A unique adventure meeting our humpback whales
Come on board of Mori Ora Piti to live a unique and respectful whale watching tour
A respectful adventure
Mori Ora offers more than an excursion: come on board for a unique adventure, discovering the amazing humpback whales.
Our experienced team will share with you their passion for the ocean, while insuring your security. Around our islands, we can meet a variety of animal's behavior going from quiet relaxing moment of sleeping whales to active and moving encounters and mating, without forgetting the singing males whales.
The observation of the animal's behavior is key to understand in which mood they are and if they are willing to get into an interaction with humans. Our experienced team will share their behavior's analysis for you to be part of a little bit of the whale's life.
Meeting wild animals cannot be guaranteed as they are totally free of the mouvements, but our team will always make sure your experience is memorable.
A maximum of 6 persons will be on board to keep a small group and allow you a unique and authentic experience.
The excursion : time, prices
The meeting point is at the Opunohu's marina "Moorea Yacht Club", at the kilometric point 17,2.
Day tour: meeting at 8:45 AM
Sunset tour: meeting at 1 PM.
The duration is between 3 and 4 hours, according to the weather conditions and the animals.
Our tour will start by sharing our scientifical knowledge of the marin mammals present in French Polynesia to allow you to learn more about those increadible creatures.
Price:
- Shared tour: 15 000 xpf / person.
6 persons maximum / 4 persons minimum.
- Private tour: 90 000xpf half day
160 000 xpf full day
6 persons maximum.
Practical information
For an optimal experience, we highly recommend to bring : a light windbreaker vest, sunglasses, a towel, your snorkeling gears if you have your own, a wetsuit for a better flotation.
Snorkeling gears will be lend to those who have not their own.
Important information:
Our tours are not recommended for pregnant women and other persons who undertook major surgery (heart, joint, etc.).
Persons sensitive to seasickness are requested to take adequate precautions.
Our shared tour are not suitable for children under the age of 10.
Being in good shape is recommended for such activities more precisely knowing how to swim in the ocean with fins. Indeed the boat is not allowed to be closer to the whales than 100m, so the swimmers will need to swim at least 200m (back and forth), maybe more, in the ocean (waves, deep blue, etc.).
Humpback whales in French Polynesia
French Polynesia has become one of the biggest marine mammals sanctuary in the world in 2002. Indeed, a lot of cetacean, dolphins and whales species can be observed in our Polynesian waters either all year long, either seasonal.
Diverse marine mammals species can be observed such as spinner dolphins, rough-toothed dolphins, grand dolphins, pilot whales, sperm whales, etc.
Humpback whales or Magaptera come in our waters to spend the austral winter in warm waters from July to November. They wait for the summer to go back to Antarctica to feed. In French Polynesia, they mostly rest, socialize, mate and give birth to their babies in warm waters.
Following a new regulation from the French Polynesia government and the DIREN (Direction de l’Environnement), environmental department, the whale watching excursion can take place from the 20th of July until the 20th of November. This means that before and after no whale watching tour can be booked. However, our normal sailing sunset tours and lagoon snorkeling tours are possible.
The boat, Mori Ora Piti
Mori Ora Piti is a 24 feet motor boat, semi-rigid with a 200 horses outboard engine.
Very comfortable with lots of sitting areas and safe in the ocean waves.
A boat cover is bringing some shades inside the boat.
