UCB Moorea Adventure Guide
Things to do around Moorea
By Aaron Wallace, UCB Moorea 2000 class and station I.T. guy
Moorea Hikes | Running | Biking | Scuba Diving | Snorkeling | Beaches | Tattooing | Surfing
Guide Background
I've written this guide in response to a number of solo grad students' requests about what to do around the island during their free time. Most come here and are dropped at the station and are pretty much on their own; they must ask around about what to do in terms of hiking, biking, snorkeling, sun-bathing etc. I was part of the UCB- Integrative Biology 158 class that comes here every fall and we had a great introduction to the island the first week we were here (we are here for ten weeks) and so I had never thought about what it would be like to come here alone. Most of the big Tahiti Guides (Lonely Planet etc) do a poor job at details. So I have written this and hope to continue to expand it as time progresses. You can also download it here: as a downloadable Word Document.
What this Guide covers:
Hiking, Biking, Running, Surfing, Snorkeling, Sun-bathing, Scubadiving, Tattooing, Sports
If you have any questions or comments please feel free to email me at:
aaron@moorea.berkeley.edu
Moorea Traveling: First things to know
Moorea has one main paved road which goes around the circumference of the island. Every kilometer is marked with large signs in the shape of the island on the land-side of the road. They are known as PK Markers and 0 begins at the Airport Road in the NorthEast corner of the island near the large now reconnected motu (off-shore island) known as Temae. The counting goes in both directions around this island road and join together at PK 35 going counter-clockwise and PK 25 going clockwise around the island in the town of Haapiti. So just be aware that when someone says to meet them at PK marker 11 that you make sure which PK 11 it is as there are two of them. Here are the Main Towns on Moorea and their PK Marker location in the direction from the airport:
Station: PK 11.5 counterclockwise (CCW)
Airport: PK 0
Ferry Terminal: PK 4.5 CW
PaoPao: 9.5 CCW
Afareaitu: PK 9.5 CW
Haapiti: PK 24 CW
Papetoai: PK 22 CCW
Maharepa: PK 5 CCW
Hikes in Moorea
This preliminary guide is fairly barebones without much commentary but will get you to the trailheads of each of these hikes as well as through any confusing sections I encountered. There is an estimated time and distance for each hike, recommended clothes and equipment and also the trail rating in terms of ease of hiking. I have also given it my personal recommendation on how much I enjoyed the hike.
What to Know when Hiking in Moorea:
Most trails can get overgrown very easily due to the quick growing tropical forest around here. So the local Tahitians have marked a number of the trails using two different methods:
- Orange marks: A spray-painted orange baseball-sized circle on trees along the path.
- Ti Plants: Not found wild in any forest, they are planted along the path because they are distinct and stand out. Watch for them along the way to know you are going the right direction if you get lost.
Be prepared for rain pretty much anytime. Take along a light raincoat. Most hikes, I would recommend shoes, but you can try your luck with Tevas or even flipflops on the short hikes. For the ridge hikes like Rotui, I would definitely recommend pants, otherwise shorts will be fine. Wear clothes you don't mind getting dirty in for all of these hikes.
Most trails are singletrack around Moorea and there are pretty much no loop trails in Moorea.
In general, what to bring/wear for most hikes:
Suntan lotion, camera, shoes, hat, zip-off pants, mosquito repellent.
Afareaitu WaterFall #1
Recommendation: 7/10
Rating: Easy Hike
Hiking Time: 20 minutes.
Location: at PK 8.9 CW
Distance from Station: 20.5 km
Other: Bring your bathing suit as there is a great pool to jump into at the base of the waterfall. Can be done in sandals. I recommend a Rover for driving.
Overview:
Beautiful waterfall and is less used by tourists than the other Afareaitu Waterfall. It drops about 100 feet down the lava-rock face of a mountain. Go early to beat the crowds before 11am.
Directions:
The waterfall is near the town of Afareaitu near PK 8.9. There doesn't seem to be a sign for PK 9 so watch for PK 8 Marker and count the distance on the odometer. As you pass the sign for Afareaitu, you will cross over a river bridge and then there will be a non-descript dirt road on the right near PK 8.9ish. Coming from Viare it is the last road before you get to the medical clinic. Turn right on the dirt road. Drive up dirt road past houses and park the car just before you get to the bridge over the river. Get out and walk up the road. Walk for about five minutes and the road will end. A singletrack trail begins in the upper lefthand corner of the dead-end. This is the trailhead.
