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How to Spend 3 Relaxing Days in Moorea - Complete Itinerary
How to spend 3 days in Moorea, French Polynesia! Check out our full itinerary listing about how we spent our days on our Moorea Honeymoon Trip! What to do in Moorea, where to go in Moorea, and how to get to Moorea!
What to do for 3 Days in Moorea, French Polynesia - Complete Itinerary
On our Honeymoon, we stopped in French Polynesia on our way back to the States. We were ready for some relaxation after going nonstop for over a week in Australia & New Zealand. We spent 3 nights in Moorea in an overwater bungalow and it was fabulous! Here’s everything you need to know about Moorea!
How to get to Moorea
Getting to Moorea requires a few transfers. We booked our Moorea portion through Tahiti Legends, who booked everything including our transfers from airports and hotels (we booked our own flights). We stayed at the Sofitel Moorea, in an overwater bungalow, which is something everyone must do in their lifetime! We flew via Air Tahiti Nui in business class (from New Zealand) using our miles, which was a comfortable flight with big seats and great amenities. Air Tahiti flies from Paris to LA to Tahiti to New Zealand and back. We didn’t go to Paris on this trip!
We had to stay in Tahiti overnight because our flight got in so late from New Zealand, there wasn't an option to get to Moorea after 8pm. We used our points to stay at the InterContinental. This was the view from an “average” room:
InterContinental Tahiti Room with Garden Views
Day 1
Morning in Tahiti
We had a car pick us up bright and early from the InterContinental in Tahiti to take us to the ferry. Driving around in the daylight unmasked the island and certain areas were definitely not paradise.
Aboard the Ferry from Tahiti to Moorea
We boarded the ferry around 8 am and the ride was about 20 minutes to Moorea. On the other side, a car picked us up (previously arranged) and took us about 10 minutes down the road to our hotel, the Sofitel Moorea.
We were too early for check-in when we arrived in Moorea, so we wandered around the resort to get our bearings. We walked over to the spa to check it out and made reservations for a couples massage for the late afternoon.
Entrance to our Overwater Bungalow Room
After about an hour, our room was available and we were so excited to check out our overwater bungalow. The room was spectacular and unlike any hotel we had ever stayed in!
Sofitel Moorea Overwater Bungalow Bed
The room felt like a suite. Walking in, you first notice the giant windows leading out to the water, then the high ceilings making the room feel enormous and spacious. The bed was perfectly placed in the middle of the room facing the water with a fantastic view. It had mosquito netting to which Josh said, "It's like a fort!"
Once you step in front of the bed, there is a part of the floor that has a glass square, where you could see the fish swimming under the bungalow.
Floor to see fish under our room!
Afternoon - Swim and Snorkel
Although we REALLY wanted to, you can't really jump off the deck of the bungalow, since it's pretty shallow and there is a lot of coral below. BUT you can go for a swim and there is a ton of marine life to see if you snorkel.
Just a small fish in a big pond
After a leisurely snorkel, we decided to switch it up and go over to the main pool to do more swimming (more like wading) and grab a bite to eat at the bar-restaurant.
Fish in Moorea in front of our Overwater Bungalow
In the late afternoon, we had our couples massage appointment. The spa room was huge, complete with a shower and bathtub. We only signed up for a massage but realized we could have spent an entire day at the spa. The massage was soothing and relaxing. After being in the sun all day, there was a slight burn to which aloe vera was offered. I was soothed and comforted, I could have laid face down on that table for the rest of the evening.
Day 2
WAKING UP IN MOOREA!
Sunrise in Moorea - View from Sofitel Moorea
Here's how to properly wake up in Moorea:
Not a bad way to start the day! Am I right?! From the Sofitel Moorea, we could see sunrises but the us would set on the other side of the island.
Morning - Drive around the Island of Moorea
We rented a little 2 seater buggy through Moorea Fun Roadster, which was like a small go-kart that went faster than you would expect, zooming around the island in about 4 hours. The road was bumpy at parts, but overall it was a blast! Since the island is so small it was nice to take the time to experience it on our own, checking out all there is to do!
