Lagoon, reef, open water
Moorea snorkeling happens in three kinds of water: the shallow, sandy lagoon inside the reef, the coral along it, and the open water outside. This guide shows which of the twelve trips on this site goes where, what gear each one hands out and what each price covers, from $83 per person.
Quick answer
The short answer. Most Moorea snorkeling trips stay inside the lagoon: shallow sand, coral gardens and a stop where stingrays and blacktip reef sharks gather. Two go outside the reef as well, the $113 lagoon and reef boat, the most reviewed trip here (171 reviews at 4.9), and the $141 small group, as their listings say. From August to November, our top pick is the $247 whale swim. The lowest fare is the $83 cooking-class cruise.
Three kinds of water
Shallow sand inside, coral near the edge, open sea beyond it.
The lagoon is the water inside the coral reef that rings Moorea. The listings call much of it shallow: one names «a shallow area renowned for its stingrays and blacktip reef sharks», another «a shallow sandbank». This is where most Moorea snorkeling happens, with sand under you and small islands called motu, where several trips stop.
Closer to the reef come the coral gardens. Five trips name one: the canoe day, the floating lounge, the cooking-class cruise, the private boat and the kayak, which snorkels «in the middle of a coral garden between the motus».
Outside the reef is open sea. The lagoon and reef boat says «Head outside the coral reef», and the small group spends 20 minutes at an «outer reef drop-off», adding that the tour «involves swimming in open water». In season, the whale boat goes where the humpbacks are. Pany from the United States: «I was scared at first to book this tour bc the open ocean sounds scary»; her boat later found a family of humpbacks.
In the water
Four frames from the lagoon.
Coconut palms lean over a strip of sand, a few people stand at the far end, and clear green water ripples in front.
A navy and white bow points across turquoise water broken by dark reef patches, toward a green ridge.
A snorkeler in fins dips toward rounded coral heads while a loose school of small blue and silver fish drifts past.
Small sharks with black-tipped fins glide over rippled sand, their shadows sharp on the bottom of the clear shallows.
Trip by trip
What each listing says it does in the water.
Outside the reef for blacktip reef sharks or lemon sharks, back into the lagoon for sea turtles, and a shallow stop for rays and sharks. A deep-sea trip may be included.
A sandbar with stingrays and sharks off Tiahura, 20 minutes at the outer reef, then spinner dolphins resting off Haapiti if they are there, and turtles.
Humpback whales during the season (August to November), with a chance to swim alongside them. Stingrays, sharks and turtles if time allows.
An eco-friendly sea scooter pulls you over the coral, with turtles, rays and tropical fish. Up to seven people.
Starts in a turtle sanctuary, then a sand bar with grey rays and blacktip reef sharks, and lunch on a private motu.
The $129 canoe, the $113 floating lounge, the $148 south-west lagoon cruise and the $83 cooking-class day are lagoon trips: rays and sharks, coral, a motu or a sandbank.
The $90 transparent kayak watches for turtles passing under the glass, then snorkels a coral garden. The $99 helmet walk puts you on the sea floor at 12 feet for about 30 minutes.
On your own
The listings cover guided trips only.
None of the twelve listings describes Moorea snorkeling from the shore on your own, so we have nothing checked to tell you about it. What a guide adds is a boat to the shallow sand stop, the coral garden and, on two trips, the water outside the reef. The kayak meets on Tiahura Public Beach and paddles out from there.
What to bring
Moorea snorkeling gear differs from boat to boat. Here is what each listing says.
Listed by the $113 floating lounge, with a life jacket if needed. The sea scooter lists snorkeling equipment.
The $90 kayak asks you to bring mask, snorkel and water shoes. Gabriella from the United Kingdom: «because we brought our own snorkels we got to explore a beautiful reef in a lagoon too!»
French rules require one when swimming with whales; the boat provides it, unless you bring a shorty or full-body wetsuit.
The cooking-class cruise provides towels and recommends snorkeling gear. The lagoon and reef boat asks for beach shoes, eco-friendly sunscreen and your own towel, and has no toilet on board.
A wetsuit, water shoes and a helmet fed with air from the boat. No scuba certification needed.
Not a strong swimmer?
Three listings say how much swimming they expect.
Three listings speak to it directly. The glass-bottom boat is «friendly for all swimming level»: those who stay aboard watch through the glass panels. The helmet walk needs no experience beyond being comfortable in the water, and the sea scooter is «perfect for everyone, from beginners to experienced snorkelers». The small group and the private boat ask that you be comfortable in water.
Jaise from the United States, on the canoe day: «While my wife and I couldn't swim, they made sure it didn't dampen the experience.»
