Imagine your toes dug into a white sand beach, looking out towards turquoise blue waters, the occasional friendly sea turtle or stingray lazily coasting past your field of view while palm trees sway all around you in the gentle warm breeze – a welcome reprieve from the Polynesian heat.

Mo’orea is a little slice of tropical heaven, a mere 30 minute ferry ride away from the island of Tahiti. The moment you set foot on this beautiful Society Island, greeted by jagged, green, volcanic mountains, crystal clear water, and overwater bungalows, you’ll never want to leave.

Our first stop en route to our accommodation was a viewpoint that overlooked the Sofitel resort – a “budget” overwater bungalow resort that still came up around $1000/night. For me, that was the moment when it finally felt real. Seeing the iconic overwater bungalows just below me was the moment when I realized I was actually there. In paradise. A place that’s been on my bucket list for so many years. The place I dreamed about one day going, pouring over photos online, swearing to all my friends that if I ever got married that would be my honeymoon destination. Now, I wasn’t on my honeymoon, and having M with us meant it wasn’t exactly going to be a super relaxing trip (let’s face it – traveling with young children is still just parenting, but in a different country), but it was an opportunity that still blew my mind I was able to have. (If you want to read about the French Polynesia from the beginning: click here!)

We’d opted to hunker down on this trip more than we were used to, and decided to spend 5 nights at a place called MoeMiti – a quaint 5-bungalow fare with a view of both the refreshing pool and the distant ocean. I’d manage to get a steal of a deal on it too – at around 1/3 of the price. It had 2 bedrooms, a kitchen, living room, laundry, a big, covered deck, A/C, and came with a resident cat – whom M named Walter (White). It was peaceful, quiet, and just an absolute gem.

But when we say hunker down, it wasn’t that we had any intention on just hanging around our bungalow all day. I mean, we had a car, after all. To us, hunkering down just meant that we wouldn’t be jumping around to different accommodations. But, every day we woke up and packed up our bags (one for snorkel gear and towels, one for snacks (PB&J, apples, granola bars and chips), one for alcohol and juice (strategically wrapped in towels with frozen water bottles to keep our drinks cold), and each of our day bags). Then we wrestled with M to get going, and set off on day trips down the coastal road.

The Beaches of Mo’orea

There are many gorgeous beaches on the island, but unfortunately not all of them are accessible to the general public. Some are located within gated hotel properties, while others are blocked off for use by private local residences. The following are the 3 public beaches on the island, followed by a private beach, which are all are glorious in their own ways (as you’ll see).

Hauru Beach

This is the first beach we went to because it was the closest to where we were staying. It’s located in the north west corner of Mo’orea and well-recommend. It’s not visible from the main road, however, well-marked signs lead you off the highway to a small gravel parking lot adjacent to the road. The beach itself is small, both by length and width, but the water is gorgeous. And because it’s set back from the main road, tucked away under a stone wall, it’s quiet.

You might be surprised to hear this, but I’m actually terrified of water. I’m not a fan of swimming in bodies of water where you can’t see the bottom, and get really freaked out if anything touches me (ie. fish swimming right up to me, accidentally grazing a hand or foot on sea lettuce, or having to step on anything other than sand). It was always a struggle for me when I used to do open-water swims in triathlons, because I was always terrified of lake and ocean swims and would panic quite frequently. I even remember almost pulling out of a race in Cozumel (Mexico), despite it being a warm, tropical swim where I saw more fish below me than people around me, because I panicked at the depth and not knowing if some sea creature was creeping up behind me. Anyways, because of that, this beach was my favourite of the three. The water was crystal clear and the bottom was nothing but soft sand for a long ways out, void of any sea furniture.

This is also the first place M ever went snorkelling, and where we saw our first sting ray of the trip! They swim up really close to the shore here, so you could just be floating in the water and happen to look over and see a big, grey diamond gliding over to you. Luckily, though, the water is so clear that you can clearly see it coming, so I found it more exciting than terrifying. This was our go-to beach for sting rays, as we saw many of them here each time we went.

Ta’ahiamanu Beach

This was the second public beach we went to in Mo’orea, and arguably the most visually stunning of the three. It’s located just off the main road as you enter Opunohu Bay, but shielded by a garden of palm trees and rolling green grass. There’s either roadside parking closer to the beach (for easy trips to and from the car in case we forgot something), or a larger parking lot across the street that’s near the bathrooms and more shaded.

