane) to flee the traffic congestion in Papeete. Water sports are common here and the underwater fauna and flora are very rich.

You can choose from a wide range of activities and excursions at your hotel reception with equestrian hikes, 4x4 adventures in the mainland of the island and discovery of archaeological sites of the Maori civilisation (marae and tikis) on offer. Do not miss one of the most magnificent panoramas of the South Pacific from the gazebo accessible by road at the bottom of Opunohu Bay. A note for guests on smaller budgets, there are a large number of guest houses and campsites in Moorea.

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Weather Moorea - choosing the best time to go

French Polynesia - Moorea

All overall indicators 78/100 Good
Temperature indicators 96/100 Excellent
Bad weather indicators 48/100 Average
Sunbathing indicators 60/100 Good
Swimming indicators 90/100 Excellent
Wind indicators 80/100 Excellent
Temperature indicatorsHot / Optimal :
The maximum temperature is <24°, temperature felt between 30°C and 33°C.
Bad weather indicatorsShowers :
Showers - averaging between 2.5mm and 3.5mm per day.
Sunbathing indicatorsGood weather :
Mostly sunny (60% to 80% sunshine).
Swimming indicatorsVery pleasant / Optimal :
High air temperature (>24°C), high sea temperature (>24°C), light to moderate winds (between 7 mph and 12 mph).
Wind indicatorsLight breeze / Optimal :
Optimal comfort: optimal wind speed (between 7 mph and 12 mph) in a warm environment (>24°C).

Weather finder : Moorea / May Annual weather finder : Moorea

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Visit Moorea

To see

Do not miss the gazebo with easy access by car some 790 ft above sea level, the view onto Toatea (Tamea on the roadside, above the Sofitel) and Afareaitu waterfalls. Also make an effort to see the Tiki Village Theatre in Varari, a cultural centre, which offers many traditional performances.

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To do

You can choose from a wide range of excursions and practice a different activity almost every day. The first thing you should try is scuba diving, offered in almost all hotels on the island. Then there are all the other activities in the lagoon including aquascope (in a glass-bottomed boat), catajet (individual boat), catamaran trips, jet skiing, water skiing, swimming with dolphins, seeing the lagoonarium and shark feeding.

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To think about

Make sure you do a complete tour of the island in a motor catamaran. Offered by Bertrand, the sailing club at the Intercontinental, the tour of 4 hours allows you to see sharks and rays while snorkeling and dolphins in the passes, accompanied by insightful comments on the history and the myths of Moorea, its fauna and flora.

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To avoid

Avoid the rainy season, which spans from December to April (with most precipitation in February).

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To try

There are various gourmet addresses in Moorea (where you can taste marinated raw fish, shark steak, scallop fricassee, lobster ravioli), one of which being the Italian restaurant of Les Tipaniers hotel. As well as this there is also Le Cocotier, Chez Jean-Pierre's, Le Papayer, Le Pitcairn, Les Nouveaux Mondes and Le Aito.

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To bring back

Bring back some of the local gourmet products (jams of exotic fruits, vanilla) and paintings by local artists that can be found in charming art galleries. The islands are also known for their basketry and replicas of traditional wooden statues. For diehard fans of Polynesia: a tattoo.

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