Hiking the Moorea Caldeira

Sunday morning, we woke up, had breakfast and got ready to hike the Caldeira. When we arrived in Moorea, the representative from Tahiti Nui Travel told us this was a great expedition, especially considering there wasn't much open on Sunday, so we were excited. We started in Opunohu Valley along a road that turns off the main road at the end of Opunohu Bay that leads to Belvedere lookout, with our tour guide Hiro from Mer and Montagne Tours.

We followed a dirt road for a ways, then headed on to the trail, which was actually blazed some of the way.

It was a very steep climb and hot and humid that day; (well every day in the austral summer, but this day it was more noticeable since we were hiking!)

After a bit, we came to Col des Trois Cocotiers, with fabulous views over the valley, the two bays, Mount Rotui, Tohiea, and many other peaks surrounding the Caldeira.

Hiro explained that the Caldeira is what's left of the crater of the volcano that formed Moorea about 1.5 million years ago.

Moorea and Tahiti are young islands, compared to Bora Bora, which is closer to 60 million years old.

We rested here for a while and took some pictures, then continued on to Belvedere Lookout.

We had a perfect view of Mount Rotui and other mountains to the south and of Opunohu and Cook's Bays.

We ate lunch here and continued on to Sommet des Trois Pinus, another lookout with wonderful views.

We rested here again then finished our hike through a pineapple plantation and back to the starting spot.

Our ride brought us back to the hotel and I got in the water to snorkel a bit to cool off.