I spent 10 days on the island of Moorea after Tahiti and it was an invited change of pace to move from a bigger, busier island, to one that felt more off of the radar. It’s only 20 kilometers north west of Tahiti, and about one-fifth the size but the differences between the two Polynesian islands are striking. Fewer tourists take the 30 minute ferry ride to visit Moorea; fewer visitors equates to fewer locals comparative to Tahiti which is probably because there are fewer jobs. Fewer people means fewer cars, less traffic — in the end it means that this place feels more secluded. When you are in the south pacific on an island, that feeling of seclusion augments the romanticism and mystique of the natural environment and native history. Everything feels more special. Moorea can be circumnavigated in a car in a little over an hour — which is about 1/3 of the time it takes for Tahiti. The mountainous geology, scenic ocean views and variety of beautiful things to see are comparatively more concentrated; I found the destinations more accessible on here. You can hike over the center, mountainous mainland whereas Tahiti’s is largely inaccessible.  The best […]
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