Moorea, French Polynesia
Watch this spot We email you when Moorea is worth the trip.
About Moorea
Known for kitesurfing and windsurfing, by the OpenStreetMap map of the area. The shore faces N, so wind from the S blows out to sea (our estimate from the coastline). Facts: verified.
Water about 27°C: no wetsuit. Typical sea temperature for the time of year, not a forecast.
A spot for kitesurfing and windsurfing, as OpenStreetMap maps it, on a shore facing N. Wind from the N blows onshore, wind from the S blows out to sea, and wind from the E or W runs along the shore. It is sheltered to the open sea. The sea floor shelves gently: 10 m deep about 600 m out (1 in 62). The sea is about 27°C in July, its coldest month (no wetsuit), and 29°C in January, its warmest (no wetsuit). For kitesurfing at intermediate level the best month is usually February, with about 3 good days in 7; in March and April, about 1. From the weather of past years. The town to stay in is Papetoai. Within 5 km we also list 1 surf spot.
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Book the trip
From Chicago: about 20 h 15 door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.
Fly. MDW to PPT, changing at LAX.
See flights MDW → PPT · Skyscanner from about £535 returnAdGetting there. 45 min from the airport to Moorea.
Accommodation.
Stay in PapetoaiAd
Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote.
Room photos are examples, not these hotels (credits).
See all places to stay in Papetoai (ad) on Booking.com →Closest towns to stay in
Papetoai 8 min by car · rooms from £60 a night
Places to stay in Papetoai · Booking.com Ad
Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote. Drives are estimates.
Hire and lessons.
Kitesurfing lessons in Papetoai · GetYourGuideAdKite and board hire in Papetoai · GetYourGuideAd
Where it is
Moorea on Google Maps · Directions
The map needs JavaScript. Every place on it is listed on this page, and each place's page links to Google Maps.
One finger scrolls the page; two fingers move the map. Pins are our own positions. Map OpenFreeMap, © OpenMapTiles, data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Forecast
Best on Sun 18: 14 kn gusting 19, side-onshore. Water: chop.
The score for kite, coloured as on the area pages:GoodFairPoor
| Day | Score | Wind | Gusts | Shore | Water |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun 18Oct | 64, good | wind from the east-north-east, 14 knots | 19kn | side-on | chop |
| Mon 19Oct | 61, good | wind from the north-west, 15 knots | 20kn | side-on | chop |
| Tue 20Oct | 0, poor | wind from the south-south-west, 9 knots | 12kn | offnot safe | chop |
| Wed 21Oct | 0, poor | wind from the south-south-west, 10 knots | 14kn | offnot safe | 0.8 mwaves |
| Thu 22Oct | 0, poor | wind from the south-south-east, 17 knots | 22kn | offnot safe | chop |
| Fri 23Oct | 0, poor | wind from the south-south-east, 16 knots | 21kn | offnot safe | 0.8 mwaves |
| Sat 24Oct | 0, poor | wind from the south-east, 12 knots | 20kn | offnot safe | 0.8 mwaves |
| Sun 25Oct | 0, poor | wind from the south-south-east, 17 knots | 23kn | offnot safe | chop |
| Mon 26Oct | 0, poor | wind from the south-east, 8 knots | 14kn | offnot safe | 0.9 mwaves |
| Tue 27Oct | 0, poor | wind from the south-south-east, 1 knot | 10kn | offnot safe | 1.0 mwaves |
Day scores are the conditions out of 80. Wind is the day's best reading: the mean and the gusts in knots (10 kn is about 19 km/h); the arrow points where it blows to. Shore: "side" is side-shore, blowing along the beach, the safe way; "side-on" and "on" blow in towards it; "cross-off" and "off" blow out to sea, and offshore scores nothing for kite and windsurf. Water is the open sea's waves near the spot: flat under 0.3 m, chop to 0.8 m.
The season
Good kite days in a typical week, each month, from 2016 on (ERA5 history scored the same way).
- Jan2of 7
- Feb3of 7
- Mar1of 7
- Apr1of 7
- May2of 7
- Jun2of 7
- Jul2of 7
- Aug2of 7
- Sep2of 7
- Oct2of 7
- Nov2of 7
- Dec2of 7
Typical, not a forecast. Reanalysis wind misses some local thermal winds, so a spot known for an afternoon breeze may do better than this.
Your trip, day by day
6 nights from Mon 19 Oct, leaving from Chicago, for kite. Change dates
- Mon 19 OctTravel out
Fly MDW to PPT, changing at LAX, then 45 min by road. About 20h 15 door to door
- Tue 20 OctRest day
Not enough of the right wind: 9 kn gusting 12, offshore. Offshore: not safe to ride. Water: chop.
- Wed 21 OctRest day
Not enough of the right wind: 10 kn gusting 14, offshore. Offshore: not safe to ride. Water: waves 0.8 m.
- Thu 22 OctRest day
Not enough of the right wind: 17 kn gusting 22, offshore. Offshore: not safe to ride. Water: chop.
- Fri 23 OctRest day
Not enough of the right wind: 16 kn gusting 21, offshore. Offshore: not safe to ride. Water: waves 0.8 m.
- Sat 24 OctRest day
Not enough of the right wind: 12 kn gusting 20, offshore. Offshore: not safe to ride. Water: waves 0.8 m.
- Sun 25 OctTravel home
Fly MDW to PPT, changing at LAX, then 45 min by road. About 20h 15 door to door
Rough cost
About £930–£1,815 each for 6 nights, 2 people sharing. A guide from typical prices, not a quote. Kit hire is not in it yet: we have no sourced price for it.
- Flights £535–£1,110
- To the UK airport £35–£65
- Taxi £40–£70
- Stay £165–£280
- Food £155–£290
Book the trip
Where to stayAd
Places to stay · Booking.com (ad)Links marked Ad may pay us a small commission if you book. You pay the same price, and it never changes a score.