You will encounter a fork in the trail in about six minutes. The trail to the left over the stream will take you to Mt Mouputa and the trail right will take you to the waterfall. Continue right. You should arrive at the waterfall within about 10-15 minutes.
Afareaitu WaterFall #2
Recommendation: 8/10
Rating: Easy Hike
Hiking Time: 25 minutes
Location: PK 9.2 CW
Distance from Station: 21 km
Other: Bring your bathing suit as there is a great pool to jump into at the base of the waterfall. Can be done in sandals.
Overview:
Beautiful waterfall and more dramatic then the other but many more tourists. I suggest going early, before 11am. It drops about 130 feet down the lava-rock face of a mountain.
Directions:
The waterfall is behind the town of Afareaitu near PK 9.2. There doesn't seem to be a sign for PK 9 so watch for PK 8 Marker and count the distance on the odometer. Watch for the sign for the Afareaitu school and you will turn right on the paved road just behind the school sign and proceed through the school along this road for approx 0.2km. You will find a dirt road at the rear of the school that the paved road connects to. Proceed on this road for approx 1.4 km through the neighborhood. You will find a small parking area on the right-hand side where the road appears to Y at PK 1.4ish. There will be a “Tabu” (private property) sign on the road to the left. Park here. Start walking up the other road to the right for about 0.4 km and you will come to the next parking area where other vehicles may be parked. You could drive to this area but the road is quite bad and the vehicle could get stuck. Proceed along path which is still quite wide over the stream and in about 4-5 minutes you will come to another Y in the path. You must go right, keep an eye out for it as its easy to pass this junction. Continue along the path for about 10-15 minutes and you will arrive at waterfall. Enjoy!
Mount Rotui Hike
Recommendation: 10/10
Rating: Difficult
Hiking Time: 3 hours to the top and 2hrs down.
Location: PK 14 CCW
Distance from Station: 3.5km
Other: You must wear pants for this hike as there are ferns which will rip your legs apart. You also should start this hike no later than 6am in the morning. Preferably leave the station by 5am. Most of the hike is in the open sun so you want to be done as early as possible to avoid be baked. Don't do the hike if it has been raining a lot or if it is cloudy, it is slippery to the point of being dangerous and it won't be worth it if you can't see the view. There are two short easy rope climbs on the trail.
Overview:
If it is clear and dry this is the most dramatic hike of Moorea. Amazing vistas of everything on Moorea and of Tahiti. Mt. Rotui stands at 899 meters, the second tallest peak on Moorea and you will have great views of both bays and most amazingly the coral reefs. Oh, and if you suffer from vertigo, don't do this hike. Much of it is on a 1-2m wide knife-ridge with dropoffs of 1000 feet on each side.
Directions:
The trailhead is near the Sheraton but it actually starts in someone's backyard. As we don't want to make too many enemies early in the morning, you must use a separate trailhead that swings you around these houses onto the path. Be aware that for the first 20 minutes or so you'll be having to wack your way through a small tree forest to get to the trail and it is very non-descript until you get to the actual path. From there it is straight-going. I would suggest going the day before in sunlight and finding the path via my directions so in the dark of the morning you know where to go more easily.
Drive to the Sheraton and park in their lot or get dropped off there. From the parking lot, walk along the road away from the direction of the station (CCW) for about minutes and you will see an empty lot on the non-ocean side of the road which has a bunch of coconut trees in it, is gated and the grass is well-mowed. It is about ½ acre. Look for the spot in the fence where it has been knocked down and go over the fence into the lot and start walking toward the back of the lot along its edge with the more forested lot to the right. You will come to the end of the mowed lot and there will be a path into the forested area behind the lot. Keep walking for about another 20-30 feet and you will be looking for either trail markers or for a non-descript path to the left up the hillside on your left. Many times there are stacked rocks here that mark where to turn left onto the hillside.
