While Audrey and I are on our Solo Mom & Daughter Trip I thought it might be a good idea to check out the island of Moorea, Tahiti’s sister island. We took a 3 day adventure over to the island from Tahiti and here’s how our first trip went & what you should know if you’d like to plan something similar.

Watch videos of our trip on our Instagram Highlights.

Day 1 at Mo’orea Island French Polynesia

Boat Trip to Moorea from Tahiti – Make Ferry Reservations in Advance!

I don’t know what I was thinking, showing up the day of to try and make the 10 am over. I was planning on taking the Aremiti and got so lucky that I ended up in the wrong line to the wrong terminal! The nicest lady ever told me to just wait and that I should be able to fit on the sold out ferry. Honestly, best choice ever to grab the XS rental car (that should be a pro tip, lol).

After the Chaos of waiting to see if we would fit on the ferry, the next barrier we immediately faced was having to back up a manual transmission vehicle onto the ramped boat. It was worse then parallel parking for sure! It’s been years for me so being a bit rusty I wasn’t comfortable trying to back that thing up on my own. The crew were so nice and offered to do it for me, insisting not to worry that it happens all the time.

With the car loaded and packed in, from there everything happened so quickly and we were off headed on our quick boat trip to the island of Mo’orea. The Ferry line we took over was the Terevau. Audrey and I stayed outside the entire 45 min ride over but you don’t have to do that. On the top deck there is an A/C lounge that played kid cartoons on the TV and the middle deck has a snack bar with more seating.

Once we arrived to Mo’orea exiting the ferry was easy. The station has venders selling snacks and there’s a gas station right there in case you need to top up before heading out into the island. There’s scooter rentals nearby there too as well as flower crowns around the corner.

Where to buy Flower Crowns & Leis in Mo’orea

Our first stop was to get flower crowns! We had a scheduled boat excursion that day and I wanted to get photos of Audrey and I wearing crowns and leis together. They were so pretty and so many to choose from I honestly had such a hard time picking just one. They asked for $2000 for the crowns and $1000 for the leis.

Here’s where their stand is: GPS Coordinates (-17.5224756, -149.7815063)

Boat Tour on Voila Moorea’s Sailboat: Taboo

We chose to book the half-day snorkeling & lagoon group tour with Viola Moorea. This tour had 3 stops for a total of 6 hours and cost $85 per person. It included adult and kid fruit juices drinks and a shared tropical fresh fruit snack platter. There were 7 other people on the tour with us for a total of 10 people aboard including the captain.

The tour guide had us meet at the public beach of Ta’ahiamanu where we all packed into his vehicle for a 10-minute ride to the boat dock. From there we got onto the small boat, went over some safety information and headed off over the turquoise waters to our first stop.

The 3 stops aboard Viola Moorea’s Sailing Vessel Taboo

Stop 1: Swimming with the Sting Rays & Blacktip Reef Sharks

Stop 2: Swimming with Tropical Fish in the Coral Garden in crystal clear water

Stop 3: Diving to see the Ancient Statues & Sea Turtles

We had a great time and at the end of the tour we found ourselves in front of the beach we left our vehicles at. We were given a quick boat ride to shore from their mooring ball via dinghy.

Useful Info: Use the restroom before departure time at the public restrooms. It was easiest for us to book last minute by staying in contact with them through whatsapp. They can coordinate getting flower crowns for you for your excursion with advance notice.

What to Pack: Reef Safe Sunscreen and/or sunshirt, change of clothes, water, water shoes, hat and sunshades for your eyes. If going with kids be sure to pack a few extra snacks with you.

Lodging and Dinner at Pension Motu Iti

After our half day was over we went to check into our lodging at the Pension Motu Iti. This was cheap accommodation compared to other places in the area and the reviews were average so I was a little nervous about staying here to be honest. But because I was already paying for a night in Tahiti ( we secured a spot for the month) I didn’t want to over spend on our budget so I thought… Why not give it a try? and I am glad we did.

The Bungalows are locally ran and the staff was very pleasant with us. The property included a restaurant and a hostel area for those trying to travel on an even smaller budget. I made the reservation on Booking.com and everything went smoothly when we checked in. She offered us to stay beachfront and then move to the tropical garden bungalows the following day that way we got to experience both accommodations.

The bungalows are pretty basic but honestly I felt like this location was very good value for the money. Included with the rate was the option to take out their kayaks and to use their dock where you can jump right into the ocean. The Wifi was fast.

There was no A/C so the room was warm until evening but with the fan blasting on us and being wrapped up tight in the mosquito net I was pretty happy with it.

Dinner at the Pension

Their Mai Tais were great and I got the Coconut Battered Mahi Mahi with a coconut milk cream sauce. It was so good. Their menu includes pizza and burgers and salads so really again, not a bad spot.

Day 2 in Mo’orea French Polynesia

We woke up and enjoyed hanging outside for a little bit, we moved rooms and then took off to breakfast.

