Island guide · Society Islands · Windward
Moorea,
the versatile first island.
Twenty minutes across the Sea of Moons, Moorea folds jagged ridges, two deep bays, and an easy lagoon into the most beginner-friendly island in the country.
01 / Orientation
Two bays
write the skyline.
Cook's Bay and Opunohu Bay cut side by side into Moorea's north coast, separated by Mount Rotui (899 m) and backed by the shark-tooth ridges that gave the island its silhouette. The whole island is about 134 km², home to roughly 18,000 people, and sits only 17 km from Tahiti — close enough that ferries run all day, far enough that the pace changes the moment you land.
Inland, the Opunohu valley holds pineapple fields, an agricultural school, restored marae under the trees, and the Belvedere lookout over both bays. Offshore, the lagoon shelves gently — rays, blacktip sharks, and easy snorkeling — and humpback whales pass close between July and November.
02 / Essential facts
The island
in numbers.
17 km northwest of Tahiti across the Sea of Moons
The easy crossingAbout 134 km²; Mount Tohive'a 1,207 m, Mount Rotui 899 m between the bays
A hiker's skylineRoughly 18,000 residents; villages ring the coast road
No real town centerFerries from Papeete in 30–45 min, several times a day; short flights too
Cars can cross by ferry60 km belt road; scooters, rental cars, and bikes do the work
Le nord holds the staysMay–October for dry trails; July–November for whales
Weekends fill with Tahitians
03 / What it does best
The lookout
earns the climb.
From the Belvedere, both bays open at once below Rotui — the classic frame for understanding how volcano, lagoon, and valley fit together.
04 / A sensible first visit
Days that
use the island well.
- 01Base on the northwest
Between Opunohu and Ha'apiti you get beaches, sunset water, and most dinner options within a short ride.
- 02Ride the belt road early
Start before nine: fruit stands open, light rakes the bays, and the Belvedere road is empty.
- 03Put a morning in the lagoon
Lagoon tours handle rays and reef; independent travelers can reach good snorkeling from public beaches.
- 04Keep a wild-card day
Weather decides between the Three Coconuts trail, a whale tour in season, or nothing more ambitious than a book.
Tahiti–Moorea ferries
Two companies run the crossing; times shift by day and season.
Aremiti ↗Official destination info
Events, closures, and operator lists move often.
Tahiti Tourisme ↗Nearby & next