Every trip, current fare
All twelve trips, lowest fare first. Prices are per person; the ferry is in none of them.
| Tour | Price | Length | What the price covers | Where it starts | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cooking-class cruise | $83 | 3 - 6 hours | Snorkeling, poisson cru class on a motu, fruit and drinks, towels | Pickup from your hotel or the ferry | 4.8 · 21 |
| Transparent kayak | $90 | 3 hours | Guided kayak, coral garden snorkel, fruit juice or fruit. Bring mask and snorkel | Tiahura Public Beach | 4.9 · 77 |
| Helmet walk | $99 | 2.5 hours | About 30 minutes on the sea floor, wetsuit and water shoes | Pickup from the pier or your hotel | 4.9 · 78 |
| Lagoon and reef | $113 | 4 - 6 hours | Reef and lagoon stops, a drink and snack; islet lunch as an option | Dock in Tiahura | 4.9 · 171 |
| Floating lounge | $113 | 3 hours | Mask, snorkel, fins, life jacket if needed; tropical fruits and drinks | Meeting point, be there 30 minutes early | 4.9 · 56 |
| Canoe day | $129 | 6 hours | Up to 12 per canoe, snorkel stops, barbecue lunch on a motu | Pickup included | 4.8 · 82 |
| Small group | $141 | 4 - 6 hours | Up to 6, outer reef, cocktail and tropical fruits; lunch with the premium option | Restaurant car park in Tiahura | 5.0 · 23 |
| South-west lagoon cruise | $148 | 4 hours | Up to 9, sandbank stop, refreshments | Pickup included | 4.8 · 54 |
| Sea scooter | $159 | 3.5 hours | Up to 7, sea scooter and snorkeling equipment; food not included | Marine centre, pickup as an option | 4.9 · 101 |
| Glass-bottom boat | $160 | 5.5 hours | Snorkel stops and lunch on a private motu | Roadside meeting point by an orange flag | 4.9 · 87 |
| Whale season boat, our top pick | $247 | 3.5 hours | Up to 6, whale swims August to November, life jacket | Tourist office in Paopao | 4.6 · 142 |
| Private boat | $336 | 3 hours | Your own boat, underwater photos at no extra cost, fruit platter | Public boat dock in Papetoai | 5.0 · 1 |
Getting to the boat
Four pickups, one optional, seven meeting points.
Four trips include a pickup: the canoe day, the helmet walk, the south-west lagoon cruise and the $83 cooking-class cruise, which is the only listing that names the ferry: «pickup from your hotel or the ferry». The sea scooter offers pickup as an option. The other seven meet you at a point on the island: three around Tiahura, one in Paopao, one in Papetoai, two at the operator's own gate or roadside flag.
If you come over from Tahiti for the day, the ferry is yours to book; no trip includes it. Reviewers on four trips describe being met at the ferry or taken back to it, but only the cooking-class cruise promises it in its description.
Before you book
A minute on the listing saves a surprise at the dock.
Pick the glass-bottom boat or the helmet walk if you would rather not swim far.
Needed on the kayak; on most other trips the listing does not say.
Seven trips meet at a set point. Check the address and how early to be there.
Whale swims run from August to November only; outside that, look at the lagoon trips.
Whale season
One boat, one season.
One boat offers it: the $247 whale swim, a shared boat with a maximum of six people, rated 4.6 by 142 reviewers. It sets off to find humpback whales during the season (August to November), with stingrays, sharks and turtles in the lagoon if time allows. What it does in the other months, the listing does not say. Isabel from Guernsey went at the very end: «Despite not seeing any whales (end of the season), we saw lots of dolphins».
Our verdict
From August to November, book our top pick, the $247 whale swim. The rest of the year, or for reef and lagoon in one day, take the $113 lagoon and reef boat: 171 reviews at 4.9. On a budget, the $83 cooking-class cruise. If you swim little, the $160 glass-bottom boat.
Book direct
The whale-season boat, the lagoon and reef boat, the glass-bottom boat and the lowest fare, all priced per person.
★ 4.6 · 142 reviews
★ 4.9 · 171 reviews
★ 4.9 · 87 reviews
★ 4.8 · 21 reviews
Common questions
Some. The $160 glass-bottom boat is friendly for all swimming levels: those who stay aboard watch through the glass panels. The $99 helmet walk needs no experience beyond being comfortable in the water.
The floating lounge lists mask, snorkel, fins and a life jacket if needed, and the sea scooter lists snorkeling equipment. On the kayak you bring your own mask, snorkel and water shoes. The other listings do not say.
Three meet around Tiahura, one in Paopao and one in Papetoai; two more name their own meeting point. Four include a pickup, and the sea scooter offers one as an option.
The ferry is not included in any trip. The $83 cooking-class cruise is the only listing that offers pickup from the ferry. Ferry times and fares are not in our data.
The whale swim listing gives it as August to November. Swimming with humpbacks is offered by one boat, the $247 whale swim, and a life jacket is required unless you wear your own wetsuit.
Two: the $160 glass-bottom boat, with lunch on a private motu, and the $129 canoe day, with a barbecue lunch on a motu. On the lagoon and reef boat and the small group, lunch is an option.
Go deeper
The lagoon around the island: shallow water, sand bars and the reef edge.
Rays and sharksThe stop with stingrays and blacktip reef sharks, and which tours include it.
Whale seasonSwimming with humpback whales in the season, August to November, and what the listing says.
Getting thereReaching Moorea from Tahiti, and where the tours start on the island.
Moorea Shared Boat Tour Whale Swimming and Snorkeling
★ 4.6 · 142 reviews · 3.5 hours