Moorea

2 Best Sights in Moorea, French Polynesia

Moorea is an easy island to explore by car. The one coastal road is just 61 km (37 mi) long, and the best part of a day is needed to travel the road and stop off at the villages, bays, little churches, and cafés along the way and to travel into the interior to the Belvedere lookout and the marae (ancient temples).

The lagoon and bays can be discovered on organized excursions that may include a picnic lunch on one of the motu at the island's northwest corner. There are also small motorboats for hire for a half or full day, with no license required. You won't find too many tracks of endless white sands on Moorea; however, the top resorts have lovely man-made beaches and the lagoon-side pensions and lodges always have at least a little patch of sand.

Half-day and full-day 4WD tours take in all the sights and some areas inaccessible to motorists, while hiking is a great way to see the pineapple and fruit plantations and lush valleys.

Belvedere

This popular lookout, a few miles inland from Paopao, is the island's highest point accessible by car. From the summit (720 feet [219 meters]) there are commanding views of Opunohu and Cook's bays, Mt. Rotui, surrounding peaks, and the valleys below. The Belvedere road can be accessed at turnoffs from the Coastal Road at the base of both bays. The road from Opunohu Bay winds through the valley of the same name past grazing horses and lush grassland. The Paopao road (from Cook's Bay) turns off the Coastal Road near the small Paopao village and passes pineapple plantations of the Paopao Valley. The roads meet not far from a collection of ancient marae, and then the journey winds steeply to the top. Use your horn at the corners and bends! There's nothing at the top but the view, save a concrete platform to stand on plus a few chickens and a rooster or two wandering around.

Toatea Lookout

This is a high point of the coastal road, just a short drive north of the airport. All the transfer minibuses stop here to show visitors their first view of the lagoon and Tahiti in the distance. There's also a great view of the Sofitel resort's overwater bungalows below. It's a wonderful view and everyone gets his or her photo taken here.

Moorea

Moorea

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