Moorea: Honeymoon in French Polynesia (part 1)

Moorea: Honeymoon in French Polynesia

Ia Orana! That means hello in Tahitian. Once you arrive in Tahiti, you'll get used to hearing that phrase everywhere you go. The people of French Polynesia are some of the nicest and warmest people I have ever met. Ahhhh... Tahiti, it had been on my bucket list for so long, and I finally vacationed in Moorea and Bora Bora with the one person I was meant to go with, my husband, my best-friend, my soulmate.

Plan

Tahiti is the ultimate dream destination for honeymooners and couples celebrating anniversary milestones, hence you will hardly see little kids at the resorts. My husband and I spent a total of nine nights in French Polynesia, four nights in Moorea and five nights in Bora Bora. Aside from water activities, there isn't a tremendous amount to do on these islands, but give yourself about four nights per island since you'll spend half a day island hopping. As much as I would love to go back to Tahiti someday, it is one of those places you'll visit once in a lifetime due to the expense and inter-island connections involved. Nonetheless, if you have the opportunity to visit the beautiful islands of French Polynesia, travel now rather than later.

Our trip started in Moorea, a small island, about a half hour ferry ride from the capital, Papeete. A spectacular island surrounded by so much beauty... lush mountains, secluded beaches, and tropical gardens. My husband and I stayed at the Intercontinental Moorea Resort & Spa which provided us with much needed R&R after a three day wedding event and months of stress leading up to the wedding. Hope you guys enjoy this post dedicated to Moorea... where to stay, what to do, and where to eat!

Honeymoon in Moorea - 4 Night Itinerary

Where to stay?

Intercontinental Moorea Resort & Spa

Greeted with welcome drinks upon arrival. So refreshing.

Our Garden Room Villa with Private Pool. The private pool was such a treat and the best amenity.

Bedroom, bathroom, living room area.

Beautiful hotel grounds.

Hotel: Intercontinental Moorea Resort & Spa
Star: ****
Style: Polynesian-Style/Elegant
Pros: Beautiful Resort Grounds | Excellent Location | Complimentary WiFi | Comfortable Beds | Excellent & Friendly Customer Service | Housekeeping | Complimentary Waters Daily | Complimentary Tea/Coffee | Restaurants at Hotel | Infinity Pools | Beach Access | Resort | Theme Nights, including Polynesian Night | Free Kayaks, Paddleboards, Snorkeling
CONS: Comfortable stay, not luxury though | Little Lizards going in and out of the room (I know there is nature all around me, but that freaked me out)
VERDICT: 4.25 / 5
I was happy with my stay at the Intercontinental Moorea, however the rooms could have been slightly more luxurious. The private pool was a real treat, the resort grounds were absolutely beautiful and the service was exceptional. Overall, great stay.
LOCATION: P.O. Box 1019 Tiahura, Moorea, French Polynesia

What to do?

We flew nonstop on Air Tahiti Nui from Los Angeles International Airport to Papeete's Fa'a'ā International Airport (LAX - PPT).

I'm one of those weird people who looks forward to airplane food, sadly though Air Tahiti Nui's food was pretty awful.

We opted not to stay in Tahiti and headed straight to Moorea by ferry. Once we arrived at the Papeete Ferry Terminal by an airport taxi, we purchased our tickets from the ferry terminal, or you can buy them online via Aremiti. There is more than enough room on the ferry so you're better off buying them in Papeete.

At the Moorea Ferry Terminal, we headed to our hotel via a local taxi.

At the Intercontinental Moorea Resort & Spa... lovely hotel.

Complimentary champagne waiting for us in our Private Garden Villa room.

I loved starting each morning with coffee and hanging out by our private pool.

The beach was so calm and secluded... loved it.

Sadly, I fell sick on the second day and resorted to teas and soups, and some brownies as shown. 🙂 I ended up having bronchitis and had to see a doctor for which I only spent $35 without insurance. By the next day, I was feeling 90% better. I'm so grateful to Dr. Dominique Barraille for curing me because I can't imagine being sick on my honeymoon and in Tahiti of all places.

Posing before heading out to dinner.

One day, we rented a car and headed to Belvedere Lookout where we enjoyed a spectacular scenic view of the Cook and Opunohu Bays.

We then headed to the Moorea Tropical Garden.

There we each enjoyed complimentary fresh pineapple juice with an incredible view.

Coming down from the garden was so steep, that view tho.

Stopped by Tahuamanu Public Park, never seen such beautiful palm trees.

Gorgeous Temae Beach by the park.

On our last night, we enjoyed a private sunset dinner for two at the Intercontinental Moorea. I felt as though I was on The Bachelorette, ya know, flowers, candlelight, champagne, and the guy (who is behind the camera). 🙂

Where to eat?

1. Beach Gourmet Romantic Dinner for 2 @ Intercontinental Moorea
Candlelit romantic dinner for 2 on the beach. Dine by the moonlight with your toes in the sand. Dinner provided by The Shell Restaurant.

Appetizers
Piquillos Peppers Cannelloni: Feta cheese mousse with vegetables and yogurt coriander sauce. Insanely delicious appetizer and so creamy. A favorite.
Carpaccio: Some kind of carpaccio dish, overall, okay.
Olives: came with a side of something, can't recall. This was good.

Entrees
Snackee Sea Scallops: Served with crusty polenta, celery duo in sticks and glazed. Excellent dish. A favorite.
Sauteed Tuna Fillet: Served with a side of sugar snap, green beans, and crusty rice. Very well made.

