Moorea
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Moorea, “The Magical Island,” was the inspiration
for James Michener’s mythical island of Bali Hai, and the locale
for many motion pictures, including Mutiny on the Bounty and Love Affair.
It is just 11 miles across the Sea of the Moon from Tahiti, but a world
away. To fully appreciate the drama of this heart shaped island, it
is best viewed from atop Belvedere lookout, which affords breathtaking
views of Moorea’s twin bays, Cook’s and Opunohu. For those
limited on time, it’s easy to take a 25-minute catamaran ride
from Tahiti for a day trip. For many visitors, a couple of days exploring
Moorea’s treasures and meeting some of its 8,000 residents pass
too quickly.
Moorea has bountiful harvests of pineapples, which can
be seen growing on its slopes. It’s possible to tour a distillery
and sample exotic liqueurs from pineapple, mango, coconut, vanilla and
other Tahitian staples.
