About the Island
The interior is made up of 8 volcanic craggy peaks which rise up from the lagoon surrounding Moorea. The highest peak is Mount Tohi’e’a at 1230 metres/4000 feet which dominates the skyline. Inland, one can see waterfalls tumbling down the sides of the vertical mountains. There is only one road encircling the island which is 64 kilometres/40 miles around. There are no major towns, simply small villages with pastel-painted houses surrounded by gardens of hibiscus and birds of paradise which are spread throughout the island. The air here is heavily scented with tropical flowers which cover the valleys.
There are two almost identical bays, both in the north of the island and around 3 kilometres/2 miles in length, which are not only exotically beautiful but also where a number of good hotels are located Opunohu Bay in the west is the lesser populated and the more isolated. The village of Papeto’a provides some shopping and a few restaurants. Cooks Bay in the east is spectacularly beautiful and the village of Pao Pao is the largest on the island albeit a sleepy one.