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Hotel Les Tipaniers & Opunohu Bay, Moorea

Posted on May 07, 2009 by: Traveler

Closest City: Papeete, Tahiti
State:
Country: French Polynesia

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Les Tipaniers Hotel; Island of Moorea

Recognition: In the years since our “travails to the South Pacific”, I have been pretty keen at recognizing some of the Polynesian Isles we visited by their ariel photographs (they are always featured on the cover of magazines). For example, I recognize Bora Bora with its distinct mountain peaks, gorgeous lagoon and surrounding motu (one of which has the airport constructed upon it). If you have flown to Bora Bora then you may also have that sight in mind. For me though, ariel pictures looking down upon Moorea’s Cook’s and Opunohu Bays has instant recognition. The bays seem to be symmetrical in size and shape and how the rest of Moorea symmetrically unfolds almost seems intentional. This belies the islands volcanic creation. The floor of these two bays mark the bottom of the ancient volcano and the ancient crater rim can be traced up the Opunohu Valley to the top of Three Coconut Tree Pass.ot;>

Island Facts: Moorea Island is 132 square kilometers of mountainous terrain jutting abruptly out of the surrounding turquoise lagoon. The reef system containing the lagoon has 12 passes (three large enough to allow deep hull marine vessel passage). Vaiare Pass (Moorea’s east side) is mainly used for the arriving ferries from Papeete, Tahiti. Teavaroa and Tareu Passes (north portion of the reef) open into Cook and Opunohu Bays, respectively. Along with the 60-kilometer road circling the entire coast of Moorea, there is an inland road beginning at the mouth of Cook and Opunohu Bays. They connect just inland and then a single road leads higher up the mountainous interior to a belvedere, or lookout. Numerous maraes (ancient and sacred Polynesian religious sites) can be visited along this interior road. An excellent book giving their location is our often-mentioned guide, Lonely Planet’s “Tahiti & French Polynesia”. Mount Toheia is the highest peak rising to 1207 meters (3,960 feet) but Mount Rotui is by far the most dramatic peak on Moorea. It only rises to 899 meters (2,950 feet) but its sheer flanks tumble down into Cook’s Bay on one side and Opunohu Bay on the other. Past exports included Copra and Vanilla bean extract but today Moorea has established itself as the pineapple-growing center of Polynesia. Tourism ranks second in overall revenue dollars (CFP) but is steadily gaining. Today, overnight stays can range from budget camping to over-water bliss and Lonely Planet notes that in 1960, a traveler’s choice of hotel accommodations consisted of a mere 13 hotel beds.

Moorea is a scuba diver’s delight. Sharks abound along with all the other reef life you would expect to see in the South Pacific waters. Danielle and I chose to finish off our honeymoon on Moorea for this reason and we (of course) chose the professional operators of TopDive Resort (they have a small dive center situated along the edge of Cook Bay). We experienced three beautiful reef dives, two of which were Lemmon Shark feeding dives.

Getting There: Moorea is ridiculously easy to travel to from the international hub of Papeete, Tahiti. A seven-minute Air Tahiti inter-island plane hop or a thirty-minute ferry aboard the Armiti Express is all it takes. The ease of getting to Moorea makes it the second most traveled island of French Polynesia’s five distinct island groups. The beautiful thing is you wouldn’t realize Moorea to be so popular because of how quiet it becomes after leaving the hustle of the airport or wharf area. Lush valleys, perfectly carved bays, idyllic motus and a relaxed atmosphere await those interested in exploring Moorea.

Our Final Stop; Leaving Raiatea; From Raiatea and Tahaa, two islands surrounded by the same lagoon, Danielle and I flew back to Papeete, Tahiti for the final leg of our adventure. We would spend our last three nights at Hotel Les Tipaniers located at the northwest corner of Moorea.

Unknown to us was that our Air Tahiti (inter-island) flight would briefly land on Huahine. During the planning of our 23-day, seven-island hop, I tried to orchestrate a stay on this island but was met with frustration at not being able to piece together connecting flights corresponding to the other islands we hoped to visit. In frustration, I had to scrap Huahine entirely from the itinerary… and here we were for a 20 minute layover to pick up more travelers en-route to the mother island. Could Danielle and I say we had visited eight islands now? I didn’t think so either!

