Site Inspection at Niu Beach Hotel Moorea in Moorea, French Polynesia

This unique hotel is somewhere between a boutique hotel and an apartment rental. There are two options for bungalows and both provide ample space for couples, groups of friends and families. We opted for the smaller studio bungalow, which had a small kitchen, communal space with a sofa bed, and a comfy king bed. Our bungalow was located right on the beach, with included kayaks and paddleboards for our use between sunrise and sunset. We took advantage of snorkeling opportunities steps away from our patio and made sure to catch sunrise and sunset here each day. There's an optional continental breakfast for a fee, but no other restaurants on site. While this wasn't an issue for us, as we knew this ahead and enjoy eating out, it may pose a problem for someone looking for a "resort" type of stay. The kitchen made it easy to prep some lunch and snacks throughout our time there.

While on Moorea, we took a snorkeling tour with Moorea Sea Experience and it was one of our favorite things we did. What I love about this company is that they are locally owned by two brothers and their mission is to provide small group experiences with an emphasis on "leave no trace" principals and marine ethics. We saw dolphins, swam with rays and black tip reef sharks, enjoyed Tahitian rum punch and and had the best captain and guide.

Some of our favorite lunches on Moorea were the fresh poke bowls and smoothie bowls at North Shore Poke & Smoothie Bar. We went to Rudy's for dinner twice and had incredible service and food. I loved the filet mignon and the crab stuffed parrot fish.

I recommend this hotel and Moorea in general for those open to exploring the island versus being resort based the whole time!

This trip report is part of our ongoing series on travel to French Polynesia. In need of further inspiration? Check out Maren Marcelis's guide, 14 Days in French Polynesia.