The sea temperature at Moorea today is 25.9 °C (79 °F) – refreshing to pleasantly warm water, ideal for most people. The usual October average is 26.5 °C. Over the last 30 days the sea temperature has held at around 25.9 °C. Swimmable all year – the sea averages 26 °C or more in every month. Source: Sea Temp Map (seatempmap.com) – NASA MUR satellite data and the Copernicus Marine sea forecast.
| Month | Min | Avg | Max |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 27.9°C / 82.2°F | 28.1°C / 82.5°F | 28.3°C / 82.9°F |
| February | 27.9°C / 82.2°F | 28.4°C / 83.0°F | 28.8°C / 83.8°F |
| March | 28.3°C / 82.9°F | 28.7°C / 83.7°F | 29.2°C / 84.6°F |
| April | 28.3°C / 82.9°F | 28.5°C / 83.4°F | 28.7°C / 83.7°F |
| May | 27.9°C / 82.2°F | 28.1°C / 82.5°F | 28.3°C / 82.9°F |
| June | 27.2°C / 81.0°F | 27.4°C / 81.2°F | 27.5°C / 81.6°F |
| July | 26.6°C / 79.9°F | 26.8°C / 80.2°F | 26.9°C / 80.4°F |
| August | 26.1°C / 79.0°F | 26.4°C / 79.5°F | 26.6°C / 79.9°F |
| September | 26.0°C / 78.7°F | 26.3°C / 79.4°F | 26.7°C / 80.1°F |
| October | 26.2°C / 79.1°F | 26.5°C / 79.7°F | 26.7°C / 80.1°F |
| November | 26.6°C / 80.0°F | 27.0°C / 80.5°F | 27.2°C / 81.0°F |
| December | 27.5°C / 81.5°F | 27.7°C / 81.9°F | 27.9°C / 82.2°F |
| Month | Min | Avg | Max |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 25.9°C / 78.6°F | 26.1°C / 79.0°F | 26.3°C / 79.3°F |
| February | 26.2°C / 79.2°F | 26.4°C / 79.6°F | 26.6°C / 79.9°F |
| March | 26.5°C / 79.6°F | 26.8°C / 80.2°F | 27.0°C / 80.6°F |
| April | 26.2°C / 79.1°F | 26.5°C / 79.6°F | 26.6°C / 79.9°F |
| May | 26.1°C / 78.9°F | 26.3°C / 79.3°F | 26.4°C / 79.5°F |
| June | 25.4°C / 77.7°F | 25.6°C / 78.0°F | 25.7°C / 78.2°F |
| July | 24.8°C / 76.6°F | 24.9°C / 76.9°F | 25.0°C / 77.1°F |
| August | 24.4°C / 75.9°F | 24.6°C / 76.2°F | 24.7°C / 76.4°F |
| September | 24.4°C / 75.8°F | 24.6°C / 76.2°F | 24.7°C / 76.4°F |
| October | 24.7°C / 76.4°F | 24.9°C / 76.8°F | 25.0°C / 77.1°F |
| November | 25.0°C / 76.9°F | 25.2°C / 77.3°F | 25.2°C / 77.4°F |
| December | 25.6°C / 78.2°F | 25.9°C / 78.7°F | 26.1°C / 79.0°F |
5-year averages (2021–2025). Min/Max are typical daily lows and highs, not record extremes. (Copernicus ERA5)
Moorea holidays
Moorea is a mountainous island in the Society Islands of French Polynesia, about 17 km north-west of Tahiti across a channel the locals call the Sea of the Moon. Two deep bays, Cook's Bay and Opunohu Bay, cut into its north coast, and a lagoon enclosed by a coral reef circles almost the whole island.
Beaches
Most of the shore of Moorea is lagoon rather than open sea, so the water inside the reef is usually calm and shallow. Temae on the north-east corner is a public white-sand beach near the airstrip with good snorkelling off the shore. Ta'ahiamanu, at the mouth of Opunohu Bay, is a public beach with shade trees, a favourite with local families. On the north-west tip, the Hauru and Tiahura area has small offshore motu islets reached by kayak or boat. The sea temperature on this page is measured in Cook's Bay on the north coast.
Things to do
The Belvedere lookout in Moorea's Opunohu Valley looks down on both bays and Mount Rotui between them, and the road up passes pineapple fields and restored marae, old Polynesian stone temples. Boat trips in the lagoon stop where stingrays and blacktip reef sharks gather in waist-deep water. From about July to November humpback whales come to the waters around the island, and licensed boats run whale-watching trips. The fruit-juice factory near Cook's Bay and the hiking trails of the interior fill a day out of the water.
Weather and best time to visit
At Moorea the sea stays above 26 °C / 79 °F all year, even in the coolest month.
Moorea is warm all year. The drier season runs from about May to October, with trade winds and cooler nights. From November to April it is hotter, more humid and rainier, with heavy but often short showers, and this is also the season when tropical cyclones are possible in French Polynesia.
Hotels and where to stay
The large resorts of Moorea sit on the lagoon, several with overwater bungalows. The Cook's Bay and Maharepa side has shops and restaurants within reach, Papetoai near Opunohu Bay is quieter, and the Hauru area on the north-west coast has family-run guesthouses and sunset views.
Signature hotels: Hilton Moorea Lagoon Resort & Spa (Papetoai) · Sofitel Kia Ora Moorea Beach Resort (Temae)
Airport and getting there
International flights land at Faa'a International Airport (PPT) on Tahiti. From the port of Papeete, passenger and car ferries cross to Vaiare on Moorea in about 30 to 45 minutes, several times a day. There is one road around the island, about 60 km long, and a hire car or scooter is the easiest way to reach the beaches and lookouts.