Budget Guide to Moorea, French Polynesia

French Polynesia is often regarded as paradise on Earth.

You’ve likely seen images of its jewel-like islands plastered on tourist brochures and social media. The South Pacific archipelago is a honeymooner’s dream. Its crystal waters, lush mountainous interior and soft white sands have long been associated with the ultimate luxurious escape.

There are simply few places on the planet that compare with French Polynesia’s exotic appeal.

 

THINGS TO DO IN MOOREA ON A BUDGET

Moorea is one of the most beautiful islands in French Polynesia. Though it often lies in the shadow of Bora Bora, many consider it to be equally striking.

The island of Moorea is located about 20 km off the northwest coast of Tahiti. It is a nature-lovers paradise, with towering emerald mountains and sparkling turquoise seas.

With its proclivity toward luxury travel, Moorea is not a cheap place to visit. So while the prospect of whale-watching tours, guided snorkeling excursions and all-inclusive resorts was tempting, our budget meant we had to stick to a more DIY itinerary.

Still, we found that Moorea and budget travel are not mutually exclusive. The lush emerald island is ripe with noteworthy things to do and see.

And you don’t have to take advantage of all its luxurious offerings to soak in its exquisite beauty.

 

VISIT MOOREA’S INTERIOR

Adorned in a cape of greenery, Moorea is as striking above-ground as it is below sea level. Sheer mountains pierce the cloud-speckled skies, like ridges on a dragon’s back.

These verdant mountains are among French Polynesia’s most defining features. Jutting out from turquoise waters, the craggy green peaks form a photogenic Jurassic-Park-like backdrop.

Top things to do in Moorea’s jungle-carpeted interior include hiking to the Belvedere, admiring remnants of the island’s marae, and soaking in the views from Magic Mountain.

• BELVEDERE

The Belvedere lookout is among the most popular places to visit in Moorea. It sits among lush forests and showcases sweeping island views.

Dan and I hiked to Moorea’s Belvedere during a bicycle trip around the island.

The views that met us were divine. In three directions, we could see jagged peaks soaring into the sky. In the fourth direction, the classic postcard picture of the Belvedere afforded us a view of  both Cook’s Bay and Opunohu Bay–an inlet that is famous for being the location in which Captain Cook anchored his boat in 1777.

• MARAE

Along the road to the Belvedere, a short trail leads through the forest to a cluster of marae—ceremonial stone platforms that predate the arrival of Christianity in French Polynesia.

From the main marae a  dirt track leads to a council platform and two smaller marae. Farther down the trail sits the Ahu-o-Mahine, a more recent platform of round stones with an imposing three-stepped altar.

Though not as intact as the marae on Tahiti, Moorea’s ruins are still worth a quick visit.

• MAGIC MOUNTAIN

Magic Mountain boasts some of Moorea’s most photo-worthy views. But unfortunately, Dan and I skipped the lookout due to lack of adequate pre-trip research.

To access the viewpoint, a 2.2 mile roundtrip path leads from near Pepetoai. The path is allegedly quite easy and contains very little elevation gain. From its summit, views unfold toward Opunohu Bay.

Many ATV tours include Magic Mountain in their itineraries.

 

CIRCLE THE ISLAND BY BIKE

Biking around Moorea lands near the top of my to-do list. For budget travelers, there’s no better way to soak in Moorea’s magnificent coastal views.

Moorea’s 65 km ring road is relatively flat, making it perfect for cycling. Along the way, it bypasses beaches, bays, cities, and forest.

You can rent both e-bikes and traditional bicycles to tour the island.

During our stay in Moorea, our AirBnb provided us access to bikes, so we do not have personal experience with rentals.

My parents, however, visited the island more recently and rented bicycles. They reported that bike rentals were convenient and cheap relative to other Moorea activities.

 

RELAX ON THE BEACH

Temae Beach is the best public beach on Moorea and a fantastic free snorkel destination. The idyllic stretch of sand boasts swaying palms and crystal clear waters. Its healthy coral reef teams with schools of colorful fish.

Temae Beach sits adjacent to the Sofitel resort. It is a large swath of public beach that we found surprisingly free of crowds on the days we visited.

Other noteworthy beaches on Moorea include Ta’ahiamanu Beach near Opunohu Bay and Tiahura Beach on the island’s western edge.

 

SNORKEL

Snorkeling is Moorea’s best budget activity, since it costs nothing and the rewards are tremendous. The island is blessed with some of the most incredible coral reef in the world. Colorful clouds of tropical fish swirl about its transparent waters and dart through elaborate coral gardens.

I’ve been snorkeling in a handful of places in my life and seen my fair share of tropical fish and colorful coral. But nothing quite prepared me for snorkeling in Moorea’s underwater world.

