February 6, 2026

One of the things that Chongae and I like about cruising is that we go to sleep at night and wake up in the morning at a new destination. Sometimes we forget that we are on a ship! If we would have flown here from Orlando, it would have taken almost 19 hours. The cheapest flight would have taken 59 hours with three stopovers! Last night we went to sleep and this morning we arrived in Moorea, French Polynesia.

This fantasy island may cover only 51 square miles, but there’s so much packed into this heart-shaped, magical isle worth discovering. Sugar white beaches, dramatic volcanic peaks, crystalline lagoons, and exciting water sports all vie for your attention. Did we mention it’s also the perfect place to just relax and watch the clouds roll by? That’s exactly what Chongae and I intended to do.

We met Sandy who moved to Moorea from a neighboring island with a population of only 500. His childhood memories are surrounded by stopping by almond trees after school and picking up almonds to bring home to his mother. And chasing and killing “robber crabs” that have a span of 3 feet and have been known to kill cats and dogs! Sandy moved to Moorea to marry his wife and would be our tour guide for part of the day.

Sandy took us by his church that seemed to just drop down from the sky and place itself in this most idyllic surrounding. We went by a family pineapple plantation and saw Queen Victoria pineapple smaller and more compact than a normal pineapple with a deep golden flesh, extremely sweet and fragrant with less of an acidic bite. And every turn was met with more beautiful scenery.

Polynesian legend says that the spectacular sights of Moorea were only to be viewed by the eyes of the gods. But take the trek up to Mt. Rotui and, you too, can take in the same breathtaking views reserved for immortals. Mt. Rotui was actually the mountain peak used for Bali Ha’i in the musical South Pacific. The musical was actually filmed in Hawaii, but they used film of this peak for the mythical island.

Sandy shared that there was a time when each family on the island would build their own Marae a type of worship space to offer thanksgiving. Sandy took us by a deserted Marae and I was surprised to see a beautiful rooster still on the sight.

When we returned to the pier there were a couple of men playing traditional Moorea ukuleles. I was as captivated as the young boy who was also watching them play their ukuleles.

If you do ever have the opportunity to visit Moorea The Sofitel is one of three large resorts on the island, offering cabanas over the water. Absolutely Stunning!

Thanks for traveling with us.