Map tips: each color represents a different day. Click a marker to learn more about the spot, and click the star in the map header to save the entire map under Your Places in Google Maps.
Day 1
Booked a packaged deal for our honeymoon so inter-island and transportation to/from hotels were included. Arrived in Papeete on the island of Tahiti early in the morning and took a ferry over to the neighboring island of Moorea. Tahiti and Moorea are very close and the ferry only takes 30 minutes. We hung out by the pool of our resort (Sofitel Moorea la Ora) until the overwater bungalow was ready. We stayed on the bungalow for the rest of the day, just reading, relaxing, and swimming.
Day 2: ‘Āfareaitu Waterfall
Next day we walked to Afareaitu to see the waterfall. It was a long walk and pretty tough to find – honestly not worth it. Stopped by the grocery store on our way back to get some food and hitch-hiked back to the hotel. Walked up the road to the top of the hill by the resort and got a nice view overlooking the hotel and bungalows.
Day 3: Cook’s Bay and Belvedere Lookout
Rented bikes for the day (had them dropped off at the hotel) and rode up to Belvedere Lookout.
The view of Cook’s Bay from Belvedere Lookout is stunning, but it’s a serious incline to get up there. People who passed us on motorized vehicles gave us some looks and when we saw them at the top they called us crazy for biking it. I liked it though, good workout. Rode back to the resort, stopping for ice cream on the way back. Took pretty much the whole day.
Day 4: Moorea back to Tahiti
We snorkeled around the hotel and relaxed on the bungalow before our ferry back to Tahiti where we stayed in a regular hotel for 2 nights.
Day 5: Waterfall hike
We had hired a guide (Vincent from Polynesian Adventure) to take us up through the Fautaua Valley and up to the beginning of the Fachoda Waterfall. There are 2 pools connected by a natural slide and it’s one of the coolest natural settings ever. The second slide is a bit bumpy so you can jump down into the lower pool and walk right to the edge of the almost 1,000 ft waterfall.
Glad we had a guide, because there wasn’t much information on how to get there when we went (there is more now online, so you may not need a guide). Took most of the day, went back to the hotel and walked to the Lotus for dinner.
Day 6
Hung out by the pool at the hotel (Manava Suite Resort – regular resort, pretty average) and took a flight back home in the evening.
Final thoughts
Tahiti is the definition of paradise. There is nowhere else we would have rather spent our honeymoon, and it was worth every penny (very expensive). We gladly would take a shorter honeymoon there than a longer one somewhere less expensive. It was the perfect blend of relaxation and adventure.
We’ve been to Hawaii, Bali, Mexico, Aruba, the Greek Isles, St. Lucia, and other paradise destinations. Tahiti blows them all away. The people are the friendliest locals of any place I’ve ever been, the scenery is just breathtaking, and the overwater bungalow is, well, an overwater bungalow.
We’re not disappointed that we didn’t go to Bora Bora, because I think Moorea is just as beautiful, if not more. The island of Tahiti isn’t that great, but we really wanted to do that hike so everything worked perfectly. I wouldn’t mind going to Bora Bora or Huahine at some point, but don’t feel like we missed out on anything at all. If you’re considering going to Tahiti, absolutely go. Can’t recommend it enough.
Traveled in August 2010
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