Best Beaches In Moorea You Can’t Miss

The stunning island of Moorea in French Polynesia is known for its incredible scenery, rich green landscapes, and volcanic peaks.

Anyone who’s heading here will be keen to see the white sand and azure waters too.

We had the pleasure of exploring them: here’s our summary of the best beaches in Moorea.

Table of Contents

1. Temae Beach

Temae Beach is a stunning beach known for its crystal-clear waters and soft white sand.

Being the most popular beach on Moorea, we wanted to see it for ourselves. It is accessible by car with a large parking area available.

Temae Beach in French Polynesia — Temae Beach

We arrived at midday and thankfully, found it to be not too busy. Straight away we realized we’d forgotten our snorkeling equipment, but my husband noticed this was available to hire so all was not lost!

We were excited to try snorkeling here, as we had heard all about the colorful coral reefs and tropical fish.

Here’s some of what we managed to see:

Colorful coral: Hard and soft colorful coral can be found in beautiful coral reefs here, including brain coral, staghorn coral, and mushroom coral.

Sea turtles: These beautiful creatures can grow up to 5 feet long and are often spotted around Temae Beach – I couldn’t believe I saw one!

Stingrays: Stingrays are often spotted around the reef with many lucky snorkelers getting close enough to touch them! We saw them from a distance ourselves.

Octopuses: Octopuses are incredibly good at camouflaging in the reefs, but with a bit of patience, you may be lucky enough to spot one of these graceful creatures.

Parrotfish: These incredibly colorful fish are often spotted nibbling on algae on the coral.

Snorkeling here was one of the most amazing experiences of my life.

I would highly recommend it; we saw so many fish and my husband even spotted an octopus hiding in the reef!

For those with children, the beach is ideal. We saw many youngsters splashing around in the gentle, shallow waters looking at and collecting seashells.

My older kids rented paddleboards. This kept them entertained for a couple of hours whilst I relaxed on the beach – pure luxury!

We saw a few people in the car park heading out on hikes too. We felt it was a bit hot for us, but we might try this when our kids are a bit older.

2. Ta’ahiamanu Beach

Ta’ahiamanu Beach is located on the west coast of Moorea, close to Pihaena village.

The scenery here is spectacular! You are surrounded by lush green hills, which make you feel like you are in a film.

Ta'ahiamanu Beach in Moorea — Ta’ahiamanu Beach

The turquoise waters here are what most people come here to see. It’s perfect for snorkeling, swimming, and watersports.

There are several boat tours available here that take you out to explore the coral reefs and see the colorful marine life. Unfortunately, we did not have time to do this on the day of our visit.

We were impressed with the number of activities available here:

Snorkeling: This is an absolute must! Snorkeling is the best way to explore the incredible coral reefs. This time, we’d remembered our own equipment!

Scuba Diving: This is a bit too adventurous for me, but scuba diving trips are available to book here.

Surfing: The waves here are perfect for beginners and more advanced surfers alike.

Kayaking: Renting a kayak is the best way to explore the coastline and lagoons.

Stand-up paddleboarding: I had a go of this and was so glad I did! The scenery was stunning, plus it was a little bit of exercise after sitting on the sand for so long.

As well as plenty to keep a family busy, there were good facilities here, including restrooms, outdoor showers, good parking, and plenty of shade.

3. Tiahura Beach

If you’re looking for somewhere to relax and enjoy the natural beauty of the island, this is your spot! Surrounded by lush green palm trees, Tiahura Beach really does feel like heaven on earth.

Slightly quieter than some of the island’s other beaches, there is a lovely tranquil atmosphere here.

We appreciated the tranquility here as we were tired from traveling. There are no facilities directly on the beach, but shops, restaurants, and restrooms are a short walk away.

We saw several companies offering guided snorkeling and kayaking tours, which is great if you are lacking in confidence to try these activities out alone. These guys seemed to really know their stuff and promise to take you straight to the best spots.

We all enjoyed swimming here and my daughter happily played in the sand whilst I sunbathed.

My boys even told me they spotted a parrotfish! The kids were fascinated with the range of colorful fish here.

One group of locals told us there was a popular hike to a waterfall that started from the beach, but we didn’t venture there this time.

4. Coco Beach

The natural beauty of this beach makes it incredibly popular with tourists and locals alike.

You will find all the usual activities here like paddleboarding, kayaking, and snorkeling, but many people come here just to relax and soak up the beauty of the surroundings.

Coco beach in French Polynesia — Coco beach

We spotted several small cafes and restaurants and popped into one for a drink to cool off at the end of our visit. It was nice to have the option to do this as the sun can get extremely hot.

We were told that the hiking trails take you up into the surrounding mountains offering stunning views of the coastline, though we remained on the beach this day.

The beach volleyball was a big hit with my boys here. My husband headed out snorkeling and spotted a small shark!

You can rent beach chairs and umbrellas, which is useful. My daughter loved the gift shop and enjoyed picking out some shell bracelets for her friends back home.

Final Thoughts on Best Beaches in Moorea

Moorea is a stunning island and each beach we visited was an absolute paradise!

However, it was Temae Beach that ticked every box for us – my two older kids loved the range of watersports, the facilities were perfect for our family, and we all had a blast.