Level: Free shore access This spot have a free shore access: you can go snorkeling there freely and without having to book a tour or pay an entrance fee. Resort nearby
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Last updated on July 23, 2023
Despite a rather strong current, Temae Beach is one of the best snorkeling spots in Moorea. Its shallow depth (↕2 to 10 ft/0.5 to 3m), its crystal clear water, along with its diversity of reef fish and its visiting whiprays make for good reasons to visiting this location.
Temae Beach is located at the eastern tip of Moorea Island. If you get to the beach from the pier, the access road is just down the descent, after the viewpoint over Tahiti and the Sofitel lagoon. It is easy to park along the beach.
Temae Lagoon, most of the time, is crossed by a north/south current. This is left to right when you are on the beach, facing the ocean. So it is preferable to get into the water at the northern tip of the beach, then let yourself drift with the current before getting out of the water at the other end of the beach. If you wish, extend your session by drifting to the overwater bungalows of the Sofitel. The lagoon is free to access but the beach is private.
Temae Beach is edged by a shallow, sandy lagoon. Some 30 to 40 yards from the beach, the seabed starts to be covered with scattered coral.
In the sand, even though a relatively poor environment, you can observe interesting species. Just make sure you give yourself the time to explore them (↕2-6ft/0.5-2m). Most of the fish, camouflaged in the sand, are harder to spot here than in the coral areas.
Among the species that are easily encountered on sandy bottoms are the peacock flounder, the longhorn cowfish, as well as the white-spotted pufferfish. Occasionally, you may also encounter pink whiprays in the shallows.
About 40-50 yards from the shore, larger coral patches cover the seabed (↕3-10ft/1-3m). Fish are more abundant here, including huge schools of convict surgeonfish that are constantly crossing the lagoon.
Butterflyfish, wrasse, lemon angelfish and damselfish of all kinds are all very easy to see around the corals. Sometimes it’s a titan triggerfish or a yellowmargin triggerfish that shows just the tip of its nose. They will watch snorkelers sideways before heading towards the barrier.
If you continue south beyond the area shown on the map, you will enter the Sofitel Moorea snorkeling area. Beautiful patches of branching coral can be seen here. The lagoon is open to everyone, but the beach is private. Check the Sofitel Moorea snorkeling report here.
There is no hotel on Temae Beach, but it is easy to walk there from the Sofitel. Food trucks are sometimes present on the back of the beach, at the edge of the track, but bring your own food and water to be on the safe side.
These spots are accessible to anyone with basic snorkeling skills, and feeling comfortable in the water and with his snorkeling gear. You will enter the water from the shore (beach, pontoon, ladder, rocks) or from a boat. The water height in the sea entrance area is reasonable, but you will not necessarily be within your depth. Moderate currents can occur in the area, even when the sea conditions are good. The distance to swim to reach the most interesting snorkeling areas of the spot does not exceed 200 meters. This level only apply when the spot experiences optimal sea and/or weather conditions. It is not applicable if the sea and/or weather conditions deteriorate, in particular in the presence of rough sea, rain, strong wind, unusual current, large tides, waves and/or swell. You can find more details about the definition of our snorkeling levels on our snorkeling safety page.
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Snorkeling spots are part of a wild environment and their aspect can be significantly altered by weather, seasons, sea conditions, human impact and climate events (storms, hurricanes, seawater-warming episodes…). The consequences can be an alteration of the seabed (coral bleaching, coral destruction, and invasive seagrass), a poor underwater visibility, or a decrease of the sea life present in the area. Snorkeling Report makes every effort to ensure that all the information displayed on this website is accurate and up-to-date, but no guarantee is given that the underwater visibility and seabed aspect will be exactly as described on this page the day you will snorkel the spot. If you recently snorkeled this area and noticed some changes compared to the information contained on this page, please contact us.
The data contained in this website is for general information purposes only, and is not legal advice. It is intended to provide snorkelers with the information that will enable them to engage in safe and enjoyable snorkeling, and it is not meant as a substitute for swim level, physical condition, experience, or local knowledge. Remember that all marine activities, including snorkeling, are potentially dangerous, and that you enter the water at your own risk. You must take an individual weather, sea conditions and hazards assessment before entering the water. If snorkeling conditions are degraded, postpone your snorkeling or select an alternate site. Know and obey local laws and regulations, including regulated areas, protected species, wildlife interaction and dive flag laws.