If you can't find it, just start trailblazing up the hillside heading toward the ridge of this hill which is actually the base of Rotui. You will first climb over a bunch of large lave rocks. You will then come to a small stand of young acacia trees about 10 feet high and continue through these towards the ridge. You are more or less heading in a direction back towards the station and the Sheraton as you go up this hillside (East). Keep looking for the path which will be running in the adjacent direction to which you are now going i.e. its running up the ridgeline (North) and you are coming up the side of the hill toward the hill (East). Once you find it, it will be pretty easy going.
Continue up the ridgeline path and in about an hour you will come to a large stand of Casuriana or Ironwood trees. They look like pines but are not related. This is where the skinny knife ridge path begins and its pretty easy not to get lost from here as you have no other place to hike other than the ridge. It should be about 2 hours from here to the top. Be aware there are two false peaks before you reach the top. The top just about big enough to fit a tent and is past the two rope climbs.
Enjoy, as its my personal favorite.
Mount Mouputa Hike
Recommendation: 9/10
Trail Type: Along a streambed through Miconia and Incocarpus forests and then along ridge with ferns under much canopy the whole time.
Rating: Difficult
Hiking Time: 2 hours to the top. 1.5 hrs down.
Location: PK 8.9 CW
Other: There are over 200 feet of ropes along this path because of the vertical terrain of the trail. Be prepared to get you pants dirty as you slide back down. I don't recommend this trail if it has been raining or if its cloudy, its not worth it. If you don't like rope-climbing, don't do this hike.
Overview:
Mouputa means Mountain with hole and it is the distinct mountain across from the station which looks like a face looking up towards the sky. There is indeed a hole in the mountain, about the size of a Volkswagen. The hike ends just above the hole. Amazing vistas of Rotui, PaoPao Bay, Opunohu valley and Tahiti.
Directions:
The waterfall is near the town of Afareaitu near PK 8.9. There doesn't seem to be a sign for PK 9 so watch for PK 8 Marker and count the distance on the odometer. As you pass the sign for Afareaitu, you will cross over a river bridge and then there will be a non-descript dirt road on the right near PK 8.9ish. If you pass the Ahareaitu school and the next river bridge you have gone too far. Turn right on the dirt road. Drive 1.1 km up dirt road past houses. Look for a small grass lot on the left side of the road and park there. Get out and walk up the road. Walk for about five minutes and the road will end. A singletrack trail begins in the upper lefthand corner of the dead-end. This is the trailhead.
You will encounter a fork in the trail in about six minutes. The trail to the left over the stream will take you to Mt Mouputa and the trail right will take you to the waterfall. Continue left and cross over the stream and start heading up the more steep trail. Eventually you will start following the streambed up. In about an hour you will come to a palm tree planted along the trail at one of the ridges. You will drop down slightly and now will be following the stream up the trail for a while before getting to the very steep sections of Mouputa. Continue to the top.
Three Coconuts Trail
Recommendation: 7/10
Trail Type: Through Inocarpus Forest along a streambed
Rating: Moderate
Hiking Time: About 1.5 hours to the top. 1 hr return trip.
Location: Turn off main road is at PK 18.1 CCW
Other: Can be done in Teavas as you do cross some wide streams. But I'd recommend shoes.
Overview:
The trails leads you to the saddle between the mountains of Tohiea and Mouaroa where 80 years ago a journeyman plants three coconuts. Only one remains, the rest have been knocked over by storms. You can see the coconut tree from many spots around the islands so try and watch for it. The trail runs through shaded forests of Inocarpus and is fairly flat except for the last little bit which is a scramble up the side of the mountain to the top of the ridge for about 20 minutes. This is a beautiful pleasant hike through native tropical forests of Moorea. The view from the top is quite nice as you can see both sides of the island as well as Rotui and both bays. It's a great easy way to see the whole of Moorea.
Directions:
Drive towards Opunohu Bay and watch for the turnoff to the paved road up Opunohu valley at PK 14.1. This is where the shrimp farm is on the left. Turn left into the Valley here. Drive up the paved valley road for km and watch for the turnoff on the right with the sign that says “Tres Cocotieres”. Turn right onto this dirt road and then turn left immediately past the water spiget and continue along dirt road. A Y junction in road, stay right, heading downwards. Drive for km and then park next to the pig farm where the road is gated. Start walking on road. In 15 minutes you will see a small singletrack path off the right side of the road that goes down the hillside toward the stream corridor. Turn here. From here the hike is pretty straightforward but watch for the tea plants and the orange marks on the trees to stay on the path as there are areas where the path opens up and it can be confusing which way to go. You will cross the stream a few times as you hike.
