Surely if you hear about French Polynesia, the first reference will be Bora Bora Island, but you know that there are hundreds of islands, and among them, there is one that I appreciate very much: Moorea island. Just 10 minutes from Tahiti, this island has many advantages. Taking advantage of the fact that I am organizing a new trip to Polynesia, I let you know how much a trip to Moorea costs.
Personally I consider that when traveling to French Polynesia, one cannot limit oneself to Bora Bora. Without a doubt, this island is fantastic and almost unique, but to prolong the stay without exploiting the budget there are other paradisiacal islands. Even excluding Bora Bora will lower expenses significantly. If you want to get to know French Polynesia and its fantastic waters and landscapes on a more limited budget, consider Moorea.
Use this pandemic time to plan your trip, because going to French Polynesia is something that is planned in advance. The longer you do it before, the better prices you will get, at least when it comes to accommodation. Air tickets usually do not vary much, however exceptional prices are being seen due to Covid.
1. When is the best time to travel to Moorea Island for saving more?
To get the best prices you have to opt for the usual solution, traveling in low season. Between November and March (excluding December).
Regarding the time that you can find, you will have more risk of rain, because this time is what is known there as summer, and it is when there is more rainfall. The month in which it rains the most is usually January.
You should also consider that Moorea, being a mountainous island, has a tendency to retain cloudiness, and that is why it rains a lot, hence it has such lush vegetation. But rainfall can vary within the same island, and when the weather is bad on one side, have a bright sun on the other side.
2. How to arrive at Moorea Island
One of the advantages of the proximity between Moorea and Tahití is that you do not need to buy a plane ticket and you can take a ferry that connects the two islands. This if you do not plan to visit other islands of the archipelago, since otherwise, a pass will suit you. It all depends on how many islands you visit.
In my article What to see and do in Moorea you will find the details and prices on these ferries. And about the plane passes so you can do your calculations.
3. Where to stay in Moorea and at what price?
I think Moorea Island is one of the ones with the most accommodation options in all of French Polynesia. There are fewer luxury hotels than on Bora Bora, but much more varied and perhaps better quality options than can be found on other islands.
Apartments and Houses – From 50€
There is a wide variety of small apartments and villas for rent. You can rent via Booking or via AirB&B. There are also specialized websites, which work more directly with the owners, and do not hesitate to ask the agency about these alternatives.
The best Spots
At Air B&B you will find several alternatives; rooms or entire houses. Take a good look at the area; of course the more isolated you will be, the cheaper it will be.
Evaluate if you want to be near busier areas and with more services.
Don’t count on public transportation in Moorea.
TIHURA or PAPETOI: If you are looking to be close to local restaurants and shops. This area is quite busy.
MAHAREPA: also has a good movement. Enough alternatives to eat, shops and a small supermarket.
TEMAE or TEAVARO: if you want to be close to Temae beach and golf; but there are far fewer nearby dining options.
Rentals on Airbnb start at € 50 per night; depending on the location, the benefits, and if it is only a room or the whole house.
Here are some great alternatives with exceptional features:
Legends Residences: it has some spectacular villas, almost always located in the mountains. They are not on the edge of the beach, but the views are spectacular. It is necessary to provide a vehicle to move in case of opting for this type of accommodation. But the prices make up for it. From € 167.
Villa Eutierra: another one of those extraordinary houses in the mountains. With the benefits of a luxury hotel, well, without the service. From € 250
Local Pensions – From 60€
A more traditional and simpler type of accommodation. Benefits are more limited, but there are several very good pensions on Moorea.
In general, you will be staying in the owner’s house, who will have enabled some rooms and will surely propose breakfast. Some have been better organized and have lunches and dinners, swimming pools and recreation areas.
Some call them Faré, which means house in Tahitian, and it is surely a house where they rent a room.
Many agencies classify them as star hotels, depending on the benefits.
Here is a link to a complete list of pensions
Mid-range hotels- From € 150
From Boutique Hotels to 2- or 3-star hotels, there is a great variety in Moorea. I recommend checking the opinions and photos very well, between TripAdvisor and Booking. It has happened to us that in the end the accommodation is not as good as it seemed.
Here is a list of my favorites:
Moorea Island Beach. From € 200
Moorea Sunset Beach. From € 200. I consider this more than a hotel a part-hotel. It has bungalows and studios.
Hotel Hibiscus: one of the 2-star, historic hotels on the island. From € 160. About this accommodation they are divided. You shouldn’t expect that much from this hotel, the good thing is its location.
Hotel Les Tipaniers: From € 160. another one from which you cannot expect much from its facilities, but which has an excellent location.
Luxury Hotels in Moorea – From 250€
I would organize them in two parts because some of them I don’t really consider luxury hotels. In these 3 hotels, you will find overwater bungalows, the Sofitel Ia Ora Moorea and the Moorea Hilton have the best and are really the ones worth paying for.
4-star hotel:
Manava Beach Resort & Spa Moorea: from € 330. The hotel is nice, but I consider that it is located in an area that is not very interesting. The beach does not have the best color because it is the part where a tributary arrives and mixes the bottom. Here you will not see the usual colors of Polynesia.
5-star hotels in Moorea Island – There are only 2 on the island:
Hilton Moorea Lagoon Spa & Resort Hotel: from € 500. It is located in a very beautiful part of the lagoon, and where there is a lot of marine fauna.
Sofitel Kia Ora Beach Resort Hotel: individual bungalows from € 250. One of my favorites among French Polynesia hotels and where I have been a couple of times. It is located in front of the most beautiful beach in Moorea: Temae.
If you want to see photos of the hotel and the bungalow, I invite you to read the posts about Moorea
The Moorea Intercontinental, an iconic Moorea hotel, was closed at the beginning of this year 2020. It seems they are looking for a new investor, but at the moment is closed.
4. How much do activities in Moorea cost?
One of the advantages of Moorea is that it offers a lot to do and at lower prices than can be found in Bora Bora.
In my post Things to do In Moorea-6 cool and chep plans you will realize that there are several activities that cost nothing or very little.
Then here I leave you other available activities and the prices of each one so that you can plan your trip:
My favorite restaurants in Moorea: the Moorea Beach Café, the Lezard Jaune, the Coco d’Isle
