Moorea Cruise Port
Moorea, French Polynesia · Pacific
Cruise ships anchor offshore in Moorea — tenders ferry passengers to the port.
Tender call into Opunohu or Cook's Bay; the lagoon, the Belvédère lookout and a 60 km ring road are the headline acts.
At a glance
Port summary
Moorea is a 17 km hop from Tahiti and one of the South Pacific's most photographed islands — the silhouette of Mount Tohi'e'a rising behind two deep bays is unmistakable from the deck. Most cruise ships anchor inside either Opunohu Bay (the larger, calmer western bay, where a dedicated tender wharf sits next to the Hilton Moorea) or Cook's Bay (the eastern bay, with tenders running into the Pao Pao village wharf). A few smaller ships dock alongside at the Vaiare ferry wharf, 5 km south on the east coast. None of these landings drops you into a real town: the tender wharf is the start of a transport day, not a walk-off. The typical pattern is a pre-booked lagoon tour (snorkel at Tiahura's Coral Garden, the famous shark-and-stingray feed, motu picnics) or a 4×4 / rental-car circuit of the 60 km flat ring road past the Belvédère viewpoint, the Marae Titiroa archaeological site, Magic Mountain, Tiki Village in Hauru and Temae Beach. Currency is the CFP franc (XPF); USD is widely accepted at a poor rate, ATMs in Maharepa and Pao Pao are reliable on cruise days, cards work at most resorts and supermarkets, and small market stalls remain cash-only. There is no Uber or Bolt anywhere in French Polynesia.
Cruise docks
🚢 Opunohu Bay — Cruise Berth for Tender
OSM-confirmed dedicated tender berth on the south shore of Opunohu Bay next to the Hilton Moorea, used by most cruise ships calling Moorea. Ships anchor 500-1000 m offshore in the deep bay; tenders make the 10-15 min run into a flat concrete wharf with a Tahiti Tourisme welcome desk and a small craft market on call days. The ring road is 200 m up the access track.
📍 Latitude: -17.491713, Longitude: -149.871325
See dock on port map →🚢 Cook's Bay — Pao Pao Wharf
OSM-confirmed Débarcadère de Pao Pao at the head of Cook's Bay (eastern bay), used as the alternate cruise tender landing on calmer days or when Opunohu Bay is occupied. Ships anchor in the bay's deep centre; tenders run into the village wharf in the heart of Pao Pao with the church, distillery and public market all within a 5-min walk.
📍 Latitude: -17.48905, Longitude: -149.818392
See dock on port map →🚢 Vaiare Ferry Wharf — Alongside Berth
OSM-confirmed Aremiti ferry wharf on the east coast (5 km south of Maharepa) with a single alongside cruise berth used only by smaller expedition ships. Most cruise lines avoid Vaiare because Cook's Bay and Opunohu Bay are scenic; Vaiare is industrial and mostly serves the Tahiti-Moorea passenger ferry.
📍 Latitude: -17.520165, Longitude: -149.778003
See dock on port map →Getting to Moorea
From the cruise terminal to the city centre
Pre-booked lagoon tours (Coral Garden, sharks-and-stingrays, Tiahura motu picnics) and 4×4 island safaris are the headline cruise-day mode; book through Tahiti Tourisme or major operators weeks ahead.
📍 Lagoon-tour, 4×4-safari and dolphin-watch operators meet the tenders at both wharves
Manual cars dominate; the 60 km flat ring road circles the island in 90 minutes and is the strongest DIY option for Moorea — book ahead online for cruise-day availability.
📍 Avis, Europcar and Albert Rent-a-Car desks at both tender wharves
Taxis are not metered and prices are high — agree the CFP franc fare before boarding; useful for short hops to Maharepa or the Belvédère but not for circling the island.
📍 Taxi rank at each tender wharf
The Aremiti shuttle runs Vaiare-Maharepa-Opunohu around ferry timetables only and is rarely useful for cruise passengers; cash only, no fixed cruise-day schedule.
📍 Aremiti shuttle bus stop at Vaiare wharf
Both tender wharves drop passengers at quiet roadside locations with no walkable town centre — Moorea is not a walk-off port.