When you reach the top enjoy the view and you may decide that you want to continue heading South rather than turning around. You can do it, although the trail is not well marked. You will more or less be trying to follow the streambed down the Vaianae Valley towards a dirt road which comes quite far up the valley because there is a small school far back here. It's a good challenge. When you hit the dirt road, follow it out to the main road and you can phone someone at the station for a ride or just hitchhike back to the station.
Pao Pao-Vaiare Trail
Recommendation: 7/10
Rating: Moderate
Hiking Time: about 2 hours one way
Location: In Vaiare it is at PK 4.4 CW; in PaoPao it is at PK 9.3 CCW
Other: None
Overview:
This is the old trail people used to take from Paopao over to the Ferry terminal before there was a road and before many people had vehicles. A the main ridgeline, it's a good view of Tahiti, Vaipohe Valley and Vaiare Bay, Mt. Rotui, PaoPao Bay and the Station. The trail winds through Inocarpus forests and crosses over fern-lined ridges. It's a well marked trail as many people still use it.
Directions:
Drive to PaoPao and turn right onto dirt road just past school at PK 9.4ish. Drive up road until it deadends and park. Singletrack trailhead begins here. Fairly straightforward. You will end up at a dirt road which empties into Vaiare Bay just near the ferry terminal.
Running In Moorea
Trail Running
Pretty much any of the hikes described above can be used as trail runs. There are a few races each year that in fact will use these trails. See below for races or ask Victor, one of the local Tahitians about the Moorea Running Club. Their site is http://www.sjs.pf
Road Running
Opunohu Valley Run
The best run is to drive over to Opunohu Valley road and park at its base then run up it and back. Its not used often and the Valley is amazing, rivaling Yosemite Valley for the surrounding grandness of the ridges.
Better yet, get dropped off at this road and then continue running up it and watch for where a dirt road diverges to the left. Take this dirt road and it will drop you into PaoPao where you reconnect with the main road back to the station. Takes about 1 hour.
Races:
Pao Pao-Vaiare Trail Race: July 5 every year. 10K on trail. Tough race.
Moorea Painapo August 31st 30K Race: Tough trail race through the opunohu valley
Tahiti Hui Sunrise Marathon: Feb 15th in Tahiti
Aitoman International: October 4th-5th
Biking in Moorea
Its not the safest thing to do here but the best options are either the main road or biking along the Opunohu valley roads. There is no mountain biking to speak of here on the island, its all paved except for the small bit of dirt road between Opunohu valley and PaoPao. There isn't much of a road shoulder so you are left with having to bike on the road so be very careful of the drivers.
Biking around the Island
It is 40 miles around the island. The fastest I've ever done it is 2.5 hours. Its fairly flat the whole way which is good but just be careful of the cars. The best time to do it is Sunday morning or Saturday morning early.
Opunohu-PaoPao Loop
This is a nice quick one which should take about an hour from the station. Start at the station and head towards Opunohu Bay. Turn left at the Opunohu Valley turnoff (watch for the Belvedere sign, its at the base of Opunohu Bay) and continue up paved road past the shrimp farms on the left and the French station on the right. Watch for the dirt road which diverges about 3km up on the left and take this road. Follow it into Pao Pao and reconnect with the main road. Head left back to the station.
Snorkeling in Moorea
Station Snorkeling
Rating: 5/10
Not the best, because the juice factory next door puts out juice directly into the bay which clouds the water and can lead to ear infections if you are in this water for long periods of time. But, check it out if the water is clear and the wind is blowing the right directions.
Temae Snorkeling
Rating: 10/10
Personally, this is my favorite place to snorkel. You can see huge schools of fish, great coral and the occasional shark and ray.
Directions: To reach Temae, head from the station toward the airport. Pass the airport road turnoff and it is your next turn on the left; a small dirt road at about PK 0.2 CW. Continue down this road and at the Y in the road, stay left. Head toward the parking lot on your left about 0.8km down the road. You can walk down this beach all the way to the Sofitel Ia Ora Hotel's beach. The best snorkeling can be found by heading out toward the barrier reef. The closer you get to it, the better the coral and fish.
