Mo’orea, French Polynesia

In October 2021, I got to check something off my bucket list that was HIGH up on the list: swim with humpback whales!!! I’ve come to learn over the years after being fortunate enough to see many animals and mammals in the wild, that whales are my favorite. Seeing orcas in Antarctica still ranks as one of the most amazing things I’ve ever witnessed. On that trip I saw so many different types of whales and I know that I needed to be in the water swimming next to them. I didn’t realize how absolutely amazing it would actually be. And what better location to see them than in the beautifully waters of French Polynesia, specifically Mo’orea!

Mo’orea is one of the Windward Islands, which is part of the eastern group of the Society Islands in French Polynesia. And while I thought getting to the South Pacific would be a long journey, seeing as it’s in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, it’s actually much closer than I realized. We flew directly from Los Angeles to Tahiti on Air Tahiti Nui and it was less than 8 hours. Our flight left at about 11:30 pm, so it was essentially a redeye flight. The plane was decorated with bright colors and tropical flowers, Tahitian music was playing throughout the cabin as we boarded and the seats were actually quite comfortable with lots of legroom. I ended up with my own row and slept almost the whole flight!

When we arrived it was super early, the sun was not yet up. We were greeted with a band playing traditional music which was such a fun welcome experience at an airport. As this was October 2021, in addition to the PCR Covid test we needed 72 hours prior to departure, we also had to get a PCR at the airport. Our flight was the only plane that landed at that time, so everyone from our flight got it line and we all patiently waited for our turn. We were told we’d get our results via the app we had to download in a couple days.

When you fly to French Polynesia, the international flights will take you to Tahiti and from there, how you get to the island you’re staying on will depend. If you’re going to Bora Bora, you’ll take a small plane. For us, Mo’orea is only about 11 miles northwest of Tahiti, so we got a taxi to head to the ferry. The ferry is about a 30 minute ride and gives great views of the islands of Tahiti and Mo’orea. Once we got off the ferry, we headed to Avis rental car and got our little car for the week. There were four of us and for the first 3 nights, we were all staying together at an Airbnb. Mo’orea is not really easy to get around without a car, so definitely recommend renting a car!

On the ferry heading to Mo’orea!

My bestie found the Airbnb and she did well. This place was amazing!!!! The views were absolutely stunning. There was a giant deck with a hot tub (although it wasn’t hot water so more of a small pool) and it wrapped around the whole place, so there was so much room for everyone. The décor of the place was great too, giving all the Polynesian vibes. Of the three bedrooms, only two had air conditioning. I was the unlucky one to get the non-AC room, but luckily with the great breeze there was a constant flow of air to keep it cool.

On that first day, we sat on the deck for a while, just taking in all of the beauty of the island. At one point someone saw a blow of air and screamed “WHALE!!!” We all hoped to see a whale breach, but sadly that was the only thing we saw on day one. But needless to say, we all got super excited for our upcoming week of whale tours! We headed out with the car to grab some lunch and then went to a grocery store to stock up on supplies. My bestie loves to cook and she’s great at it, so we weren’t going to argue. We got back to the Airbnb and all took a nap, waking up just in time to see the most beautiful sunset. I mean just look at these colors:

That first night we also became star gazing psychos. Being on an island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean meant very little light pollution. This meant we could see so many stars! We sat out on the deck for a couple hours just staring at the sky. And obviously taking a million pictures since the one thing iPhones do capture at night are good star pics!

On our first full day in Mo’orea, we headed out early for the first of three whale tours we booked. Since we had 5 full days on the island, we knew we needed to book several days of tours because as with anything in nature, there is no guarantee. We flew all the way there with the sole intention of swimming with whales, so we needed to make sure we had the best odds possible. And boy am I glad we booked more than one tour because the first day was not it…

We headed out on the boat to find the whales and while we found some, the water was so cloudy that day that we couldn’t see anything. We stopped at three different locations, but nothing. The water was also pretty rough that day, so it was just not the most enjoyable experience. It was definitely cool to hear the whales, but the rough and cloudy water wasn’t great. While we were disappointed, we knew we had two more tours booked, so I wasn’t giving up hope. I actually felt bad for the other people on our boat though as that was their only tour and were heading home the next day. Given that, the guides wanted to give them (and us) something, so they headed to a lagoon filled with sharks and sting rays. This was actually so cool and I’m so glad we got that experience! My bestie, her husband, and my brother were my travel companions and they are all three scuba divers. As such, they have seen sharks and sting rays many times, but for me this was a first. I was nervous, but after getting in the water with them, it was awesome!