A French Breakfast at Creperie Cook Cafe

Decked out in Pirate theme rustic vibes I really loved eating here. I found this spot based off of doing a quick google search for restaurants and decided I definitely wanted to eat here because the reviews were looking pretty promising. We ended up with the traditional breakfast crepes of Banana & Nutella. The staff was super nice and I plan to visit here again with Alex & Addy once they arrive.

Luxury on a Budget with the Hilton Moorea Lagoon Resort & Spa Day Pass

Getting this Hilton moorea lagoon resort & spa  Day Pass was pretty easy once I was able to figure out what number to actually call. Save yourself the time and just email what’s on the flyer below. They included this in my first email to them so this should be a skipped step for you. If you are e-mailing in advance try to give yourself a few extra days to get on the reservations list. Last minute is an option but they do sell out.

The day of we arrived we parked in their hotel parking. It was complimentary so that was pretty easy. From there we walked into the lobby and got checked in. We paid and were given yellow wrist bands to wear.

The Day pass included: Access to the resort’s facilities. Beach, Swimming Pool, Snorkeling Gear, Kayaks, Paddle Boards & Towels. You also had the ability to walk the docks of the overwater bungalow area to see the views from above. Two-Course à la carte lunch at Rotui Grill & Bar. This included one Main Dish selection, one dessert and one drink (soft of beer) per person. 10% off to use at their Spa. It was a great place to enjoy the day and is the best way to enjoy the property without having to spend a small fortune staying the night on the property if you’re on a budget.

A Forever Souvenir Pearl Shopping

Spending time on the islands here we quickly noticed that there are pearls everywhere! We made it a point to start getting more meaningful souvenirs that we spend a little extra money on to have these things forever. The only rule is… that it has to be special (you’ll know when you see it). After checking out a few shops we found just the special pearl for me and Audrey. You get the discounted taxes in advance here so it really made getting our pearls pretty affordable, quick and easy. because we purchased from a jewelry store we also got the certificate of certification for the pearls… something that normally doesn’t come with other vendors selling at the markets. Getting souvenirs like this is one of the best things for us, especially with how we travel.

The famous Belvedere Lookout on Moorea Island

We took a quick detour from the main road up to the belvedere lookout. It’s one of the best places for Panoramic Views of Mount Rotui. The mountain sits between Opunohu bay and Cook’s bay and is a great view from the point. The drive up to the mountain is a little windy especially if you’re driving a manual transmission. But once you make it to the top it’s all worth it. We heard this place has a Magic Mountain nestled in. That the trees sound like bells. We didn’t try it this trip and decided to wait to do the hike until Addy and Alex join us on this beautiful island.

Dinner again at the Pension

We were exhausted so I thought it best just to eat at the restaurant again. Honestly they just made it so easy. We ordered pizza and I snagged another mai tai!

Day 3 in Mo’orea French Polynesia

Fast Breakfast at Laorana Smoothies

Great spot for smoothies and quick sandwiches with an attached pearl shop and souvenir shop. Don’t get here right when they say they open online. They’re definitely on island time.

Coral Gardners Head Quarters

I have been following the Coral Gardeners for a few years so when I found out that we were going to Mo’orea I reached out to them to ask if we could see the gardens. We had the best time here and they were so nice. After snagging breakfast we went over to their Headquarters and enjoyed a tour from a member of their team. We learned about microfragmentation and their efforts to restore the reef faster through this process.

We also learned about how they plant these coral back into areas around mo’orea and about their outreach programs. We decided to save swimming their gardens for when we’re with Addy & Alex and grabbed some merch to show our support towards the mission of coral restoration.

Moorea Tropical Garden Snorkeling from a Motu in Mo’orea

With some time to kill before our return ferry, I decided to drive around the island a little more but wanted to stay close to the ferry terminal. I’m glad we did because we stumbled across this place called Jardin de Corail du Motu Ahi. Basically for $60 USD we were picked up by boat and taken over to a private small island for snorkeling. We had about 3 hours to kill and so we decided to snorkeling for an hour would be a fun way to end our trip on the island. The private motu offered a very pretty lagoon of moorea to enjoy snorkeling in. We enjoyed seeing marine life in the coral reefs that were on Audreys bucket list to see.

Return to Tahiti on the Ferry

The return to Tahiti island on the ferry was great, basically got in line and waited for it to arrive. The terminal had snacks in the middle being sold by local venders so we got some. We ate them while watching the fish at the dock swim around. Once the Ferry arrived our tickets were scanned and then we boarded front in… So no backing in this time! We found the snack bar, got a sandwich and enjoyed the ride back to Tahiti.

If you’re consider visiting the Island of Moorea with your kids you should! Mo’orea is an amazing destination for families. Even if you’re on a budget the entire island has the most beautiful beaches to enjoy. You can easily to a day trip here if you’re on limited time. As a Solo mom I felt very safe and it’s quickly become my favorite place to visit. There were a lot of things to do while also being able to relax and enjoy yourself as a parent. If you’re thinking about taking this trip, 100% do it.

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