See our post all about our buggy ride here: How to Rent a Buggy in Moorea
Afternoon in Moorea
After returning from our island tour, we were ready for some relaxation. We jumped in the water from our patio, and cooled off.
Patio stairs to the water
We spent the rest of the day on the patio of our deck playing cards with some fun drinks!
Pro tip: Buy alcohol at duty-free store at the airport and mixers if available. On our buggy ride, we stopped and bought concentrate (which we thought was juice) at the grocery store on Moorea. The concentrate was an ok way to go since you can get TONS of drinks out of it, but they get old after awhile.
Once we got too hot, we'd jump in the water, swim around, and come right back to our card game. I don't think I changed out of my swimsuit that day.
Sofitel Moorea - Overwater Bungalows
Once we needed a break from the cards, we decided to feed the fish under our bungalow which was great entertainment for at LEAST 20 minutes.
Evening in Moorea
We grabbed dinner at the bar restaurant and took it back to our room so we could do some star gazing. Since it is so quiet and so dark, there were thousands of stars to see. I don't think I've seen that many before in my life!
Stargazing in Moorea
On average, we seemed to go to bed when the sun went down (around 9-10 pm) and woke up as soon as it came back up (around 6:30-7 am). We weren't on any time zone in particular as we had been bouncing around so many places the previous week (we were in Australia and New Zealand).
Day 3
Morning in Moorea
We got up early to catch the sunrise! Since we didn’t get many sunsets here, it was nice to catch the sun coming up!
Sunrise in Moorea - Sofitel Moorea
We might have gone back to bed and then got up just in time to catch the end of breakfast at the main restaurant. The food was delicious, they offered a large spread of almost anything you could think of - eggs, omelets, french toast, pancakes, juices, coffee... and the view wasn't half bad. The only problem was the birds would try to snatch your food if you looked the other way!
Breakfast at the Sofitel Moorea
Afternoon
We packed up and checked out. Although we weren't hanging our heads quite yet, it was time to head to our next destination, Bora Bora!
Don’t forget to pack some of our favorite things:
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How to Spend a Day on La Digue in the Seychelles - Full Itinerary, Packing Essentials, and Map
We had to go to La Digue to see the rock formations, it’s the reason most come people come to the Seychelles. Here was our itinerary on how we spent the day on La Digue including what to pack, which beaches we recommend to stop at, and where to eat!
If you’re in the Seychelles, you MUST visit La Digue
Our trip to the Seychelles was spectacular! There are 115 islands to explore, Mahe is the biggest and main island, with the most resorts and a popular destination. We decided to go exploring and after asking the locals, EVERYONE said you have to go to La Digue and see the rock formations, it’s the reason most come people come to the Seychelles. Here was our itinerary on how we spent the day on La Digue!
Here is a map made with the Wanderlog Travel Planner, so you can follow along, add to your Google maps account, or create your own personal map! Wanderlog allows you to create great maps and guides for any vacation!
Purchase Tickets in Advance
We bought tickets a few days before through the hotel, just ask your concierge to help you arrange your trip. We booked through Mason’s Travel; They picked us up and dropped us off at the hotel making it super easy and convenient.
La Digue Island
What to Pack for a Day on La Digue
You don’t need much, here’s what was in our backpack/bag:
Towels
We wore our swimsuits and coverups
Sunscreen - the sun is VERY intense! Make sure you reapply a few times.
Credit card or cash for food. There is an ATM by the souvenir shops!
Snacks and water
Getting to La Digue
6:15a Mason travel picked us up to take us to the Cat Cocos ferry that went to Praslin. Our hotel had a continental breakfast available in the lobby, we stopped there while we waited for the shuttle.
7:30a Set sail to Praslin! We were apprehensive about the ferry as we read tons of reviews how horrible it is that the water is choppy and everyone gets seasick. It wasn’t too bad, but I’m not going to lie, it wasn’t a smooth cruise.
8:30a Arrive in Praslin to change boats to get to La Digue which only was another 15 mins to get there.