Indonesia’s Komodo National Park and Palau’s South Rock Islands are the only places I’ve visited that can compare.

• OFFSHORE REEF AT PLAGE TAMAE

Many of Moorea’s large hotels have snatched up the island’s most pristine stretches of reef. As a result, for travelers on a budget who are seeking a DIY underwater adventure, options can be a bit limited.

Luckily, you don’t really have to look farther than Tamae Beach. Thanks to the public beach’s proximity to one of Moorea’s best resorts, visitors can take advantage of prime snorkeling in the coral gardens near the resort’s overwater bungalows.

If you are willing to splurge on lunch or drinks at one of the island’s hotels, you’ll be granted access to their beaches. We tried this tactic when we stopped for fancy drinks at the Hilton Resort  and again at the Sofitel.

• THE LAGOONARIUM

Visiting the Lagoonarium is one of Moorea’s top attractions—and for good reason. It is a shallow lagoon that houses swarms of tropical fish, a healthy population of rays, and docile black-tipped reef sharks. Visiting the Lagoonarium costs roughly $35 for the day and the price includes a transfer to a private island within the lagoon, access to day bungalows, snorkel equipment, kayaks, picnic tables and unlimited access to the coral gardens.

Over the course of the day, Dan and I took advantage of the amenities at the Lagoonarium. We swam amongst the fish, took out the kayaks and lounged around in the shade of the beach cabanas.

Twice a day, the owner of the Lagoonarium takes visitors out to the reef to feed the resident fish. It is an unparalleled opportunity to get close and personal to the reef sharks and rays (most of whose stingers have been clipped) that reside within the shallow waters off of Moorea’s coast.

 

TRAVELING MOOREA ON A BUDGET

Moorea is one of the world’s ultimate romantic bucket list destinations and the high prices of everything—from  airfare to lodging and from car rentals to groceries—makes it difficult to travel to French Polynesia on a budget.

Backpacking the South Pacific is almost non-existent, and accommodation often consists of exclusive villas and high end resorts.

Thus, visiting the archipelago is often seen as a once-in-a-lifetime splurge.

But visiting French Polynesia on a budget is possible. It is even possible to travel cheaply in Bora Bora—one of the world’s most exclusive islands.

In total, our week in Moorea cost less than $1,000 for two people, everything included.

And, while cutting costs meant cooking our own food or scrimping on accommodation, the rewards of setting foot in paradise were incalculable.

• WHERE TO STAY IN MOOREA

Dan and I opted to rent out an AirBnb during our stay on Moorea. The small house we rented was essentially an ADU on a local family’s property. It was small and lacked air conditioning, but for $50 a night it proved to be our best option.

Budget travelers may also want to consider staying at PainaPaoPao Backpacker, one of the cheapest places to stay in Moorea.

Those who are not on a budget might want to check out the Hilton or the beautiful Sofitel Resort–where Dan and I spent hours lounging around the soft sands and snorkeling in the colorful reef.

I’m sure that if you can afford the splurge, the overwater bungalow experience in Moorea is unparalleled.

• EAT AT GROCERY STORES AND LOCAL RESTAURANTS

Aside from the high price of lodging, food is the most expensive cost associated with travel to French Polynesia. Luckily, there are a few great and affordable places to eat in Moorea. Our favorite by far—and the place that we returned to nearly ever day throughout our week on the island—was Chez Didier.

A local hole-in-the-wall restaurant near Papao, Chez Didier serves up delicious and filling servings of poisson cru at unbeatable prices.

When we weren’t stuffing our faces with poisson cru, we made sure to ease our budget with delicious french bread and pre-made meals from the grocery store. As Moorea is technically a territory of France, the grocery stores are equipped with cheap and delicious baguettes.

 

GETTING TO MOOREA

A passenger ferry travels from Tahiti to Moorea several times a day. It leaves form the Papeete port and arrives at Moorea’s Vaiare marina. Prices start at around $15 per trip.

For travelers looking to fly between the islands, a 15 minute scenic hop connects Moorea with French Polynesia’s Faa’a International Airport. Travelers going between different islands can include the short journey in their multi-island passes with Air Tahiti.

 

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Like millions of other dreamers and travel-lovers, I had often gazed upon images of French Polynesia’s transparent waters and longed to visit its lush, craggy mountain peaks. I pictured snorkeling in Moorea’s fish-filled waters and lounging on the island’s soft powdered sand.

Yet, like the majority of daydreamers, I too had initially dismissed traveling to the French Polynesian Islands due to high prices.

But eventually Dan and I decided to head to the South Pacific anyway, in hopes that we could find a way to travel the area cheaply.

And we’re so glad we did.

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