Cook's Bay (Baie de Cook)

Surrounded by rugged mountain landscape that seems to reach up from the water, Cook's Bay is one of the main tourist areas in Moorea (it's here that cruise ships come to moor their boats). That being said, you'll be able to explore the nearby beaches and streets without huge crowds. Along with hiking trails, dramatic landscapes and beaches, Cook's Bay features an aquarium, restaurants, hotels, the Black Pearl Farm for purchasing French Polynesia's famous black pearls, art galleries, the Pao Pao Market and Moorea Juice Factory.

From Cook's Bay you can begin driving to Belvedere Lookout, a scenic viewpoint awarding aerial views of Opunohu Valley, Cook's Bay and Opunohu Bay.