Exploring La Digue
Anse Source d’Argent Rocks
9:30a As part of our package, we chose to rent bikes. We picked them up promptly on arrival and rode straight to Anse Source d’Argent beach which is most popular during the day. I had researched some beaches prior to arriving and took screenshots of them since I knew I wouldn’t have WiFi on the island (we didn’t pay for the international plan but had it set up in case of emergency).
https://en.seyvillas.com/html/la-digue-beaches was the best site with descriptions and how busy the beaches are.
We recommend the following stops:
Anse Source d'Argent - most popular and picturesque
Anse Patates
Grande Anse
Petite Anse
La Digue - Anse Source d'Argent Beach
Anse Source d’Argent
We tried to beat the crowd and rode our bikes south straight to Anse Source d’Argent. As we were riding along, there were breathtaking views everywhere and watch out for the giant tortoises on the road, they look like big rocks! There’s even a tortoise habitat where they have tons of them protected in an area. That is close to Anse Source d’Argent, you’ll see them on the way past the Coconut Keeper.
The weather was cloudy at first but cleared up right away! The rocks were amazing, we had a fun time wandering around and exploring through them.
Anse Source d’Argent
We decided to head North and took the trail up and around until it ended at Anse Fourmis. Some of the hills were pretty steep, I walked my bike up at times! Biking is a great way to see the island because you can get around so quickly. There were also these cute buggies you could jump on.
Why did the tortoise cross the road?
You can pretty much stop anywhere and there is a beach. It’s ok to leave your bikes unlocked, just don’t leave your belongings in the basket. Also, there are swings and hammocks everywhere.
Anse Patates
Anse Patates
Anse Patates was a nice beach, not too crowded off the main road. This is where we saw the tortoises crossing the road.
Lunch
We had read how expensive all the restaurants were and decided to stop at the supermarket and have a picnic on a beach.
Josh stopped in the STC Supermarket, picking up ham, cheese, crackers, 2 juice boxes, and 3 bottles of water for 130 rupees or about $10! We biked over to Grand Anse to have a picnic and enjoy the view. We had the beach all to ourselves! We walked past the Petite Anse Beach Bar, serving drinks. There was also a restroom here.
Grande Anse
Grand Anse for lunch
Down the beach, we climbed through a hidden path between two rocks to climb up and over to get to Petite Anse beach!
Path to Petite Anse
We rode back to Anse Source d’Argent for a swim, then laid on the beach until the tide was too high.
It was time to return our bikes anyway, so we dropped them off and went to the souvenir shops next door. The shops generally had all the same merchandise and we didn’t find anything we liked in particular. Some shops took credit cards, but others were cash only and in rupees. There were ATMs nearby.
Ice Cream at Fish Trap
Since it was going to be a little bit of a trek back, we stopped at the Fish Trap near the dock for a beer and a snack which included french fries and ice cream. Might not be healthy, but it was tasty!
Leaving La Digue
4:45p We boarded the Cat Rose boat and were on our way back to Praslin.
6:00p Changed boats to the Cat Coco from Praslin back to Mahé. Our driver met us and drove us back to our hotel, the Hilton Northolme.
Anse Source d'Argent
Watch our “Perfect Seychelles Vacation” video for travel inspiration and more on La Digue!
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Hotel Review: InterContinental Bora Bora Resort Thalasso Spa - Best hotel in Bora Bora!
You must stay in an overwater bungalow at the InterContinental Bora Bora Resort Thalasso Spa in French Polynesia! It's the best hotel in Bora Bora, check out why in our review! | Where to stay in Bora Bora | Honeymoon
Why you MUST stay at the InterContinental Bora Bora Resort Thalasso Spa
Address: Motu Piti Aau Bora Bora French Polynesia, 98730, French Polynesia
Website: https://www.ihg.com/
Some posts on this site contain affiliate links, meaning if you book or buy something through one of these links, I may earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you!).