So, from the international Fa’aa Airport (Papeete), Danielle and I had to catch a shuttle to the wharf where the Armiti Express was, book a seat on the ferry (which we heard departed every hour), find a shuttle on Moorea… and do all this maneuvering with more luggage than I will ever pack on another trip! Outside of the terminal was “cabbie row” and I was surprised when the first cabbie says he would drive us for 1500 CFP. I was surprised because we had paid 2500 CFP for a cab ride from the Sofitel Maeva Beach Club to the Roulottes (each way, so over $50 round-trip) during our stay here. Unfortunately, I looked at Mr. 1500’s cabbie and knew it would not be able to handle our luggage. I asked a female cabbie (driving a minivan) behind Mr. 1500 and was quoted 2000 CFP. I couldn’t believe it because I was expecting / willing to pay 5000 CFP due to my urgency of securing transport to the ferry. As I walked over to retrieve our four suitcases, two carry-ons, camera case and two backpacks, Mr. 1500 and Ms. 2000 began a cabbie war. It wasn’t until I came back awkwardly towing many bags that Mr. 1500 realized why I chose someone else. Without saying anything further, he got back into his cab to wait for another paying customer.

Armiti Express: The Lonely Planet guide’s description of the Armiti Express sounded the most reliable so I shot off to get two tickets while Ms. 2000 and Danielle loaded our luggage onto a cart bound for the ferry. We were lucky enough to snag tickets on the next departing vessel (total price was $22). The Armiti Express was a huge ferry that could accommodate hundreds of passengers between three floors (the top being the outside deck with limited seating) and a well deck / cargo area which had ample room for passengers wishing to commute with their personal vehicles. We found a seat and I went over to get some food and drink from one of the two concession counters. After eating I explored the boat taking video footage (see our YouTube videos) but wish I had snapped some photos. Local artwork decorated the walls and on the lower seating deck was a six-foot Tiki carving. My comparison to the Armiti Express (for Californians anyway) would be described as a Catalina Flyer on steroids… it is huge!

Sweltering Buses and Lovely Bays: Almost thirty minutes later we arrived at the wharf area of Moorea. We disembarked along with all the passengers who were now driving their personal vehicles down to terra firma. There were numerous decrepit school-style buses lined up so we asked around and finally located the bus heading to Hotel Les Tipaniers. The fare was 300 CFP each. I think we loaded on too soon because the temperature inside was easily 100 degrees of stale, sweat filled air. Unfortunately the seats were first come, so Danielle and I had no choice but to wait in the back. Once the bus began moving the temperature immediately became humidly tolerable. The island of Moorea was very mountainous and green, green, GREEN! Driving along the northern coast, we came to the first of the two magnificent bays. Cook’s Bay is named after the famous seafarer Captain James Cook. Interesting enough, Captain Cook did not anchor his vessel inside the protected lagoon of Moorea until his third visit to the island and even then, he moored inside of Opunohu Bay. The bus driver rounded the eastern side of Cook’s bay and began to drive south. I badly wanted to have him pull over so I could take pictures but figured I would have to return on my own. He was driving so damn fast I couldn’t even take a picture looking out to the Moorea lagoon and South Pacific beyond. Next came Opunohu Bay and the frustration of being pictureless was repeated. The driver made numerous stops to let passengers off and soon enough, Danielle and I were the only two remaining. “Where the hell is Les Tipaniers,” I thought? Finally, at the northwest corner of Moorea (near Hauru Point) the driver slowed and announced our arrival.

Arrival Les Tipaniers: Our first impression upon finally pulling up to Les Tipaniers was WOW! This place was right on the beach and had gorgeous lagoon views. Check-in was a breeze and we were soon being shown to our garden bungalow. Spacious on the inside with an oversized bathroom (albeit a plain one), our bungalow was the perfect room to end this adventure in! The overhead fans blew so hard we initially believed the bungalow had A/C. From the patio we looked through the other garden bungalows and saw the lagoon and it’s many shades of blue. We dropped our bags and immediately walked over to the water’s edge. The grounds of Les Tipaniers are dotted with towering Coconut palms and massive Plumeria trees. Hedgerows of blooming Hibiscus and Bougainvillea separated the bungalows for added privacy. The small beach was white sand and a small pier jutted out to the right. Courtesy pirogues and kayaks lie in the water. To the left was a restaurant / beach bar with a nice outside deck looking down on the tranquil lagoon (and topless Europeans). Another restaurant (Italian) was on-site (near the coast road and the check-in area). Reservations are required to eat at the Italian restaurant but it was worth making the trip over to the check in area to reserve a time. Danielle and I ate our last three dinners here.