Motu Snorkeling
Rating: 9/10
This is a fun adventure. Motus are off-shore islands that have been created by sand piling up on the barrier reef over the years. Plants begin to grow and you have a new island. Motu Tiahura and Fareone are located in the Northwest corner of the island at about PK 26 CCW. To get out to the motus you will need to borrow one of the station kayaks and have someone drive you out to the dropoff point or take a rover out there.
Directions: Drive to PK 25 CCW marker and watch for the Les Tipaniers hotel/Restaurant on the right-hand side. Walk down the dirt road past the big Scubapiti /Beach Restaurant sign and then down the cement path to the beach. Launch from the Tipaniers hotel beach and head towards the motus. You will want to snorkel in between the motus. Watch for Rays out here as they are pretty abundant and friendly.
Double-Reef Snorkeling
Rating 7/10
Location: at PK 18 CW. Park anywhere on the side of the road. Nice because its fairly quiet. Good night snorkeling here. A double-reef occurs when the fringing reef's edge becomes so big that it forms its own barrier reef at this outer edge and then you get two barrier reefs. It's a cool effect to see.
Best Beaches on Moorea
Temae Beach.
Rating: 10/10
See the description under Snorkeling for more information.
Opunohu Beach
Rating: 10/10
A beautiful public beach that just opened last year. Not used that much so still fairly quiet. Its located at PK 16 CCW past the Sheraton just as Oponohu Bay begins. Watch for the barb-wire gated area on the right hand-side and park on the road. Its about a ½ km in length.
Motu Beaches
Rating 10/10
See the description under Snorkeling for more information
Moorea Tattooing
Tattoos tend to be pretty popular with the students and classes that come down this way and so they should be. Many Tahitians sport numerous tattoos as its an integral part of their culture. The Marquesan islands, one of French Polynesia's chains of islands is the birthplace of tattooing. The instrument local tattoo artists use is actually a modified men's electric razor that has the tattoo needle attached to it. There are two places which the Gump Station groups have had consistent and trusted success in getting tattoos.
Taniera Tattoo Shop
Location: PK 27.2 CCW on the left-hand side heading away from the station. Its next to this round blue building; watch for the Taniera sign. The guy here is a pretty trippy character but definitely interesting. Ask for your needle when you are done; he uses a new one each time as he does not autoclave. Phone 56.16.98
Puroe Tattoo
Location: Maharepa on the right hand side heading away from the station. Its stuck in a little corner of a small complex of four shops before the postoffice/bank shopping complex and the two-story shopping complex and the rover dealership. 56.22.92
Fishing around Moorea
The majority of local fishermen catch Tuna, Marlin and Mahi Mahi. The best way to experience fishing in Moorea is to ask Tony or Jacque (the two do-it-all employees of the gump station) if they would be willing to take you out with them for the day on one of their specially-built boats, which will usually be a Saturday or Sunday. Bring them beer or lunch to help pay them back for the adventure. Plan on bringing lots of sunscreen and water for you will be out all day.
Sports on Moorea
Soccer, rugby and volleyball are the most popular sports on the island. If you are interested in volleyball, ask Irma or Val where to play as they are both on teams. If you want to play soccer, there are pickup games all the time on the many fields around the island.
The closest field is just past the juice factory on the right-hand side back behind the houses. Go up the paved road to the juice factory and directly across street from its main building is the field which is somewhat hidden by a row of trees.
There is another field in Maharepa behind the main Maharepa store complex which has the post office and bank. Head up the dirt road that borders the complex.
Surfing in Moorea
There are quite a few places to surf in Moorea. For waves during the dry season try Haapiti (Pk 24 CW), Atiha, or Temae. Haapiti has approximately a 1.5 km paddle out to the break and has dangerous currents if the waves are over 2.5 meters. If it looks big from shore and there's nobody out it would be advisable to try another spot. Temae is a nice right with a shallow takeoff “so when the wave breaks here, don't be there, or you're gonna get drilled.” If you do get slashed by the reef, squeeze some lime juice on the cut. This may involve some pain but helps prevent infections as the citric acid in the lime kills bacteria in the coral. During the wet season Opunohu and Cook's Bay pick up north swells and are apparently really fun waves.