#77600 - 11/10/08 05:16 PM
Moorea activity advice
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avitas
Member
Registered: 05/01/08
Posts: 58
Loc: San Diego, CA
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11 more days till my time of departure for my 7 day moorea honeymoon
woo hoo....
I am wondering if I can get some advices on the activities on the island. I've been looking at the forum for months and I am getting some ideas on what to do.
so from what I gathered, someone please let me know if I'm wrong... 1) it's OK to wait till I'm on the island to book the trips 2) it's better to book directly rather than through the hotel.
I still have couple more questions if anyone could help:
1) I've heard a 4x4 tour is a must to see the island. is there any particular place I should book with? We are more of a 'love to see the natural beauty but too lazy to hike my whole way' type of ppl than the spend-all-day-in-shops type. please advice!
2) I was all ready for a motu picnic + shark/ray feeding trip. (do they do it at the lagoonarium?) please advice on a place to book with. also, i'm just wondering how save this activity is, as i'm sure everyone has heard of the tragic accidents caused by sting rays... not to mention the sharks... I think I should be more adventurous on my one and only honeymoon.. but still a little scared.. :P
3) I'm staying the whole time at the Pearl. I am wondering if there's a way to get to the Lagoonarium and just check it out instead of doing a tour. or is there better places for snorkeling around the pearl?
Thank you in advance for any advices!
oh and btw, does anyone know if there's refridgerators in the rooms at the Pearl? or should we bring our little thermal bag just in case? we're staying in Garden view rooms for 4 nights and OWB for 2. planning on saving some money by shopping at grocery stores and trying to eat cheap.
Thanks again!
Edited by avitas (11/10/08 05:20 PM)
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#77601 - 11/10/08 07:31 PM
Re: Moorea activity advice
[Re: avitas]
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holte
Expert Advisor
Registered: 11/19/04
Posts: 2365
Loc: Duluth, Minnesota
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Congratulations!If you have a car, you can go to the Lagoonarium yourself. No need to be afraid of sharks or rays. Bring your little cooler for food. The roulottes have yummy food. Haven't been to Moorea for a few years so can't advise of anything else.
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#77607 - 11/11/08 05:25 AM
Re: Moorea activity advice
[Re: holte]
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Old Wife
Expert Advisor
Registered: 02/21/03
Posts: 2302
Loc: Burlington, Ontario, Canada
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We took Albert's 4x4 tour years ago and really loved it (Albert's is the company, not one person's name, by the way. Don't worry about the sharks & rays. Do wear coral boots (beach shoes) or good water sandals, though, to protect your feet.
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#77609 - 11/11/08 10:28 AM
Re: Moorea activity advice
[Re: Old Wife]
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Patti.
Expert Advisor
Registered: 03/28/04
Posts: 2376
Loc: Las Vegas, NV
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You do not have to book activities ahead of time. You can do it after you get there. Sometimes it is a bit cheaper to book on your own rather than through the hotel...but it is a lot easier to book through the hotel.
The Motu Picnic/Shark/Ray feeding is run by both Hiro's tours and Alberts Tours. Both are pretty much the same exact tour, same locations, etc...only difference is a slight variance in food/drink served, and obvioulsy in the tour host on your boat.
I have done it numerous times and have never seen or heard of a safety issue. It's a bit daunting at first to be in the water with the sharks...but they truly are not interested in you. They are black tip reef sharks and they are not man eaters. Don't put your hands out to try to pet them or anything stupid like that and you'll be fine. The rays are very used to human contact. They are not completely out in the wild like the Steve Irwin situation. Don't grab their tails, as they are barbed....but otherwise they are just looking to be fed.
Yes, you should wear a pair of water shoes/dive booties/water sandals...there is a lot of broken coral on the lagoon bottom and shoreline and it is very hard on bare feet.
The 4x4 is a good way to get introduced to the island. It also would hurt to rent a car for at least one day to go around the island at your own pace and stop to investigate various places.
There is a small fridge, but it is usually loaded with their stuff....and it doesn't keep stuff super cold. It doesn't hurt to bring a collasible cooler to store your food and drinks in. That way you can have an ice cold beer instead of a sort of cool one.
Have a great time.
Edited by Patti. (11/11/08 10:28 AM)
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#77610 - 11/11/08 02:27 PM
Re: Moorea activity advice
[Re: Patti.]
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avitas
Member
Registered: 05/01/08
Posts: 58
Loc: San Diego, CA
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Thank you so much for all your responses. I'll definately do the 4x4 tour and bring my small thermal bag.
I am still a little confused.
I read somewhere that the Lagoonarium on Moorea was closed earlier this year. and now ppl go to the motus for the dolpin/lagoon trip. does that mean the Motu picnic and the lagoonarium excursion would be going to the same place?
also, can I rent a car just with my US driver's license/passport?
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#77612 - 11/11/08 03:37 PM
Re: Moorea activity advice
[Re: avitas]
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Patti.
Expert Advisor
Registered: 03/28/04
Posts: 2376
Loc: Las Vegas, NV
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The lagoonarium that was closed was on the east side of the island. They just opened up a new one on (I think) the NW side on a small motu.
The Motu picnic/Shark/Ray feeding tours go to a different Motu on the NW side of the island.
Yes, all you need is a US Drivers License.
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#77616 - 11/12/08 07:43 AM
Re: Moorea activity advice
[Re: Patti.]
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BarbiJKM
Supreme Advisor
Registered: 02/14/07
Posts: 6042
Loc: Mesa, AZ
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Yes, the old Lagoonarium on Motu Ahi was closed last year. The new lagoonarium is on Motu Moea (also called Motu Tiahura) on the northwest side of the island. For more info, check out their website at www.dolphinlagoonarium.com. You can also book your dates directly with them by email at courset.loisirs@mail.pf. This is a very popular excursion, and a lot of fun!
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#77619 - 11/12/08 10:41 AM
Re: Moorea activity advice
[Re: avitas]
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mcarlo1577
Junior Member
Registered: 11/12/08
Posts: 2
Loc: NJ
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We stayed at moorea pearl 2 weeks ago. We had room 420. A very good OWB we walked into water on one side of the deck and you could dive off the other side. Alot of fish near this one also. as for the 4x4 tour, We walked across the street from hotel and rented a car from alberts for 4 hours (60 cpf, 1USD=85cpf then). We drove around and went to most of the places the 4x4 tour from alberts that we went the next day, Mt. Belvidere look out Juice Factory etc.( That was 80 cpf, We booked that directly where we rented the car) Also you must eat some pineapples, they are the best pineapples in the world. you can eat the core too and they are only like a dollar fifty. I hope this helps.
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#77641 - 11/14/08 03:08 PM
Re: Moorea activity advice
[Re: mcarlo1577]
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avitas
Member
Registered: 05/01/08
Posts: 58
Loc: San Diego, CA
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Thanks everyone~ these are really helpful!
mcarlo, we only booked a regular OWB instead of a premium one. by any chance would you know if you can also see fish around it? how is the weather when you were there?
wow... car rental sounds pretty cheap for 4 hours. we might do that for a day... ^.^
just wondering, are there grocery stores around walking distance from the pearl?
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#77642 - 11/14/08 03:09 PM
Re: Moorea activity advice
[Re: mcarlo1577]
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avitas
Member
Registered: 05/01/08
Posts: 58
Loc: San Diego, CA
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does anyone know if there's coffee machine in the rooms at the Pearl?
thinking about bringing some cup-a-noodles so will need a way to get hot water... :P
~~big time budget traveler~~
Edited by avitas (11/14/08 03:17 PM)
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