Roo Nui Tattoo: The second most important objective “Things To Do” from our Polynesian adventure (after experiencing the world renowned scuba) was to get a tattoo. Lonely Planet identified a couple tattoo parlors of interest and one just so happened to be nearby. After picking the best two (of four) complimentary Les Tipanier’s bikes, we were told the nearby shop was across the street from the Intercontinental Beachcomer Parkroyal (say that ten times :) We found the hotel in no time (you couldn’t miss it) but there was nothing but vegetation across the street. Up a small rise to the right was a small house surrounded by dense vegetation. We rode to the front and saw a surfboard-sign which said TATTOO across the top. Below this in small lettering was “le Roonui”. Who is this Roo Nui character? Here we go… but the door was closed. Damn, closed! I heard a lawnmower screaming in the backyard and peeked over the fence. I saw a Polynesian male covered from head to ankle in traditional Polynesian ink. I gave a slight wave and he gave a huge smile before tuning off the mower. The shop is now open! Danielle and I just wanted to reserve an appointment for our “departure morning” and just wanted to “meet and greet” our would-be artist. Roo Nui had the most genuine smile on his face and beamed even brighter upon learning our intentions. We walked inside his shop and soon were greeted by Linda, Roo Nui’s lovely Canadian??? wife. She was a walking advertisement for the artistry of her man! Roo Nui and Linda travel the world attending Tattoo Conventions and come back with trophies and prizes (a first place trophy from a New York City tattoo expo stood highest on the wall shelf). After we got over our fascination of this animated character (Roo Nui) we got down to business and explained what we hoped to get tattooed. I wanted something to commemorate the awesome diving we had experienced and finally settled on a piece depicting a sea turtle with other Polynesian symbols like a tiki face and was given the thumbs up. Roo Nui told me he would change it up to create a unique tattoo for me. Danielle remained undecided but walked away with a couple choices. She also wanted something symbolic of the Polynesian culture and our time on the islands. We left that first afternoon excided to return our final morning.

Diving, Lazing Away and Exploring The Bay: The next two mornings were spent scuba diving along the ocean-side of Moorea’s northern reef. We had a little excitement on our last dive. After the shark feeding ended and the rest of the dive commenced it appeared (to us) that a shark was extremely interested in eating us. I’m just saying… it appeared very interested in Danielle and I! Just prior to surfacing I saw a Lionfish tucked inside a coral outcrop. With one picture left to take on this last dive in French Polynesia I snapped away and hoped for the best; it turned out blurry. (Click here for more info on our Moorea diving)

From our scuba diving, we always returned to Les Tipaniers hungry and sat down at the beach restaurant / bar and started the “relaxing” portion of the day. The water was very calm in the lagoon and we constantly walked among the small coral outcrops. There were anemones in this waist high water. At one point, I heard Danielle call my name because a fish had just tagged her foot. We initially believed the little bugger had simply mistaken her foot for some little morsel of food. Upon closer inspection though, the fish, later identified as a Picasso Triggerfish, was being fiercely protective and aggressively chased away anything entering its domain. The Triggerfish left a small welt on Danielle’s foot and we found it amusing that the first thing to draw blood was a fish smaller than six inches. Later, we walked out on the small pier and saw a group of four Picasso’s aggressively attacking all other fish. I saw a Triggerfish acting aggressive while diving in Bora Bora and later asked about it. I learned Triggerfish stay together after mating and the one we saw was protecting “the nest eggs” while its mate hunted. That is why it did not stray too far. Mental note, stay away from Triggers! Also from the Les Tipanier pier, we saw a Pufferfish (un-puffed) and our largest stingray to date.