Desserts
Coffee: Good.
Rose Ice-Cream: served in a champagne glass was so delicious. A favorite.
Chocolate & Raspberry Coque: A classic combination served with caramelized pecans and vanilla ice-cream. A favorite.
Revisited Tart: Combination of fresh fruits, crumble, yogurt ice-cream, and a crunchy tuile biscuit. Although this dessert was also good, I preferred the Chocolate Raspberry Coque more.

Restaurant Review: The Shell Restaurant - Romantic Beach Dinner for 2
Cost: $$$$
Cuisine: French, Seafood, Polynesian.
Favorites: n/a
Verdict: 5 / 5
We enjoyed our last meal in Moorea at the Intercontinental. It was my favorite and most romantic meal of the trip. The food was delicious, the service was impeccable, be prepared to get serenaded by Tahitian musicians. My only complaint is there were many flies/mosquitoes during twilight and we needed to have our host spray a repellent around us to rectify the situation. Other than that, this was a lovely meal and the perfect ending to our time in Moorea.
Food: Excellent | Drinks: Very Good | Decor: Fine Dining/Romantic Beach Front | Service: Outstanding | Value: Pricy
Location: P.O. Box 1019 Tiahura, Moorea, French Polynesia

2. Tiahura
Outdoor local restaurant in a casual setting with free shuttle service to/from the Intercontinental Moorea and the restaurant. Cash only!

Complimentary Bread & Butter: basic, so good.
Mai Tai Cocktail: fruity, fresh flavors.
Mahi Mahi with Vanilla Sauce & Aioli: fresh tender fish, loved the aioli sauce, the vanilla sauce was warm and sweet.
Parrot Fish: fried fish needed more seasoning. The coconut milk complemented the rice well.

Restaurant Review: Tiahura
Cost: $$-$$$
Cuisine: Seafood, Polynesian.
Favorites: n/a
Verdict: 4 / 5
Overall, a good local spot. There was no wow factor for me, but the food was very good and you won't leave disappointed. The portions here are a bit small, but I guess I'm just used to larger portions.
Food: Good | Drinks: Very Good  Decor: Casual | Service: Very Friendly | Value: Good for Tahiti
Location: Moorea Happiti PK 25 côté montagne, 98730 Haapiti, French Polynesia

3. Snack Mahana
Overlooking the lagoon, Snack Mahana is only open for lunch. Delicious food, superior views. A must-do!

Complimentary Bread & Butter: basic, so good.
Shrimp in Garlic Sauce with Rice: This dish was sublime! Onion and garlic sauteed in olive oil and cooked in a tomato wine sauce. Just incredible. A favorite!
Grilled Mahi Mahi in Pepper Sauce with rice: A good healthy option if you just eat the mahi mahi. The pepper sauce was flavorful, but not spicy. Overall, good dish.

Restaurant Review: Snack Mahana
Cost: $$-$$$
Cuisine: Seafood, Polynesian.
Favorites: Shrimp in Garlic Sauce with Rice
Verdict: 4.5 / 5
A must-do in Moorea. Go for the views if nothing else and get some fries. The garlic shrimp was unreal, so full of flavor. Good portions.
Food: Excellent | Drinks: n/a | Decor: Casual/Beach Front | Service: Very Friendly | Value: Good for Tahiti
Location: Moorea Pk 23,200 c/mer, French Polynesia

4. Coco D'isle
Fun casual atmosphere, fresh flowers on the table, sand floors, huge portions.

Complimentary Bread & Butter: This is standard in Tahiti.
Le Moorea Cocktail: Fruity drink prepared with pineapple and other flavors. Sweet and sour combo. Good drink.
Crab Fritters: Outstanding, flavorful appetizer. Moist and gooey on the inside, prepared with garlic, onion and soy sauce.A favorite.

Shrimp in Garlic Sauce with Rice: Flavorsome, loads of garlic flavor. Loved this dish. A favorite.
Mahi Mahi in a Banana Sauce with Rice: This dish had a sweet and sour flavor, it was a bit too sweet for me. The fish was cooked perfectly, but I wasn't blown away by the sauce.
Pineapple Flambe: I enjoyed the ice-cream, but the alcohol content in this dessert was high and too overbearing.

Restaurant Review: Coco D'isle
Cost: $$-$$$
Cuisine: Seafood, Polynesian.
Favorites: Crab Fritters | Shrimp in Garlic Sauce with Rice
Verdict: 4 / 5
Coco D'isle packs up around 7:30 pm, a good local option if you're looking for a fun place in a casual setting.
Food: Excellent | Drinks: n/a | Decor: Casual/Beachy | Service: Very Friendly | Value: Good for Tahiti
Location: Pk 27.500 Cote Mer, HAAPITI, Haapiti 98728, French Polynesia

5. Moorea Beach Cafe
Splendid views. Stopped by for a quick snacky lunch, but I wish I came here for a real lunch. The best mahi mahi fish burger I've ever had. A must-do! Restaurant offers free shuttle service to/from Intercontinental Moorea.

Mahi Mahi Fish Burger with Fries: Super tender, grilled mahi mahi sandwiched between sweet coconut bread. This combination was heavenly, especially with that tartar sauce. Delicious fries! A favorite!

Restaurant Review: Moorea Beach Cafe
Cost: $$$
Cuisine: Seafood/French
Favorites: Mahi Mahi Fish Sandwich | Fries
Verdict: 4.5 / 5
My review is based on the one dish I tried which was outstanding. The view was splendid, the service, not so much.
Food: Excellent | Drinks: n/a | Decor: Casual/Beach Front | Service: Unfriendly/Average | Value: Pricy
Location: PK 6 Cote Mer Maharepa, Maharepa 98728, French Polynesia

Stay tuned for Bora Bora next. 🙂

Have you been to French Polynesia/Moorea? If not, would you consider going?