Things To Do in Moorea

Tiki Theatre Village

The best cultural experience in French Polynesia is at Tiki Theatre Village, at PK 31, or 2km (1 1/4 miles) south of old Club Med (tel. 55.02.50; www.tikivillage.pf). Founded by Olivier Briac, a Frenchman whom the local Tahitians call Le Sauvage Blanc (White Savage), it's built in the fashion of ancient Tahitian villages. This cultural center has old-style fares (houses) in which the staff demonstrates traditional tattooing, tapa-cloth making and painting, wood and stone carving, weaving, cooking, and making costumes, musical instruments, and flower crowns. There's even a "royal" house floating out on the lagoon, where you can learn about the modern art of growing black pearls.

Tiki Theatre Village will even arrange a traditional beachside wedding. The bride is prepared with flowery monoi oil like a Tahitian princess, and the groom is tattooed (with a wash-off pen). Both wear traditional costumes.

The village is open Tuesday to Saturday from 11am to 3pm. Admission and a guided tour cost 1,500CFP (US$19/£9.50).

Not to be missed is the authentic Tahitian feast and dance show here on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday nights. They pick you up from your hotel and deposit you on the beach for a rum punch and sunset. After the staff uncovers the earth oven, they take you on a tour of the village. A buffet of both Tahitian and Western foods is followed by an energetic 1 1/2-hour dance show with some of the most elaborate yet traditional costumes to be seen in French Polynesia. The dinner and show cost 8,700CFP (US$109/£55) per person, or you can come for the 9pm show for 4,300CFP (US$54/£57). Kids 3 to 12 pay half-price. Add 1,150CFP (US$14/£7.25) for round-trip transportation.

The one required nighttime activity here is an authentic feast and dance show at Tiki Theatre Village in Haapiti (tel. 55.02.50).

Moorea's major resorts also have Tahitian feasts and dance shows at least once a week. The most elaborate is the Saturday-evening lagoonside show at the InterContinental Resort and Spa Moorea. Most charge 8,000CFP to 9,500CFP (US$100-US$119/£51-£60) per person for the dinner and dance show.

One notable exception is a free show at the Club Bali Hai (tel. 56.13.68) every Wednesday at 6pm. It's followed by an à la carte seafood barbecue at Snack l'Ananas Bleu (Blue Pineapple). Meals range from 1,800CFP to 3,900CFP (US$23-US$49/£11-£25). Reservations are required for the barbecue.

Sunsets with Muk at Club Bali Hai

If I'm on Moorea, you'll find me beside Cook's Bay at the Club Bali Hai (tel. 56.13.68) swapping yarns with Muk McCallum, one of the original Bali Hai Boys. His bring-your-own happy hours run Thursday through Tuesday between 5:30 and 7pm. This is one of the great vistas in the South Pacific; you'll want to become a modern Paul Gauguin in order to capture the changing colors of the bay, sky, and jagged mountains.

Among the restaurants, Maria@Tapas (tel. 55.01.70) has entertainment on Friday and Saturday evenings (expect a cover charge when bands perform unless you dine there). Scottish-born guitarist Ron Falconer appears at Restaurant Aito (tel. 56.45.52) on Friday night. And a string band plays traditional Tahitian tunes on Friday and Saturday nights at Kaveka Restaurant (tel. 56.50.50). In the Haapiti hotel district, PK0 (tel. 56.55.46) has live music on Friday and Saturday. It's Haapiti's version of Maria@Tapas.