Heart-shaped Moorea is 48 square miles, with two distinct bays at its north end, Cook's Bay (named after Captain James Cook, who visited in 1777), and sacred Opunohu Bay. Polynesian legend has it that an octupus living on Mount Totui split the island to create the two bays, and if you drive to Belvedere Point, you can see both at the same time. With luck, friendly dogs will romp around in your foreground shot as well.
On the way to this incredible view, you can also visit ancient Polynesian ceremonial sites, called marae. Marae Titiroa was probably built in the 12th to 14th century and used in some way until the 19th century. Here you see Steven next to a rectangular rock wall, with a small platform at one end. Chiefs and priests sat on the platform and received gifts of tubers, fish, dogs, and pigs (and according to some sources, human sacrifices of captured enemies!). Nearby is a "council platform" where chiefs convened.
The sites are surrounded bya very humid jungle with tangled roots and branches that reach up twenty feet and trees that grow in thin half circles.
Many hike here, but start early to avoid the worst of the humidity.
Having seen some interior, we headed back to the island ring road. Nearby is the Manatua Distillery where you can sample fruit flavored liquers, rum, and wine, and top it off with some pineapple vanilla fruit juice.
The liquor is flavored with sugar cane, grown right on the island. There is a self guided tour of the factory where you can watch juice boxes being filled on an assembly line. We took home some "Anacoc" liquer to remember our visit (pineapple coconut).
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