Walking to our overwater bungalow
French Polynesia was the last stop on our Honeymoon and after Moorea we thought it couldn’t get any better, Bora Bora took it up a notch! Bora Bora is beautiful and one of the most relaxing places I have ever been to! The InterContinental was the PERFECT place to stay! We loved the spacious overwater bungalows, the food, and the activities the hotel offered!
Click here to see rates and room availability: InterContinental.com
Mountain views - overwater bungalows
Booking and Arrival into Bora Bora
After looking at many travel magazines, Instagram, Pinterest and other publications showing some of the most beautiful places in the world, every time I would see Bora Bora, I added to my bucket list that I had to stay in an overwater bungalow someday. My wonderful husband helped make that happen.
We started planning more than a year ahead of time. We both opened an IHG credit card to accumulate points and free nights to help fund our dream vacation. We booked our free rooms well in advance (almost a year), knowing we were going in January, which is also their rainy season in Bora Bora. We used our 2 free reward nights and paid for another 2 nights with points and a small fee at the InterContinental Bora Bora Resort Thlasso Spa, all we had to do was wait until January, but it's ok, we were busy planning our destination wedding in Maui.
Finally, January arrived and we were Bora Bora bound! Upon arrival at the airport in Bora Bora, which was one of the smallest airports I’ve ever seen. They did have a gift shop and snacks. There were many hotel check-in desks, and we had to find the InterContinental check-in desk so we could board our boat to the hotel. Everything was by boat there! None of the hotels really connect.
The InterContinental reception staff greeted us with refreshing drinks and a cool towel as it was very hot and humid outside. The lobby was covered but still open air like a giant patio. Our host let us know what our accommodations were and gave us a brief overview of the amenities of the hotel. We were whisked away on a golf cart to our room, our overwater bungalow! Dreams were coming true!
THE OVERWATER BUNGALOW ROOM
After you walk along the aqua water, the path leads you to your overwater villa. Inside, the room was huge! There was a living room with a glass coffee table the peered into the depths below, allowing you to see the fish swimming underneath your room!
The bedroom had a king size bed facing a giant floor to ceiling window facing the water with no one in sight. Just the pretty aqua water and some palm trees. There was a large walk-in closet, with shelves made of beautiful wood. I wish I had this closet at home!
The bathroom was long a narrow with a stand alone shower and a huge bath tub. They had large oversized towels that were the softest hotel towels I had ever used in my life. They were so great, we immediately got towels just like them when we returned home! The robes were really nice too!
Off of the living room was a large patio with a table and chairs as well as 2 cushioned lounge chairs, and a ladder that went straight into the water of the lagoon.
BALCONIES OFF THE OVERWATER BUNGALOWS
Note: rainy season (January) wasn't that bad, in the 4 days during our stay, there were storms everyday that came through but would clear up. These storms involved HEAVY rainfall. We were in our bathing suits most of the time so it didn't matter. The last day it poured all morning and didn't look like it was going to clear. I like to think the island was crying because we were leaving. The sunsets were pretty spectacular!
Sunset in Bora Bora
THE POOL
Since it was their "off season" they only had one restaurant open for lunch and dinner, but you could also get food at the pool.
POOL VIEWS
Speaking of, let's talk about the pool. A gorgeous infinity pool overlooked the lagoon and island, with plenty of lounge chairs and some shade to go around. The sun is very intense there and even after reapplying sunscreen a few times, we burned. Shade was our friend.
INFINITY POOL VIEWS
Seemed like everyone else at the pool was also on their honeymoon after we talked to a few others!
ICE CREAM AT THE POOL
There was a wait staff for towels, drinks and food. We of course ordered ice cream while at the pool!
THE RESORT
Around the resort were a lot of free things to do, such as feeding tropical fish, feeding stingrays, playing pool at the pool tables, renting kayaks and stand up paddle boards by the pool. If you get bored, there are other things to do.
You can also pay for activities and a resort host would be more than helpful to get you booked and prepped for activities such as: renting jet-skis, scuba diving, sunset cruises, breakfast brought to your balcony by kayak.
Check out some of our favorite things we did during our time in Bora Bora: Top Things to do in BORA BORA
BREAKFAST BROUGHT TO YOUR ROOM BY KAYAK!