If It’s There, Take It: We definitely made use of the complimentary bikes. One afternoon, Danielle and I rode over to Hauru Point (northwest corner of the island) to check out Tiki Village. We read the Polynesian dance performances at Tiki Village are top-notch with a troupe of 60 performers. Shows are on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday and cost around 3000 CFP (add another 3500 CFP for dinner -$75 total- and you can see why these islands are some of the most expensive to visit). We only saw three buildings and no outside activity. This was mid-afternoon so we decided to move on with our bike ride. NOTE: Traditional performances are also at various (high-end) hotels like the Moorea Beach Club or the Beachcomber Parkroyal. In theory, these shows cost money to view. In practice though, you can enter the bar area, order a drink and then view the show for free. Just down the coast road was another (free entry) shopping center. We didn’t buy anything on this day but Danielle made a mental note to return.

Opunohu Bay Ride: The next day I hopped on a bike and pedaled to Opunohu Bay while Danielle pedaled back to the shopping center. I made good time in reaching the west side of the bay. Anchored in the middle of Opunohu Bay was a Windjammer cruise ship and its passengers were preparing to play from the back deck. I was slightly jealous. I occasionally receive advertisements for the Windjammer which is basically a luxury cruise liner sailing through “Tahiti and her Isles”. Compared to a Carnival cruise liner, the Windjammer is a pint sized cruise ship (300-400 passengers) but is unmistakable with its many masts and big white sails . On the east shore of Opunohu Bay were two moored yachts. I rode over and took a couple pictures of them before heading inland up the Opunohu Valley. I wish I could have continued far up the valley but I had been gone long enough and wanted to let Danielle know everything was ok. If I ever return to Moorea, I will definitely drive up to the belvedere looking back down on the two bays.

Our final nights meal was a riot. Danielle and I sat with an Italian chef (who critiqued all the food and gave this restaurant a thumbs up) and a couple from England who were pig farmers (no jokes about the Swine Flu please J). The conversation of three different cultures was unique but the fact that we were all visitors to this wonderful paradise remained constant.

Final Morning / Tattoo Time: After 22 nights and seven islands, our French Polynesian adventure was wrapping up L. We headed over to Roo Nui’s shop once again. I saw what he had drawn up for me and had the stencil placed on my left shoulder. He intricately and expertly gave me what I still consider to be a work of art. The first image of my Roo Nui tattoo that anyone sees is the sea turtle. Look closer and you can see a tiki face. Look even closer and you can see the tiki face is made of a dolphin and a shark. Amazing work is all I can say and I hope to have Roo Nui someday add to it. Danielle and Roo Nui briefly discussed her possible choices. In the end, he told her that he was going to “wing it!” Roo Nui drew the outside edge of a half moon shape arcing across her left hipbone area. Then, he tattooed a series of symbols to fill in the half moon. The symbols represent the ocean and the sun, a Polynesian Gecko, the symbol for a Polynesian man and the Southern Cross. She picked a tender spot and vowed to never get another tat… oh, how the memory of pain fades with time though!

Bye Bye French Poly: Our transport back to the wharf of Moorea was by van. Unfortunately, our pick-up time from Hotel Les Tipaniers was at 3(ish)… and our international Air Tahiti Nui flight back to Los Angeles, CA was not until Midnight(ish). Fortunately, the driver of the shuttle had one more stop to make at one of the super posh resorts… the Intercontinental I believe… and abour hopped a young British couple. The four of us instantly had something in common… a five(+) hour wait before our flights left the south Pacific. We had some of the most engaging conversation with this couple (I can’t believe I can not remember their names) and enjoyed the other couples company until they left first and us a short time later (six cold Corona beers helped a little bit too).

After having experienced so much in such a short period of time, Danielle and I viewed our departure as bittersweet. The memories we created shall last our lifetime and I hope to someday relive an epic adventure such as that. All the wonderful people we met and those who contributed to the memories with your kindness, we thank you and hope to one day see you again!

P.S. If you are reading this final thought because you have viewed all of our journey, thank you as well because that means you have at least found some semblance (or is it relevance) of substance in our words and have hopefully gained some insight into planning your own adventure in French Polynesia. Thank You!

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