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Moorea

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Green peaks and two deep bays, a road through the pineapple fields up to the Belvédère, and Tahiti nineteen kilometres away across the channel.

Fly to Moorea All of French Polynesia
Arrival
Tahiti Faa'a · PPT
To the island
About 25 to 45 minutes by ferry, or 15 by air
Private jets
Land at Faa'a; the last leg by sea or air
Best time
May to October

The city

Across the channel from Tahiti.

Moorea lies just nineteen kilometres west of Tahiti, a jagged island of a little over 130 square kilometres, its coast cut by two deep bays, Opunohu and Cook's, its highest point, Mount Tohiea, past 1,200 metres. Ferries come in at Vaiare; the small airport is in the east of the island.

Even in August the water is at 26 °C, three degrees under its March peak. From May to October the rains thin out and the afternoons hold near 28 °C; December and January bring about 300 millimetres each.

  • Opunohu valley A road through pineapple plantations and chestnut forest to the Belvédère, with the old marae and the Ancestors' Trail along the way.
  • Cook's Bay and Opunohu Bay Twin inlets reaching deep into the mountains, best seen on a slow drive between them.
  • The lagoon Stingrays in the shallows, tiki statues sunk off Papetoai, and whale-watching boats in season.

Arriving

Faa'a, then the short crossing.

Every long-haul arrival comes through Faa'a, outside Papeete on Tahiti. Moorea is the nearest island, close enough to cross by boat in under an hour.

Business & First Class Scheduled flights and ferries Air Tahiti Nui flies from Los Angeles to Tahiti on its Dreamliner, with a Poerava Business cabin. From Faa'a, Air Tahiti runs frequent fifteen-minute flights to Moorea; the alternative is the ferry from Papeete to Vaiare, 25 to 45 minutes depending on the boat. Business & First fares Private Jet Private jets Business jets land at Faa'a, where Universal Aviation and Swissport Executive Aviation handle private aircraft; general aviation needs a landing permit for French Polynesia. A car to the ferry or a short charter flight covers the rest. Charter a jet
Approximate flying time by midsize jet
  • Nadi 4 h 50
  • Auckland 5 h 35
  • Honolulu 6 h 00
  • Toronto 13 h 00 long-range jet
  • São Paulo 13 h 50 long-range jet

When to go

May to October.

Afternoons vary by only three degrees across the year, 28 °C in the cool season and 31 °C in March. May to October is the drier half, when rainfall drops below 100 millimetres a month; December and January are the wettest.

  1. 30° J 307 28°
  2. 30° F 234 29°
  3. 31° M 195 29°
  4. 30° A 147 29°
  5. 29° M 99 28°
  6. 28° J 69 27°
  7. 28° J 65 27°
  8. 28° A 53 26°
  9. 28° S 54 26°
  10. 28° O 96 27°
  11. 29° N 174 27°
  12. 30° D 294 28°
Best months weather2travel.com, long-term averages

Where to stay

Over the lagoon, under the peaks.

Shown for information. We have no arrangement with any of these hotels.

Where to dine

Where to book on the island.

No MICHELIN Guide covers French Polynesia. These are the signature restaurants of the two resorts on this page; K serves a tasting menu.

  • K Signature restaurant, Sofitel Kia Ora Moorea Beach Resort French, tasting menu $$$$ Sofitel Kia Ora, Maharepa
  • Arii Vahine Signature restaurant, Hilton Moorea Lagoon Resort & Spa French and Polynesian Hilton Moorea, between Opunohu Bay and Cook’s Bay

Elsewhere in French Polynesia

More reasons to come.

All of French Polynesia

Flying to Moorea?

Choose how you arrive.

A Business or First Class seat on a scheduled airline, or an aircraft of your own. Tell us the date and how many are travelling, and we reply with one final price, our margin included.

Business & First Private Jet