BATHROOM SIGNS
FEEDING STINGRAYS
Everyday the Stingrays were fed around noon or so, I’d ask the hotel what time the feeding will take place. The stingrays come up to you like little puppies and want to be pet and fed! It’s AMAZING!
The spa even offers massages with glass floors that let you look into the water below at the fish! How relaxing is that?!
Don’t forget to pack these essentials (my fave):
Love this hotel as much as we do? Check InterContinental.com for rates and availability or try Booking.com - we find the best rates there!
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Please note this is not a sponsored post and based on my own personal experience, all thoughts are my own.
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Top 10 Best Things To Do in Moorea - French Polynesia
Top 10 things to do in Moorea, French Polynesia. What to do in Moorea | Where to go in Moorea | where to stay in Moorea | Hotel Honeymoon in Moorea #Moorea #frenchpolynesia
During our 3 week Honeymoon, another stop was Moorea in French Polynesia. This was our first break after going nonstop for almost 2 weeks and boy were we ready for relaxation.
We booked our Moorea portion through Tahiti Legends, who booked everything including our transfers from airports and hotels. We stayed at the Sofitel Moorea, in an overwater bungalow, which is something everyone must do in their lifetime!
Here's our list of the best things to do in Moorea:
1. Nothing
We made some drinks in our room from the alcohol that we bought at the duty free shop in the airport, then sat on the patio of our overwater bungalow and played cards. When we got too hot, we jumped into the water for a few minutes, then hopped back up on the patio and continued to play cards. Talk about fun and relaxing!
2. Snorkel
There was plenty to see right off of our bungalow balcony (or right through the floor), including tons of coral, fish, seas slugs, etc. We bought rash guard T-shirts with UPF 50+ protection and definitely needed them. The sun is very intense and we burned quite easily even with 50 sunblock. Plunge right in!
3. Wake up and Swim
First of all, sunrises in Moorea are gorgeous, try and wake up early for one! Here is a video on how to wake up in Moorea for a perfect start to your day:
4. Take a Buggy Ride around the Island
We rented a buggy through Moorea Fun Roadsters. We had booked a buggy the night before, and without a problem they delivered it to our hotel the very next morning! A map was provided, including the best places to stop (which we did almost all of them), and we were on our way. We went back and forth between renting for 4 or 8 hours, but we decided to do the 4 hour which was the perfect amount to go around the entire island and make stops.
Before you return you have to fill it up but it doesn't use much gas and it cost about $8 to fill it back up! The road was bumpy at parts but overall it was a blast! It was like riding in a fast go kart around the island!
See our full review here: Buggy Around Moorea
5. Feed the Fish Under your Bungalow
In our Bungalow, there is a spot with glass flooring which you could watch the fish swim around under your feet! We had some bread and decided to have some fun:
6. Massages
We booked a couples massage and it was perfect. After traveling for 2 weeks, we were ready for relaxation and getting those knots out of our backs from lugging around bags. We had a private room for the two of us and after the massage, there was a shower in the massage room to rinse off all oils before putting our clothes back on.
7. Lounge by the Pool
Even though we could jump in the ocean off of our balcony, the pool had warm calm waters without worrying about coral or fish below you (and they had some fancy tropical drinks).
8. Go on a Hike
There are a few trails around or you can walk around the top of Belvedere. We rented the buggy to get to the top for great views! Watch out for the wild chickens!
9. Star Gaze at Night
Living in Los Angeles, you definitely don't see enough stars, but in Moorea, there are millions of stars to see right off your hotel balcony! Don't forget the bug spray!
10. Polynesian Dance
Experience the culture of the Tahitian Polynesian dance! This occurred nightly at the Sofitel Moorea's main restaurant.
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More Posts from French Polynesia:
9 Reasons to Visit Bora Bora on your Honeymoon or in your Lifetime! We spent a few days in Bora Bora in French Polynesia on our Honeymoon and see what our favorite things were to do! Definitely bucket list worthy!