If you are planning a trip to French Polynesia you need to know about the Moorea ferry. This ferry from Tahiti to Moorea is quick, easy, inexpensive and brings you to the island paradise we call Moorea!
If you’re looking to get off the main island of Tahiti, which we highly recommend you do, Moorea is full of adventure and very easy to get to! From hiking its mountains, exploring its beaches and snorkeling its reef, there is so much to see and do on land and sea!
Of all the French Polynesian islands, Moorea is the easiest one to get to thanks to the Tahiti Moorea ferry. In this guide we will go over everything you need to know about the Tahiti to Moorea ferry including how long the ferry takes, ferry options, how to book tickets, ticket costs, ferry schedule and ferry terminal locations.
Check out this blog if you are looking to compare Tahiti vs. Moorea and decide which island is the best fit for you!
Best Way To Get To Moorea From Tahiti
To get to Moorea you must first fly into Papeete, Tahiti (PPT), which is the largest and capital city of French Polynesia. From the United States there are direct flights to PPT from San Francisco, Los Angeles, Seattle (seasonal), and Honolulu. Auckland, New Zealand and Toyko, Japan also offer direct flights.
Once you arrive into Tahiti airport there are two options to get to Moorea. The first option is to fly. The second option is to take a ferry.
BY FAR the best option to get to Moorea from Tahiti is the Moorea ferry. Moorea is located 10 miles off the coast of Tahiti, therefore this option is quicker than flying when you account for time to check in and get through security.
Furthermore, the Moorea ferry is also the cheaper option! A flight from Tahiti to Moorea will cost you a few hundred dollars. Luckily, there is a cheaper option that will save you a ton of money on this trip.
How Long Is The Moorea Ferry?
The ferry from Tahiti to Moorea will only take about 30-45 minutes. It basically is a hop skip and a jump away! You will be enjoying the island of Moorea before you can even catch up on some sleep from the long flight over to Tahiti.
Moorea Ferry Options
There are two companies that ferry between Tahiti and Moorea. The first is Terevau and the second is Aremiti.
There is little difference between the two companies. Both companies depart and arrive at the same ferry terminal. Both are a similar boat as far as style and comfort.
We found Terevau to be a bit cheaper per passenger, and quite a bit cheaper to bring your vehicle which is something to keep in mind if you plan to travel with a car.
On the other hand Aremiti provides more trips per day, which might fit into your travel schedule better since it gives you more flexibility in your schedule.
Tahiti to Moorea Ferry Cost
Terevau
The cost of a one way ticket on the Moorea ferry is about $11 for adults, $9 for seniors 60 years and older and $6 for children. Tickets for passengers are usable within 6 months from the date of purchase and can be used at any time, without reservation, for any trip between Tahiti and Moorea.
You can also purchase your ticket as a round trip. While this doesn’t save you any money, it does save you a bit of time and convenience if you purchase both tickets at once.
A ticket to bring your vehicle on the ferry will cost an additional $40 or more depending on the size of your vehicle. Your vehicle ticket is only valid for the ferry time you choose. You can also purchase tickets to bring a bicycle or scooter if you plan to travel with one.
Aremiti
The cost of a one way ticket on the Moorea ferry is about $16 for adults, $11 for seniors 60 years and older and $10 for children. Babies 2 years and under are free. Tickets are usable within 1 year from the date of purchase and can be used at any time, without reservation, for any trip between Tahiti and Moorea.
Again, you can also purchase your ticket as a round trip if that is more convenient for you.
The big difference between the two companies is the price to bring your vehicle on the ship. A ticket to bring your vehicle on the Aremiti ferry starts at $80 for an XS vehicle and goes up the larger your vehicle is. Just like Terevau, your vehicle ticket is only vlid for the ferry time you choose which is something you will want to plan ahead for.
Moorea Ferry Schedule
The ferry from Tahiti to Moorea runs multiple times a day from the 5am hour to 6pm hour. You can find the schedule for the Terevau ferry company here and the Aremiti ferry company here.
The Tahiti to Moorea ferry basically runs back and forth between the islands throughout the day so you should have no problem finding a ferry that fits your schedule nicely.
The only time it gets more restricted is if you are traveling with a vehicle. Not all ships allow vehicles on and there are limited spots. If you plan to ride the Moorea ferry with a vehicle I would strongly suggest buying your vehicle ticket ahead of time before you risk them selling out for the time you want to travel.
How To Buy Moorea Ferry Tickets
Tickets can be purchased ahead of time online if you’d like. You can purchase tickets here for Terevau and here for Aremiti. While it’s not necessary to purchase tickets ahead of time, some organized travelers like to have everything taken care of before they reach their destination.
If you aren’t organized, like us, you can purchase your ticket right at the ferry terminal. If you plan to go this route, I’d recommend arriving at the ferry terminal at least 30 minutes early to make sure you have enough time to find the ticket desk and purchase tickets before it is time to board your ship.
The only time I’d recommend you to purchase your tickets online ahead of time is if you are bringing a vehicle on the ferry. There are limited spots for vehicles and you don’t want to miss your ideal ferry time due to your vehicle not fitting.
We were lucky on our ferry from Tahiti to Moorea. We arrived at the Tahiti ferry terminal 1 hour before our ideal ferry time and purchased our passenger tickets and vehicle tickets then and there.
When we were planning our ferry from Moorea back to Tahiti we went to check the ferry schedule and noticed all vehicle tickets were sold out for multiple trips that day. We had to adjust our itinerary a bit to get our car on board which wasn’t a big deal. However, it might be if you have a flight to catch or don’t have a place to stay that night.
Tahiti Ferry Terminal Location
The Tahiti ferry terminal is located in downtown Pape’ete and a short 15 minute drive from Fa’a’ā International Airport. This area typically has some traffic so plan for this drive to take at least 30 minutes just in case.
If you are renting a car, you’ll most likely pick that car up right at the airport. From there you’ll be able to drive yourself to the Pape’ete Ferry terminal.
If you plan to get from the airport to the ferry terminal by taxi or Uber, plan on it costing about $25-$35.
Moorea Ferry Terminal Location
The Moorea ferry terminal location is basically straight west of the Tahiti ferry terminal. The boat will bring you to the city of Vai’are which is on the east side of the island.
The island of Moorea only takes about 1.5 hours to drive around the entire thing so your drive shouldn’t be very long once you arrive on Moorea.
How To Get Around Tahiti and Moorea
The best way to get around Tahiti and Moorea is by car. Renting your own car will allow you to explore the islands on your own schedule and see exactly what you want to see without having to book a bunch of tours or excursions.
Tours and excursions on both islands are rather expensive. So are Ubers and taxis. In the long run, renting a car will most likely save you money by the time you add all your other costs up.
The freedom that renting your own car gives you is totally worth it in our opinion.