Scooter rental (XPF 7000-9000/day) and bicycle rental (XPF 1500-2500/day) are popular DIY options for the flat ring road; helmets included; Polynesian sun is intense, bring sunscreen.
📍 Scooter and bicycle rental desks at the tender wharves
Map & things to do
Money & payments
Bring CFP francs from Tahiti or your previous Polynesian port; USD is accepted at a poor rate; cards work at most cruise-day businesses but small stalls are cash-only.
Things to do
Marae Titiroa Archaeological Site
Short stop⭐ Highlight
Restored 16th-century Polynesian temple complex in mape forest below the Belvédère.
🕐 Cool of the morning — the forest is shaded but humid
Cook's Bay & Pao Pao Walk
Short stop🚶 Walk
60-min stroll around Cook's Bay past pearl shops, the village market and the parish church.
🕐 Right off the tender — morning light is best for the bay views
Temae Beach
🏖️ Beach
Long crescent of public white-sand beach next to the Sofitel Ia Ora with Tahiti views.
🕐 Late morning when the lagoon turns electric blue
Sharks & Stingrays Lagoon Tour
🎯 Activity
Stand chest-deep on a sandbar while stingrays glide past and blacktip reef sharks circle.
🕐 Pre-book the first 09:00 departure on cruise days
Tiahura Coral Garden Snorkel
🎯 Activity
Drift snorkel over a shallow coral garden inside Moorea's calm Tiahura reef pass.
🕐 Mid-morning when sunlight lights up the coral
Tiki Village Cultural Centre
🎯 Activity
Reconstructed Polynesian village on the lagoon with craft demos, fire-walking and lunch.
🕐 Lunch shows around 12:00 on cruise days
Saint-Joseph Church, Paopao
Short stop⛪ Church / Cathedral
Bright Catholic parish church on Cook's Bay with a Tahitian Nativity fresco behind the altar.
🕐 Tuesday and Sunday mornings around services for the choir
Belvédère Lookout (Opunohu)
Short stop📸 Viewpoint
Panoramic platform 240 m up the valley with both Cook's and Opunohu Bays in one frame.
🕐 Mid-morning before the cloud builds on Tohi'e'a
Magic Mountain 4×4 Viewpoint
📸 Viewpoint
Steep ridge between Opunohu and Hauru reached only by 4×4 tour, with a top-deck panorama.
🕐 Mid-day for the brightest lagoon colour
Afareaitu Waterfall (Vaioro)
🌿 Nature
30-min jungle walk to a 30-metre cascade behind Afareaitu with a swim hole at the base.
🕐 After morning rain when the falls run hardest
Three Coconuts Pass Hike
sport
3-hour ridge climb from the Belvédère car park to a saddle looking down to Afareaitu.
🕐 Start by 09:00 to be back before afternoon rain
Manutea Tahiti Distillery & Juice Factory
Short stopother
Free tour and tasting of pineapple wine, vanilla rum and Rotui juices made from Moorea fruit.
🕐 08:00-15:00 weekdays — closed Sunday
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Plan my day →Frequently asked questions
- Where does my cruise ship dock in Moorea?
- Moorea is a tender port: your ship anchors offshore and passengers transfer to shore by small boat.
- Can I walk from the cruise port into Moorea?
- Walking into Moorea from the cruise port isn't practical. Plan to use a shuttle, taxi, or public transport.
- How do I get from the cruise port to Moorea centre?
- Typical options include Shuttle bus, Car rental, Taxi, Local bus, On foot, Other transport. Durations and costs are listed in the transport section above.
- How much time do I need in Moorea?
- Plan for at least 5 hours ashore to see Moorea independently and return to the ship with a safe buffer.
- What currency is used in Moorea and are cards accepted?
- Moorea uses the CFP Franc. Carry some cash for markets, taxis, and smaller vendors — cards aren't accepted everywhere.
- Is there Wi-Fi at the cruise port?
- Wi-Fi isn't reliably available at the Moorea cruise terminal. Consider a local SIM or your cruise line's data package.
- When should I be back at the ship?
- Cruise lines usually require all passengers on board about 30 minutes before scheduled departure. Confirm the exact all-aboard time on your daily programme.
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