Love getting to share these experiences with my bestie!

The next day was a free day to explore the island while the others went scuba diving. The first stop was Belvedere Watch Point, which reminded me so much of Jurassic Park. The drive up to the lookout was literally like driving through the movie, waiting for a T-rex to jump out! Luckily, the only animals I saw were chickens! My other favorite stop along the drive was the beautifully palm tree lined Ta’ahiamanu Beach. I just loved how every tree was at an angle from the wind.

For the last two nights of the trip, my brother and I used Hilton points to get an overwater bungalow room because neither of us have ever stayed in one before and given tourism was not back to pre-pandemic levels, the points needed were much lower. We couldn’t resist! And luckily there was no confusion about us being siblings instead of married. We had a very awkward encounter at a fancy hotel in Phuket, Thailand years prior when we entered the room with the bellhop and there was only one bed, covered in rose petals in the shape of a heart. Needless to say, we switched rooms very quickly! Hahaha

The overwater bungalows in Mo’orea were amazing. The lagoon we were in was the same crystal clear water we had experienced earlier in the trip. You could see so many fish, sharks, and a ton of coral. It was the perfect snorkeling location just off of our deck. The glass panel in the floor of the room was really cool too, as you could see everything swimming underneath you. We had dinner at the hotel that night at the outdoor restaurant. We probably spent more time watching and photographing the sharks under us than we did eating, but the food was really good! Being so close to the water and sea life is just such a cool experience. I now want to stay at every water bungalow I can!

Our second to last day was whale tour number two and OMG did it deliver!!! We met up with our guides and headed out in a different direction this time. And it wasn’t long before we spotted whales and were instructed to get in the water. I honestly was not prepared for what was to come. To say that I cried when I saw the first whale would be an understatement. I had tears of joy just pouring out of me because holy moly was it amazing to be that close to such a truly amazing creature. I could have spent the rest of the day just chilling in the water with this whale. Not only did he swim up and around us, but he was so vocal, too! I love the sounds that whales make and when you’re right there in front of them while it’s happening, it is just magical.

We spent about 30 minutes or so in the water before he swam off and we were called back to the boat to search for more whales. What came next, I could have never in a million years imagined. We drove for a bit and then we found a mama whale and her calf!!! I couldn’t get into the water fast enough to see them. Honestly there are no words I can type to truly capture how magical and beautiful this moment was. Seeing the little baby swim alongside its mama was just the cutest thing. I would go back to Mo’orea a hundred times to experience this moment over again if I could. I’ll let the pictures and videos speak for themselves:

After the most amazing day with whales, we freshened up and then headed out for our last dinner together before my brother and I headed back to our homes and my friends continued on to Bora Bora. We had some of the best poisson cru I’ve very had. The plate was stacked a mile high with the freshest seafood and the best flavor. I wish I could get this dish every day at home, it was delicious!

Our last and final day in Mo’orea started with another whale tour and while it wasn’t as amazing as the mama and baby the day prior, it was still a success as we saw a male swimming at the surface. We spent a little bit of time with him before heading back to shore. Lunch was spent at a super cute seaside restaurant which must’ve been either sponsored by Veuve Clicquot or they just really love their champagne since everything was branded. There was also a cute gift shop with about every Veuve item you could imagine. Sadly I was carry on only heading home, so didn’t take any with me. After lunch my brother and I made our way back to Tahiti on the ferry before boarding our flights home. It was the most epic trip and I can’t wait to go back!

Bon voyage!