Tahiti & Moorea
The last two stops on our family summer getaway in June 2011 were Tahiti and Moorea.
You can read about our time in New Zealand HERE, HERE, and HERE.
We left New Zealand on Sunday, June 5th and arrived in Tahiti on Saturday, June 4th.
That isn’t a typo. Since we crossed back over the International Date Line we got to relive Saturday night.
We checked into the Manava Suite Resort and went to their poolside bar for food and drinks.
It was dark when we arrived so we were excited to see everything the next morning.
We played in the infinity pool for the rest of the afternoon.
Our flight to Moorea was at 5pm and took about 10 minutes.
Moorea is less developed than Tahiti and has a local family feel.
The island vaguely resembles a heart with two nearly symmetrical bays opening to the north side of the island — Cook’s Bay and Opunohu Bay.
After reading the rave reviews on Trip Advisor we decided to stay at the Moorea Pearl Resort, just east of Cook’s Bay.
One of the forums we read prior to booking recommended bungalows 419 and 420 for the unobstructed view and privacy.
We spent most of the day out on the back balcony snorkeling, watching fish, and relaxing.
The resort had kayaks we could use anytime, too!
We kayaked over to Cook’s Bay one afternoon:
It was absolutely gorgeous.
And so are the sunsets in Moorea:
The next day we went on an ATV Tour.
After a quick lesson we drove along the coast from Cook’s Bay to Opunohu Bay and then headed towards Belvedere Lookout.
We drove narrow and twisty trails through pineapple fields and lush scenery.
Our guide took us to the Agricultural College at Opunohu where we tasted several different jams and ate the best ice cream ever.
Gardenia ice cream.
Yes, it was as amazing as it sounds.
We got back on the ATVs and drove towards Mount Rotui, otherwise known as Magic Mountain.
Magic Mountain offers a stunning 360° view of Moorea.
The ATV Tour was a great recommendation. It’s the perfect way to see the island!
We spent the next two days in our bathing suits:
On our last night, we flew back to Tahiti and ate dinner at Le Lotus, an overwater restaurant at the InterContinental Tahiti Resort.
Our trip from New Zealand to Tahiti/Moorea was an exhilarating journey and an unforgettable 16 days.
There’s nothing quite like unplugging from life for a few days to go and live it.