French Polynesia » Moorea

Moorea: Sunset Catamaran Cruise to Cook's Bay & Reef

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Free cancellationTravelers' pick

1/22

Duration2h 20m

GroupUp to 8

LanguagesEN · FR

PickupAt your hotel

Sail into Moorea's Sunset on a Catamaran Built for Two

You board Taboo catamaran on Moorea's North coast and sail toward Cook's Bay, then beyond the reef into open water. The cruise includes a Maitai cocktail, tropical juices, and water, with time to watch the sunset over Tiahura's motu. The boat keeps groups small and the pace relaxed—you're out for the light and the water, not a checklist of stops.

2h 20m

Step-by-step itinerary

Board the catamaran Taboo
Sail inside and outside reef barrier
Admire Cook's Bay landscapes and legends
Enjoy panoramic mountain views
Watch sunset at Tiahura's motu
Have a drink and relax onboard

The Experience

The captain of Taboo—a cozy sailing catamaran moored on Moorea's North coast—waves you aboard with a Maitai already waiting. He's done this run maybe a thousand times, and it shows in the way he reads the wind before the sails even catch it. You're not on a tour boat with forty people; Taboo keeps groups small enough that you can actually hear the water and the rigging creak. The boat heads first inside the reef, where the water turns that impossible turquoise, then pushes out past the barrier to where the ocean opens up and the mountains of Moorea shrink behind you into silhouette.

Cook's Bay slides into view on the starboard side—the one James Cook himself sailed into, the one that looks like someone carved it out of the island with a giant hand. Your guide points out the legends tied to the landscape, the way the peaks frame the water, and you're holding a tropical fruit juice or another drink, watching the light change. There's no schedule to keep, no next stop waiting. The catamaran moves at the pace the wind allows, and that's the whole point. You're out here for the moment itself, not to check a box.

As the sun drops toward Tiahura's motu—the small island off the coast—the sky does what it does in French Polynesia: it turns colors that don't have names in most languages. The water goes gold, then pink, then something between purple and gray. You're still on the deck of Taboo, still holding a drink, and the boat is quiet except for the sail and the ocean. By the time you head back toward the mooring, the stars are already out, and the island lights are starting to show on the water.

What’s included

Your cruise includes a Maitai cocktail, water, and tropical fruit juices served on board. You'll sail on Taboo catamaran along Moorea's North coast, passing Cook's Bay and venturing outside the reef barrier to view the natural landscape and sunset over Tiahura's motu.

Good to know

Easy physical levelNot for heart conditionsNot for back problems

Operated by Voila moorea

Is this one for you?A good fit if you want a quiet evening on the water without a crowded tour boat—Taboo keeps groups small so you can actually hear the ocean and watch the light change. The boat sails at the pace the wind allows, which is what makes the sunset feel unhurried instead of rushed.