Magnificent Moorea

We’ve had three single-day trips to Moorea in the two months we’ve been in Tahiti, and honestly, the more often we go, the more we love it!

It’s laid back, chilled, much less busy, and an absolute stunner of an island. (I’m secretly glad we aren’t based there for three months, but it’s a fabulous place to visit—despite the precarious unloading and offloading of our car, which I’ve almost mastered. I say “almost” because there’s always room for drama.)

It’s only 30 minutes from the main island of Tahiti, but it feels like you’ve arrived on another planet.

Tahiti is home to around 190,000 people, while Moorea has just 20,000 (plus a few thousand tourists, several chickens, and the occasional wandering dog).

Tahiti buzzes like a small city with all the mod cons. Moorea is an isolated paradise where your blood pressure drops and your cocktail consumption rises.

Each visit has given us a different slice of Moorea magic:

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Day Trip 1: Trial by Ferry (10/10)

Our first day trip was, well… “exciting” is one word for it. Getting the car onto the ferry was just the beginning of the fun.

We headed to Tamea Beach (right by the overwater bungalows at the Sofitel). It was gorgeous, but a bit too early for a swim, so off we went in search of more adventure.

Somewhere along the way, we picked up two French backpackers. None of us could communicate beyond pointing, shrugging, and awkward laughter, but somehow it worked. They eventually bailed—either because of my driving or my broad Aussie accent (both potentially life-threatening).

Next stop: a rustic local café with killer views over Cook’s Bay. Breakfast? Chocolate lava cake. Because, you know, vacation.

Then we hit the Belvedere Lookout, which was… fine. A little underwhelming, but hey—it’s only 15 minutes of our lives we’ll never get back.

Then it was off to Les Tipaniers Resort, but no time for beach lazing—we were going swimming with sharks and stingrays! We rented a tiny yellow boat, motored out to the sand flats, tied ourselves to a buoy, and hopped overboard.

I swear the sharks looked nervous seeing us coming—probably thought we were a couple of Steve Irwins ready to yell Crikey! at any moment.

It was Aaaaaaamazing. One full hour with the predators, then back to return the little boat to Stefan (cheers, mate).

We grabbed a late lunch, went for a snorkel at Tamea Beach, and then braved the ferry ramp once more.

Came home exhausted, sun-kissed, and content. Day 1: Solid 10/10.

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Day Trip 2: Family Adventure & Near-Death by Magic Mountain (15/10)

A few weeks later, we returned—this time with family. Two cars onto the ferry (still no dings, still a win).

After a supermarket stop for snacks (who knew international, chocolate, chips and lollies could cause such hysteria?) we headed off to burn those calories by climbing Magic Mountain.

The kids bounded up like mountain goats while Suz and I stopped every 50 meters to “admire the view” (code for: gasping for air, legs shaking, questioning all life choices). We told them to go ahead—we’d catch up… eventually… maybe in 2026.

The view from the top? Absolutely worth it: Cooks Bay, Opunohu Bay, and sparkling turquoise waters as far as the eye could see.

The walk down should have been easier. It wasn’t. It was a knee-trembling, leg-wobbling stumble that almost sent us over the side more than once. But, like Gloria Gaynor, we survived. (Under-40s: Google it. You’ll thank me later.)

Next stop: time for their brush with death—shark and stingray swimming! While they braved the sea creatures, we took a well-earned nap on the beach, under a palm tree. They returned beaming—like giddy 12-year-olds at a Taylor Swift concert (even though they’re all in their 30s).

And then: the pièce de résistance—lunch at Coco Beach Restaurant, set on a sand motu in the middle of the lagoon.

A short boat ride over the clearest water I’ve ever seen and we arrived in paradise. We shared a Tahitian feast, cocktails, and laughed as sharks and stingrays cruised by our feet.

A highlight? Watching a baby cuddle a stingray like a junior David Attenborough. Heart-melting.

A long float in the water, a swim, a funny chat with an eccentric American, and before we knew it, we were battling our way back to the ferry.

We arrived home—happy, sun-soaked, utterly worn out, and slept like logs. Day 2: 15/10.

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Day Trip 3: Birthday Bash on Island Time (1000/10)

A couple of weeks later, we were up again at 5am for another Moorea mission—this time to celebrate Suz’s best friend’s 60th. (She cleverly scored two birthdays—one on Aussie time, one on Tahiti time. Genius.)

Birthday One: a fancy lunch in Tahiti.
Birthday Two: Moorea, baby!

A quick stop at Toatea lookout (How did we not see this before) Magical picture postcard views of the overwater bungalows sitting majestically in the turqoise waters of the lagoon where some lucky duck was having their breakfast delivered in a canoe.

For our breakfast we stopped at our now-traditional lava cake café (priorities), did a short island drive, then hopped on the motorised outrigger to Coco Beach again.

We arrived by 10:30am for extra swim time and kicked off with a bottle of Moët that required a second mortgage on our house (pro tip for bubble drinkers: Champagne in Tahiti = liquid gold).

Then came what felt like 15 courses of pure deliciousness: papaya salad, baby back ribs, beef skewers, baked red snapper, burrata salad, and more fries than a McDonald’s drive-thru on a Friday night.

Somewhere between the champagne and the fries, we convinced Rox—who SWORE she would NEVER, EVER swim with sting rays or sharks—to jump in. A few bubbles of courage and anything is possible!

Five glorious hours later, we took the outrigger back—were caught in a tropical downpour that washed the salt, sweat, and sins away.

A quick nudie change in the carpark (as you do), and you should be so glad we have no photos of that, we headed home—minus my snorkel flippers, but hey… flippers are replaceable. This birthday? Once in a lifetime.

We arrived home tipsy, content, and slept like the dead. Day 3: 1000/10.

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Moorea: 3 visits, 3 unforgettable adventures, countless memories.
And probably still a few confused French backpackers wondering what just happened.