Ta’ahiamanu is a longer beach than the first, but the width is too small and close to the water to lay out your towel and lounge in the sand. Instead, towels are set up under the shelter of one of the many trees (not a palm tree of course, should a rogue coconut decide to fall), on the open grassy nooks, or you can try and snag one of the few available picnic tables on site.

Due to the abundance of coconut trees, and the number of coconuts that have found their way to the ground, there’s also ample opportunity to try your hand at opening a few for a sip of refreshing coconut water. (Or at least give yourself a perfect natural cup for your own drinks.)

Although the location was stunning, and it was by far my favourite location in terms of it’s visual appeal, I didn’t like it as much because there’s only a small area in which you can just relax in the water without bumping into coral, and some of it reaching quite near to the surface. And on the other side of the reef is an immediate drop off, so without a snorkel you’re kind of confined to the first couple meters of shore.

However, it was probably the best public beaches on the island for snorkelling. Plus, it’s easily accessible, without having to swim very far out, to see an astounding number of fish and sea life. We were even lucky enough to spot some turtles on a few occasions! Although, one of the turtle sightings wasn’t so lucky for A, who was following behind the guy quite closely, and ended up being assaulted by turtle poop in his face.

Temae Beach

This is the final public beach on the island and also the largest. It’s located right next door to the Sofitel resort and it’s long, wide, and has ample parking spots in the shade. You can easily throw your towel down on the beach and lounge in the sun, but unfortunately it’s quite rocky – both on the beach (from millions of white coral pieces that have washed ashore) and in the water.

This is also a great place for snorkelling (or so I’m told) because there’s a reef just out from the shore. It’s also where some local companies do night snorkel excursions. One of the women we met on the trip decided to give it a go. It’s led by a guide and they provide wetsuits and flashlights, but considering I’m scared enough in the water during the day, there was no way I was going out in the dark of night to search for things that would scare the swimsuit off me. But, she did say it was cool, so for the $80 USD price tag, the choice is yours.

Due to the wide, open beauty of the area “A” also decided to play around with his drone here. But as a note – not all drones are able to fly here due to the close vicinity of the airport. But since his didn’t have the restriction and he kept it low, he decided to check things out with an overwater bungalow fly-over. Which was super cool… until it wasn’t. It’s a sad story, but let’s just say the drone decided it wanted to live in aTahitian treehouse, basking in the sun, rather than accompany us home to Canada.

Plage de Tipaniers

This beach is a wildcard. It was hands down the most stunning of all the beaches we found on the island. Gorgeous sand, incredibly clear water, so many, picturesque palm trees and views, and lots of room to spread out and relax. The only kicker, it’s privately owned by Hotel Les Tipaniers.

We’d heard about it, but it’s access is patrolled by security, only allowing hotel guests through. Well, guests and those who have booked aquatic services with the hotel – ie. kayak rentals or dives with Scubapiti. So, when “A” went diving one morning, we were able to hang out on the beach while we waited for him. And then once you’re there, you’re golden. Free to relax and enjoy for the day. Well, maybe not, but at least nobody checked on us once we were in. We also found out that the security guard doesn’t man his post until 7am. So, another alternative is to wake up early and just walk right in before 7am. Otherwise, just let them know you have a kayak booking or a dive booking (but note, the last dive is at 11:30am, so you only have that option for a time limited period).

Maybe a bit sneaky, but for what you get to enjoy, I think it’s worth giving it a go.

Top Travel Tips for Mo’orea’s Beaches

1. Don’t skimp on the sunscreen
   The sun is not forgiving here. Make sure you bring lots of sunscreen (and don’t rely on buying it on the island – it’s available, but it’s expensive – around $24 USD for a small standard size bottled). And make sure you slather it on thick. We made the initial mistake of skipping sunscreen for our ferry ride from Tahiti to Mo’orea, thinking it was only a quick trip and wouldn’t be a big deal. But that’s where the burns all started.
   
   
2. Whatever you do, don’t sit under the coconut trees
   If you’re not sure, make sure you look up before spreading out your towel. Those suckers can fall at a moment’s notice and you don’t want to be caught with a coconut to the head. We, embarrassingly, had to be reminded by locals a couple times. Thank goodness for the friendliness of the locals! They were always looking out for us.
   
   
3. Wide-brim hats are a must
   This was one thing that we’d read before we left, and let me tell you, I’m so happy I listened to that piece of advice. The sun is relentless and assaults you from all angles. A regular baseball hat just doesn’t always cut it when you’re out in the sun all day. It might look a little touristy, but to save yourself the pain of sun burns (even through SPF), invest in one you like and will wear. Trust me. It’ll be a staple accessory on your trip to Tahiti.

Happy Travels!