Summary:
Fare Tipanier, a 35 m² fare for two on a quiet stretch of beach at Haapiti, Moorea. Free breakfast, free kayaks, check-in from midday.
Bed, kitchen, desk and terrace, all yours: for two people who want the whole fare rather than a bedroom in someone else's house. The lagoon is a few steps past the deck.
Fare Oaoa Haapiti is a small beachfront pension of six fare at PK 23,9 in Haapiti, on the quiet west coast of Moorea, 25 minutes from the Vaiare ferry port and 30 from the airport. Breakfast and kayaks are included for every guest, and the shared pool and the beachfront jacuzzi are open to all six.
The Space:
A 35 m² fare set a little further along the property, the last of the three on the beach and the furthest from the pool and the main house, where it is quieter. It sleeps two, and everything in it is for two.
A queen bed on a memory-foam mattress, a bathroom with a walk-in shower and a washbasin unit, a fully equipped kitchen of its own, and a desk by the window for the morning you decide to work. Air conditioning, mosquito screens, wifi, a television.
Outside: your own wooden terrace with a table, then the sand, then the lagoon. In the evening the beach and the gardens are lit low.
The kayaks are the thing people remember. They are free, they live on the beach in front of you, and the lagoon here is flat and clear first thing in the morning, which is also when the dolphins tend to come through. We will show you how to handle one before you take it out, children go with a parent, and we ask that you tell us before you paddle past the reef so that somebody on land knows where you are.
Guest Access:
Yours alone: the fare, its kitchen, its bathroom, the desk, and your own wooden terrace.
Shared with the five other fare: the beachfront jacuzzi, the pool, the outdoor kitchen, the garden, the beach and its sun loungers, the washing machine, and parking inside the property. The kayaks are free and stay on the beach in front of you.
Check-in from 12:00, check-out by 10:00.
The Neighborhood:
The grocery store is directly across the road and opens early. A smoothie stand and a pizza truck are two minutes away, and the pizza truck delivers. Every fare has its own kitchen, so cooking is easy if that is the evening you want. Kathy also cooks: Tahitian home cooking, ordered by 4pm, served at a table on the sand or brought to your fare. And there are very good restaurants a short drive away, fifteen minutes north at Hauru, which we will book for you and tell you how to find.
Straight in front of the property, the Haapiti pass breaks all year and draws surfers from across the world. Dolphins are usually out in the lagoon in the morning. Tiahura beach is about fifteen minutes away by car, and humpback whales pass between August and October.
Getting Around:
Rent a car. It is the honest answer for Moorea: the beaches, the restaurants and the viewpoints are spread right around the island, and there is free parking for you inside the property. Rental desks are at the airport and beside the ferry terminal. A scooter costs less and works well if you are travelling light.
If you would rather not drive, a tour operator can plan each day and collect you here. Tell us and we will put you in touch. We do not recommend relying on the local bus: it runs, but not to a timetable you can build a day around.
We are about 25 minutes from the Vaiare ferry port and 30 minutes from Moorea airport. If you land in Tahiti after the last ferry you will need a night in Papeete before crossing, and we are happy to recommend somewhere.
Other Things to Note:
Shoes come off at the door. Smoking is outdoors only. If you are planning a wedding or a celebration, talk to us first and we will help you organise it; please do not book for an event without arranging it with us in advance.
We live surrounded by nature, so you will meet some of it. One island dog lives here with us. Roosters and chickens are not ours and do not live on the property, though you will hear them now and then, as you will anywhere on Moorea. The lizard is a sacred symbol of the island, and is what its name means, so we watch them rather than chase them away. Being close to the forest, an insect finds its way in from time to time despite regular treatment. Please do not feed the animals.
Interaction with Guests:
We run the property ourselves, so there is always someone to ask. Breakfast in the morning, a briefing before you take a kayak out, a restaurant table booked, a tour or a taxi arranged, the ferry sorted.
Beyond that we stay out of your way. If you would like to talk on the terrace in the evening we are glad to, and if you would rather not see anyone, that is just as easy.