Although Moorea is only twenty-five minutes by ferry or
seven minutes by plane from Tahiti, it is worlds apart from the hustle and
bustle and seemingly never-ending traffic in Papeete. The renowned travel expert Arthur Frommer has
referred to Moorea as “the most beautiful island in the world”.
A volcano formed this heart shaped piece of paradise in
French Polynesia between 1 ½ and 2 ½ million years ago. Now it is only second to Bora Bora as one of
the most popular island getaways in Tahiti.
A lot quieter and considerably less touristy than its
neighbor islands, Moorea is what romantic vacation dreams are made of. If you ever dreamed about visitng a tropical
paradise with azure blue ocean waters and a crystal clear blue sky you could
have very well dreamed about Moorea. Between
its eight towering mountain peaks are vast expanses of fertile valleys and
spectacular palm-fringed beaches line its shores. Throughout the year the temperature usually
hovers around a very pleasant 85° F, so every day seems like summer.
Most of Moorea’s beauty is easily accessible by foot, car,
motorbike or bus. If you are going to
Moorea for the first time you may want to follow the sixty mile long Circle-Island
Road that circumnavigates the island in order to get better acquainted with its
friendly residents and lovely villages.
Along the route you’ll pass by Belvedere Overlook, also
known as Roto Nui. Should you stop at
this particular overlook you will be rewarded with a dramatic view of Opunohu
Bay and Cook Bay in the distance, and a verdant valley below.
If you’d like to learn about the Tahitian culture visit the
Tiki Village Cultural Centre. There you
will learn about traditional weaving, the ancient art form of tattooing and
wood carving along with some of the secrets about how to grow Tahitian black
pearls. The best days to visit the Tiki
Village Cultural Centre are Friday or Saturday because that’s when they open
the earth oven. Should you visit on either
of those days you’ll be able to enjoy a scrumptious Tahitian buffet and enjoy
watching traditional hula.
You also should not miss swimming and snorkeling in one of
Moorea’s tropical lagoons. If you have a
more adventuresome nature you could also enjoy taking a trip offshore to go
swimming with the humpback whales.
Of course, if you just want to kick back and do nothing you
can take your pick from many of Moorea’s stunning beaches and just spend the
day relaxing and listening to the surf kiss the shore.
Aside from its beauty Moorea is known for succulent pineapples. If you crave one of these tropical treats you
can stop off at one of the pineapple plantations, pick one up and ask to have
it opened. While there you could even
help the locals harvest the fruit and follow the harvest through the processing
plant.
If you’ve been wondering how to learn French you can
practice by talking with the locals while on vacation because Tahiti’s two
official languages are French and Tahitian.
Keep in mind, though that most of the people who interact with tourists
also speak English, so you shouldn’t have any problems communicating if you’re
just beginning to learn the language.
As far as spending money is concerned, the French Pacific
Franc (XPF) is the local currency.
However, most vendors accept Euros or U.S. dollars. Credit cards are also widely accepted.
Should you visit Moorea you will probably agree with most
other tourists and locals that it is, indeed, the most beautiful island in the
world.
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